Taj
Mahal Tour is full of fun and excitement. Agra is easily accessible from New
Delhi and all the major cities of India with surfeit of options available.
After the exalted vision of the Taj Mahal, one can make an excursion to the Agra
Fort as well as Fatehpur Sikri.
Taj Mahal
The white mausoleum stands unpretentiously on the banks of river Yamuna
retains a charm that takes the breath away. A Mughal Emperor Shah Jhan
contrived the Taj Mahal a prodigy of devotion and grandeur. This was his eternal
passion and love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal that exaggerated him to structure
this threnody after her death. The mortal remains of the queen and the king
lies in concord down the majestic dome. The complex consists of green lawns,
enchanting fountains trimmed trees and museums. Amidst lies the magnificent
tomb in white marvel adorned with rich Mugal art and architecture
accompanied by precious and semiprecious gems like agate, lapis lazuli,
coral, or onyx.
The Taj' carved out with ethereal sculpture is festooned with glossy lay
out of flowers and script engraving precious gems. The beauty of the Taj Mahal
looks incredible at different times of the day, the Taj Mahal at sunset, under the
full moon, against the rising sun every time the monolith procure a
different accent and tells a different story.
Site Seeing
Agra Fort
Agra Fort is another architectural treasure for tourists visiting Agra. One
can enjoy the beautiful glimpse of the Taj Mahal from the fort across the Yamuna
River. The fort is a red sandstone castle built by Emperor Akbar in the year
1654. The portion of the fort was used as a military strategic point and the
rest was used as the royal residence. Later on the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan
laid many additions in the fort.
Fatehpur Sikri
Fatehpur Sikri was the royal city built by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1575.
Fatehpur Sikri is the most popular day excursion from Agra, the capital of
impregnable Mughals for a long time.
Fatehpur Sikri, today, has gained the status of a World Heritage site.
There are numerous sites like the Panch Mahal, or Palace of Five Story, and
the Buland Darwaza, a massive gate. Fatehpur also includes the Jama Masjid a
Mosque, Salim Chisti tomb, Diwani- Aam, and Jodh Bai's Palace.
There are many other places that can also be visited: Dayal Bagh 8 kms,
Itmad-Ud-Daula Tomb 6 kms, Sikandra 10 kms, Radhaswami Samadhi 8 kms and
Jama Masjid,
Timings
To reach Agra from Delhi one can board trains in the morning that takes
just 2 hrs to reach the city. There are also luxury buses and tourist cabs
available, running between Delhi and Agra. There are also regular flights
from Delhi to Agra.
Timings of trains
Taj Express : Departs from Nizamuddin Station at
7:15- Arrives Agra Cantt at 9:50.
Punjab Mail : Departs New Delhi Station at 5:30- Arrives Agra Cantt
at 8:25.
Chattisgarh Exp : Departs New Delhi at 5:00- arrives Agra Cantt at
9:30.
Accommodation
Accommodations at Agra varies from the expensive luxury and deluxe to the
less expensive semi-deluxe and budget hotels. Besides private hotels there
are options of tourist bungalows maintained by the state tourism department.
Accessibility
Air : Indian Airlines operate flights daily connecting Agra with
Delhi, Khajuraho and Varanasi. Khera the main airhead is 6 kms from Agra,
and can be accessed by taxis and auto-rickshaws.
Rail : Agra is well connected to Delhi and other important Indian
cities. From Delhi, the Shatabdi Express takes 2 hrs and Taj Express 2.5 hrs
to reach Agra. The nearest railhead is Agra Cantonment.
Road : Bus services are available from Delhi and all other cities.
Tourist cabs are also easily available for a trip to Agra. By road, it is
253 kms and takes around 4/5 hours. Rickshaws horse carts called tongas and
taxis are easily available to roam inside the city.
