Overview
The Wonder of the World, the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. The chosen city of the Mughal emperors, during the early years of the Moghul period. It was here that the founder of the dynasty, Babur, laid out the first formal Persian Garden on the banks of the river Yamuna. Taj Mahal – If there’s a building which represents a country, like the Eiffel Tower for France, the Sydney Opera House for Australia, then it has to be the Taj Mahal for India. This the most famous Moghul monument was constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the ‘Lady of the Taj’. It has been described as the most extravagant monument ever built for love, by the emperor, who was heartbroken when Mumtaz, to whom he had been married for 17 years, died in 1629, during childbirth, after producing 14 children. The Taj Mahal stands serene and perfect in its garden of cypresses and reflecting pools on the banks of the river Yamuna. Its pure white marble shimmers like silver in the moonlight glows softly in pink at dawn and at the close of day, reflects the fiery tints of the setting sun. The Taj in all its timeless beauty continues to inspire poets, painters, writers and photographers. Lovers still meet here in the moonlight in the shadow of the world’s most famous monument of love. During the reign of the Moghuls, in the 16th and 17th centuries, Agra was the capital of India, and its superb monuments, dates from that era. Agra Fort has a magnificent fort and building. Construction of the massive Agra Fort was begun by Emperor Akbar and additions were made till the time of his grandson, Shah Jahan. During Akbar’s time, the fort was principally a military structure and by Shah Jahan’s time it had become partially a palace. There are many fascinating buildings inside the massive walls. Fatehpūr Sikrī – the Mughal Emperor Akbar built Fatehpūr Sikrī and shifted his capital there. An inscription on the central face of the Buland Darwāza demonstrates Akbar’s religious broad mindedness. It has a message from Jesus advising his followers not to consider this world as their permanent home.
