Agra

Agra

Location: Uttar Pradesh

Agra is a city of millions on the Yamuna River in western Uttar Pradesh. Agra is famous for tourism because of the world heritage sites Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Together with Delhi and Jaipur, Agra forms the popular tourist Golden Triangle.

Agra, the ancient capital of the Mughal Empire, is about 200 km south-east of Delhi. Arts and crafts are flourishing in the metropolis. Stone inlays and embroidery are available in numerous downtown shops.

 

Geography and climate

Position

Agra is located about 220 km (driving distance) south-east of the Indian capital Delhi in the fertile alluvial plain of the Yamuna River at an altitude of about 168 m. above sea level. There are no natural stone and rock deposits in the vicinity of the city; all buildings of earlier times consist of bricks at their core and were faced with red sandstone or marble from Rajasthan.

 

Climate

Daytime temperatures can reach 40°C in the months of May, June and July, night time temperatures are still around 30°C; in the monsoon season (mid-July to early October) it cools down by about 10 °C. In winter, the daytime temperatures are around 20 to 25 °C, at night the thermometer can drop to around 3 °C when there is little cloud.

The climate crisis has led to a drastic shortage of drinking water in large parts of India. The effects are particularly noticeable in Agra. The city is one of the 21 major Indian cities whose groundwater reserves will be completely depleted by 2020, according to calculations by the government agency NITI Aayog.

 

Getting there

By plane
Agra Airport (IATA: AGR). Tel: +91 562 2400844, Email: apd_agra@aai.aero . The Kheria military airport, 13 km from the city center, is also used seasonally for civilian purposes. However, the offer is limited to a few domestic Indian destinations with low frequency. Agra is served by flights from Delhi, Jaipur and Jaisalmer. Flights are also planned from Bengaluru, Bhopal, Lucknow and Varanasi.

By train
Agra Cantonment Railway Station (Agra Cantt.) . Agra Cantonment (station code: AGC) is the main station of Agra. The station is on the Delhi-Chennai railway line. The Taj Mahal is 5.7 km and the Agra Fort is 5.2 km away.
In addition to Agra Cantt. there are four other smaller train stations in Agra.

By bus
Idgah Bus Stand. Largest intercity bus station in Agra. The bus station stretches confusingly on both sides and along Chaunka Nagala Street. Fortunately, there is usually a helpful Indian who will guide you to the right bus.
Interstate Bus Terminal Agra (Agra ISBT). Intercity bus station in north-west Agra.

In the street
From Delhi, Agra is a four to five hour drive via the busy N2 National Highway 2 or a quicker drive via the toll (car ₹2.50/km) Yamuna Expressway commons opened in 2012. It also takes about four hours from Jaipur via the N11 National Highway 11. The N3 National Highway 3 leads from Gwalior to Agra, and from Lucknow the Agra-Lucknow Expressway, which is subject to tolls and opened in 2017, leads

By boat
Agra is located on the Yamuna River. This holy tributary of the Ganges is a stinking cesspool, prohibiting the use of river cruise ships.

 

Transport

Even more than in other Indian cities, taxi/rickshaw apps such as Ola or Uber are helpful in getting a realistic price idea for the desired route. The comparatively high entrance fees to the Taj Mahal apparently encourage rickshaw drivers and other service providers to also set their prices very high for ignorant tourists.

 

Sights

World Heritage
Taj Mahal. World Heritage Site: A high sandstone entrance gate leads to a 18-hectare garden. Immediately behind the entrance is an elongated water basin, at the end of which stands one of the most famous buildings in India: the Taj Mahal rises on an area of 100 m by 100 m, on the banks of the Yamuna. Built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his great love Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631 giving birth to their 14th child, it is made of white marble and inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones. Feature: Photography prohibited (inside). Open: Saturday-Thursday. Price: ₹ 1100 (+₹ 200 main mausoleum), valid for 3 hours.

The marble floor surrounding the Taj Mahal is polished very smooth. It gets extremely slippery during monsoon rains, especially with the cotton booties to wear over shoes to protect the marble.
For full moon nights (+2 nights before/after) you can book a half-hour night tour for ₹750. Tickets are available one day in advance at the Archaeological Survey of India office, Agra Circle, 22 The Mall, Agra, from 10am-6pm (Tel. +91 562 2227261/-63, Email: circleagr.asi@gmail.com) . Between 8.30 p.m. and 12.30 a.m., eight groups of 50 visitors each are channeled through. Night viewing is canceled on Fridays and during the fasting month of Ramadan.

Red Fort Agra World Heritage Site: The fort was originally a red sandstone fortress built by Mughal Emperor Akbar. It was remodeled by his grandson Shah Jahan, using marble as the main building material. Within the 20 m high, more than 2 km long enclosing wall there are numerous individual buildings. Open: Sunrise – Sunset. Price: ₹ 650 (Friday: ₹ 600).
Jahangiri Mahal. Palace for the women of the household. Created for Akbar's son Jahangiri. Islamic architecture, inside Indian forms.
Divan-i-Am. The public audience hall where the Peacock Throne once stood. Last Modified: Mar. 2020 edit info
Diwan-i-Khas. A hall for private audiences.
Musamman Burj. An octagonal palace built by Shah Jahan for his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal. Later he was held prisoner here by his own son until his death, always with a view of the Taj Mahal, which he also built. Last modified: Mar. 2020 edit info
Moti Masjid. The Perl Mosque.
Nagina Masjid. Gem Mosque.
If you visit the Taj Mahal first and then the Red Fort on the same day, you get a ₹ 50 discount on the entrance fee.

 

What to do

Guided tours. ₹1200 for half day (including Taj Mahal and Agra Fort). Any guide that charges less than that is probably an unlicensed tout. Most unlicensed scalpers have fake IDs and are more focused on taking you shopping than presenting accurate information. You can book an approved local guide by accessing the link or by searching online.
Night visit to the Taj Mahal. Tickets cost ₹510 for Indians and ₹750 for non-Indians.. on full moon nights and the two days before and after (so five days in total). The exceptions are Fridays, Muslim Saturdays and the month of Ramadan. Reservations must be made 24 hours in advance at the Archaeological Society of India office located at 22, Mall Road, Agra. Night viewing hours are 8.30pm to 9.00pm and 9.00pm to 9.30pm. A visitor must arrive 30 minutes before viewing time for a security check at the Taj Mahal ticket kiosk at the East Gate. Probably not worth the money for the night view as visitors are kept away from the Taj Mahal (about 200m away) and there is not enough light for viewing or photography.
Stroll in the city. Besides visits to the monuments, one can also stroll through the local markets in the old town area. It's a great experience to take a walk in one of the oldest parts of the city.
Taj Nature Walk (500m from East Gate of Taj Mahal). Indians ₹40 (up to 5 years free, 5 to 10 years ₹20), foreigners ₹100. 7am-5pm. An 11-hectare forest area, this park has many landscaped mounds and watchtowers that offer a good view of the Taj Mahal. There is a lake with many species of fish, birds and aquatic plants.

 

Shopping

Agra has many shops selling stone products, from jewelery to small boxes and plaques with inlays resembling those of the Taj. The best ones are wonderful, and even the ordinary ones are quite nice. Agra is also famous for its leather goods. Consider spending time at Sadar Bazaar for shopping and cheap eats.

There are many local markets: Sadar Bazar. a sophisticated market, Raja ki Mandi market, Sanjay Place for all offices, Shah Market for electronics. All of these markets are located along MG Road. Hospital Road Market and Subhash Bazar for clothes located near Agra Fort Railway Station. Rawatpara market is for spices. Besides these there are many branded shops along MG Road.

Many wholesale marble products are available at Gokul Pura market near Raja Mandi on MG Road which can be easily reached by rickshaw, the price of most items is almost 25% in retail market.

Be careful when buying jewelry: many stones are fake and the price is relatively high.

 

How to have fun

Night clubs
A bottle of Indian beer costs around ₹70-100 in a hotel, but there is virtually no nightlife in Agra outside of cultural performances in some of the larger hotels and restaurants. After stepping off the streets of Agra and stepping into your hotel, you still won't want to step out.

 

Where to eat

The specialties of Agra are petha, a very sweet type of candy, and Dal Moth, a mix of spicy lentils. Both are also popular souvenirs.

Chaat - Agra is a heaven for every Chaat lover. Chaats can come in various types but there is one thing common to all of them is that they are spicy and you will find crowds out of virtually every chaat stall especially popular places like Double Phatak (near Sikandra) for Mangores. You will find quality Bhallas and Panipuri in Sadar and Belangunj. Samosa and Kachori can be found in every candy store flooding the city. Some typical chaat products are Aloo Tikki (prepared by roasting a pie made from boiled potatoes), paneer tikka (curd cubes cooked in a tandoor with spices), pani puri or golguppa (small round hollow shells filled with a filling made from potatoes and a sweet and spicy blend of dips), mangores, samosas, chachori, Berahi and top it all off with sweet Jalebies.
Sweets - There are some good sweet shops. The best ones for Agra's famous petha are at Hari Parwat, a short distance from the Agra Fort. Among the famous stores are Panchi's, Bhimsain BaidyaNath and The Pracheen Petha store. There are many types of petha available but, for an authentic experience, try plain (ivory white) or Angoori flavored (rectangular, yellow pieces soaked in sugar syrup). Other shops in Agra include: Bikanervala, Deviram, Munnalal Petha, Gopaldas and Ajanta Sweets, Kamla Nagar. You can conclude the meal with a Joda (couple) of Pan unique to the city.
There is also an abundance of Korean food.

There are several restaurants in the Taj Ganj area, catering to the many tourists staying around the Taj Mahal.

 

Safety

Be careful not to be scammed. Don't let anyone take you to a store, to prevent the price from going up and to cover their commission, usually 50%. Be very wary of the promises these people make. Be prepared to walk away, because you almost always get the same items at another store or order the items you liked on the internet when you return. Expect to encounter petty and greedy shop owners who will resort to any lie to clinch a sale (with initial markups of 1,000-10,000%).

Do not leave cash or valuables in the hotel room.

Check all hotel, restaurant and lounge invoices for errors. Never pay anyone upfront, including taxi drivers.

Beware of pickpockets.

If you decide to purchase anything, beware that most of the items are cheap replicas of genuine items and won't last long. The toys are really badly put together, so don't buy them!

Some unscrupulous carpet dealers use the classic 'bait and switch'. If you buy something, insist on bringing it with you, otherwise what arrives in the mail may not be what you expected. A carpet shop called "Kanu carpets" is particularly famous for this. It is prudent to walk away from shady looking places.

 

Useful information

Pollution, especially smog and rubbish, is rampant and visitors are pestered by swarms of touts and hawkers at every monument, plus the inner Taj Mahal which, once you step inside, is free of scams and touts. The sites are some of the wonders of the world and no trip to India is complete without at least one visit to the Taj. For the vast majority of visitors, a single day in Agra is more than enough.

A novel based on the amazing story behind the Taj Mahal is Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors. It's an international bestseller and Hollywood is turning it into a movie. Another historical novel is Colin De Silva's The Taj.

 

Around

Fatehpur Sikri (The city of Victory) - Inserted in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, Fatehpur Sikri was for a short time the capital under the reign of Akbar who covered it with mosques and splendid monuments. Built in the 16th century by Emperor Akbar, the 'City of Victory' was the capital of the Mughal Empire for a short decade and was abandoned in 1586 due to insufficient local water supply and proximity to Rajputana areas in the northwest , which were increasingly in turmoil. It includes one of the largest mosques in India, the Jama Masjid. Filled with well-preserved palaces and courtyards, it is a must-see for anyone visiting Agra.
Bharatpur is about 56 km from Agra and is home to the famous bird sanctuary where you can see thousands of rare birds including the Siberian Crane. Lohagarh fort remained invincible despite numerous attacks by the British. Just 32 km from Bharatpur is the Deeg Palace. This fort and massive building used to be the summer resort of the rulers of Bharatpur and has many palaces and gardens.
Mathura is said to be the birthplace of the god Krishna. There are many beautiful temples in Mathura including the one built at the birthplace of Shri Krishna.
Nandgaon was the home of Shri Krishna's adoptive father, Nand. At the top of the hill is the expansive temple of Nand Rai, built by the ruler Hat Roop Singh. The other temples here are dedicated to Narsingha, Gopinath, Nritya Gopal, Girdhari, Nand Nandan and Yasodha Nandan which is located halfway up the hill. Nandgaon comes alive around March every year for the Holi festival when many tourists flock to the city for the famous 'lath mar holi'.
Chambal National Sanctuary, (70 kms away) is a wildlife sanctuary and the home of the endangered Indian gharial (a relative of the crocodile) and the Ganges river dolphin (also endangered).
Vrindavan is also a religious place about 50 kms from Agra, and quite close to Mathura. There are many temples dedicated to Krishna, some of the most famous of which are Banke Bihari and the Iskcon Temple.

 

Business

Craftsmen and traders have settled in the city since time immemorial; meanwhile, small industry and service companies of all kinds (banks, insurance companies, hotels, etc.) have also been added. The craftsmen of Agra are famous for the production of the finest inlay work using the pietra dura technique. The Taj Mahal makes Agra one of the most visited cities in India by tourists; the best time to visit for Europeans is the winter months from October to February.

 

History

The history of Agra dates back to ancient times, where it is mentioned in the Mahabharata under the name Agrevaṇa. In 1080, the city was taken by army units of the Muslim Ghaznavids from Afghanistan. The current city was laid out in the early 16th century by Sikandar Lodi, who also moved the Sultanate's capital from Delhi here. When Babur conquered the sultanate in 1526, Agra fell to the Mughals. Babur was a frequent visitor to Agra and planted the Ram Bagh, one of the first Mughal gardens. The heyday of Agra began with the reign of Akbar (r. 1556-1605), who developed the city, and lasted until the reign of Aurangzeb (r. 1658-1707). With the decline of the Mughal Empire, Agra also lost importance. Under the British, Agra had been one of the capitals of the North-Western Provinces since 1836 – along with Lucknow and Allahabad – and from 1902 of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh.