Things To Do in Agra
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Agra Attractions
Agra is today a large industrial city with a woeful infrastructure, but sightseeing is quite manageable given that there are five major attractions and very little else to keep you here. Ideally, you will see the Taj at dawn, then visit Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb and Agra Fort, and move on to Fatehpur Sikri the following dawn. Besides those sights listed below, you may also want to make time to visit beautiful Jama Masjid, built in 1648 by Jahanara Begum, Shah Jahan's favorite daughter, who clearly inherited some of his aesthetic sensibilities. It is in the heart of the medieval part of Agra, best approached by cycle- or auto-rickshaw; you can stop along the way to bargain for jewelry, fabrics, or carpets. The other sight worth swinging by is Dayal Bagh Temple -- begun 97 years ago, it is still under construction and is being built by the progeny of the laborers who built the Taj. The families guard their traditional craft techniques like gold, passing them on only to the sons in the family. Other minor attractions are ill-kept and a disappointment after viewing the main attractions reviewed here. Note that Bharatpur, where Keoladeo Ghana National Park lies, is only 54km (34 miles) from Agra, with a stop at Fatehpur Sikri along the way.
- Landmark
Agra Fort
Built by Akbar (or rather, by his 4,000 workmen) on the west bank of the Yamuna, Agra Fort first took shape between 1565 and 1573, but each successive emperor was to add his imprint, and today the towering red-sandstone ramparts house a variety of palace apartments, representing the… - Landmark
Fatehpur Sikri
Built from scratch in 1571 by Akbar in honor of the Sufi saint Salim Chisti, who had predicted the birth of a son, this grand ghost city is carved entirely from red sandstone. It was only inhabited for 14 years, after which -- some say because of water shortages -- it was totally… - Landmark
Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb
Described as a mini-Taj, this is the tomb of Mirza Ghiyath Beg, who served under Akbar and fathered Nur Jahan, the powerful wife of Jahangir who helped promote her father to his position as Lord of the Treasury and enshrined him here in this "bejeweled marble box" -- proof of her… - Landmark
Sikandra (Akbar's Tomb)
Someone once described the rise and fall of the Mughal empire as rulers who started "as titans and finished as jewelers." To this end, Akbar's tomb is a less-elegant version of the bejeweled tombs of his great-granddaughter (or his daughter-in-law's father), yet more ornate than that… - Landmark
Taj Mahal
You expect to be disappointed when coming face to face with an icon that is almost an archetype, but nothing can really prepare you for the beauty of the Taj Mahal. Built by Shah Jahan as an eternal symbol of his love for his favorite wife, whom he called Mumtaz Mahal ("Jewel of the…
Agra Shopping
Agra is famous for its marble and soft-stone inlay, as well as zardori-embroidered fabrics, leather goods, brassware, carpets, and jewelry. However, it's hard work dealing with what is probably the worst concentration of touts and scamsters in all India, so if you can, avoid shopping here. Don't be fooled by Cottage Industries Exposition, which is not a branch of the similarly named government-owned (Emporium) shops in other parts of the country. This one is overpriced, and whatever is sold here can quite easily be obtained in Delhi at half the price. If you absolutely must buy something to remind you of your visit here, Subhash Emporium (18/1 Gwalior Rd.; tel. 0562/222-5828; www.subhashemporium.com) sells good-quality inlay work, souvenirs, and other gifts. Or make your way to one of the official government emporiums for reasonably priced sources of local handicrafts.
