Around & About in Agra
How do I get there?
By Air
India Holiday Packages - Agra is well connected by air, rail and roads. There are domestic flights from Delhi, Khajuraho and Varanasi four times a week. Take a taxi into the city centre, or book a car to receive you - Indian Holiday Packages.
By Train
Holiday Packages for India - The city has six railway stations of which Agra Cantonment is the largest. Trains from Delhi, Gwalior, Jhansi and the south arrive here, it is closest to most good hotels, and has a tourist information counter. Many tourists coming from Delhi take the Shatabdi Express, which arrives at 9 am in the morning and returns at 08:15 at night, allowing for a one-day trip - Holiday Packages to India.
By Road
Agra Hotels - Agra is connected to Mathura (56 kms), Delhi (203 kms), Gwalior (118 kms), Jaipur (237 kms) and several other major cities. There are UP State Road Transport (UPSRTC) as well as private buses plying to and from Agra. The main bus terminus is the Idgah Bus stand, close to the Agra Cantonment station - Hotels in Agra.
Agra Hotels India - One can also drive from drive in from Delhi, either by a rented car or one's own. The road is in very good condition at the moment - India Agra Hotels.
Getting Around
India Holiday Packages Asia - The wise thing to do is to hire a car with a driver if you want to get the many tourist spots within and outside the city. There are local buses but you may not want to risk these and for the rest, public transportation is really quite inadequate. Cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws are easily available all over the city and are a good local way to get around – be prepared to bargain with the drivers or you may be taken literally for a ride - India Holiday Packages.
Tourist Offices
Indian Holiday Packages - There are two tourist offices, one of UP tourism near Clarks Shiraz Hotel (64 Taj Road, Ph: (0562) 360517) and the other of the Government of India (191 The Mall, Ph: (0562) 363377). The government of India office has more information on other destinations as well. There is also a tourist information counter at the Agra Cantonment station - Holiday Packages for India.
When to Go ?
Holiday Packages to India - The best time to visit Agra is between November and March. The temperatures are moderate and several festivals coincide with this period. UP tourism organises the Taj Mahotsav every year between 18th and 27th February. It is an arts and crafts fair held at the Shilpgram, the crafts village near the Taj Mahal. The Sharadotsav in October, is a cultural show with the country’s leading dancers and musicians performing at historical locations in the Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri (39 kms) There are several other fairs like the Kailash Fair (12 kms) in August/ September and the month-long Bateshwar Fair (65 kms) in November - Agra Hotels.
Where do I Stay ?
Hotels in Agra - There are some wonderful deluxe hotels in Agra and a lot of them vie to give you a view of the Taj Mahal. They are mostly located in the quieter Cantonment area and the new Tourist Complex. Most of the inexpensive budget accommodation is in Taj Ganj. If you are ready for the crowds and noise, they can be a great money-saver. There are also some camp sites and paying guest accommodations available - Agra Hotels India.
What to bring ?
India Agra Hotels - A camera is a must to capture on film one of the wonders of the world! Bring light cotton clothes, comfortable sandals and a hat in the summer and in winter, some light woollen clothes… evenings get a bit chilly - India Holiday Packages Asia.
Things to Do ?
Dining & Entertainment
Shopping
City Getaways
Dining & Entertainment
Most of the good restaurants are in the Sadar Bazaar and Cantonment areas. The inexpensive eating places are in Taj Gang, around the Taj Mahal. The five-star hotels have good restaurants, which serve authentic Mughlai cuisine. Besides the local fare, Chinese and south Indian restaurants are also widespread.
Shopping
Shopping can be both an exciting as well as taxing experience in Agra. There is a lot one can pick up in handicrafts, but beware of the touts who lead you into shops that overcharge and pay a hefty commission. It is best to go by yourself, and bargain hard. The main shopping area is the Sadar Bazaar, besides Kinari Bazar, Gwalior Road, Mahatma Gandhi Road and Pratap pura. The Taj complex also has emporia of several state governments. These offer a good range of items at fixed prices. You should not let your credit card out of sight, and avoid having goods shipped later, since many people have been cheated on them.
You will not be able to resist the marble inlay work and other local handicrafts. Remember to check out shoes and /or bags. Agra is a big exporter of leather and leather products to the west and you get to pick up some real bargains here.
City Getaways
37 kms from Agra is the deserted fort city of Fatehpur Sikri. Legend has it that Akbar, who had no son, went to the Sufi saint Sheikh Salim Chishti to seek his blessings. Soon enough, prince Jahangir was born to his Hindu wife Jodha Bai. As an expression of gratitude, Akbar shifted his capital to the new city which was build between 1569 and 1585. The city sits on a rocky ridge, with the village Sikri at its foot. The location of Fatehpur Sikri was also appropriate for discussions and deliberations that the Emperor had with religious leaders, statesmen, writers and philosophers. However, just 15 years after it was established, the courthad to be moved out of Fatehpur Sikri because of acute shortage of water. Open sunrise to sunset; entry Rs 5.
Built in Akbar’s favourite style in red sandstone, this 8 square kilometre complex houses several buildings, which are an amalgamation of Hindu and Islamic architecture. Akbar was an astute ruler, who encouraged interaction with his Hindu subjects and neighbouring chieftains. He married the Hindu princess of Jaipur, and her brother Raja Man Singh became one of his trusted lieutenants. This synthesis of society and culture is evident in the buildings of the fort.
The Diwan-I-Aam is where the public could have an audience with the emperor. The Diwan-I-Khas was the hall of private audience, where Akbar conferred with religious leaders and the nine gems of his court. The centrepiece of this hall is the carved Throne Pillar, which supports a circular platform connected to the edges by four bridges. The emperor sat in the centre and discussions and debate were held here. In front of this hall is a courtyard with a Pachisi court (a game like Ludo played with dice) where the emperor played using slave girls as live pieces.
The house of the Turkish Sultana was the palace of Akbar’s favourite wife, the Sultana Ruqayya Begum. The building is influenced by Turkish and Persian style, and could have been a pleasure pavilion with mirror tiles on its walls. It is said that the great Hindustani classical musician Mian Tansen once sang Raag Deepak (song of fire) here and with the intensity of his music set the place alight. He then sang the monsoon raga, Megh Malhar invoking the rains and so doused the flames.
Akbar’s private quarters housed the Daulat Khana, or library. He was reputed to have a collection of some 50,000 manuscripts, which he would be read out from. Akbar was himself illiterate, but the manuscripts were very precious for him and he carried them around wherever he went. Akbar’s sleeping chambers, the Khwabgah (house of dreams) had water channels to cool the air.
The Panch Mahal or five-storeyed palace is one of the prominent buildings in the fort. It tapers to a single room at the top, and is supported by columns with various designs. From the top, you get a commanding view of the entire fort complex, and was used by Akbar and his consorts. Another building, the Hawa Mahal (palace of winds) allowed the ladies of the harem to catch the cool evening breeze.
Jodha Bai’s palace has a distinctly Hindu characteristic with influences from Gwalior, Gujarat and Mandu. The Jami Masjid was the first building to be constructed within the fort. The entire fort grew around it. The main entrance to the mosque is through the Buland Darwaza (the grand gateway), which was built in 1576. It is 54 metres high and commemorates Akbar’s victorious return from his campaign in Gujarat.
The Dargah of Sheikh Salim Chishti, the Sufi saint who is believed to have blessed Akbar with a son, is also within the fort. A white marble building with intricately carved lattice screens and engravings in mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli and topaz. Even today, childless women come to the Dargah or tomb to tie strings on the jalis (screens) as prayer to the saint. In the month of ramzan the tomb celebrates urs, when groups of kawwali singers perform devotional Sufi songs at the tomb.
Choice of accommodation in Fatehpur Sikri is limited. The Tourist complex (Phone: 05619 - 2490) offers clean and affordable accommodation with reasonable food. The Archaeological Survey of India also has a guesthouse with spacious well-furnished rooms at a very low rate. But rooms here have to be booked well in advance
From Fatehpur Sikri there are regular buses plying to the Bharatpur bird sanctuary about 25 kms away. Also known as the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, it is a marshy area, which was originally built as a hunting retreat of the kings of Bharatpur. Now declared a protected national park, one can see over 300 species of migratory birds, including the endangered Siberian cranes coming to nest in winter. There is a tourist lodge within the park and early morning boat rides into the marsh are a treat for bird lovers.
