Why you need to visit Agra
When people think of Agra they think of India’s most famous monument – the iconic Taj Mahal regarded as the most beautiful building in the world. However, it would be hard to find two places more juxtaposed, the city of Agra is nowhere near as beautiful or serene as the Taj but its still an essential stop on any Indian adventure and part of the famous Golden Triangle.
I managed to get through the gauntlet of touts and souvenir sellers at the station and in the narrow streets outside the Taj Mahal relatively hassle free and I did not find Agra to be as horribly filthy or smelly as people had warned us, but maybe I’m just too acclimatised to India by now!
Many visitors understandably make a beeline for the Taj Mahal but there much more to see here. Agra can easily be visited on a day trip from Delhi, either as a tour or independently on the new fast train that takes only 1 hr 40 mins and by road its about 3/4 hours drive. But doing it this way is a long day and you will be rushed, you will miss some of the city’s other sights and won’t get to witness the amazing sunrise over the magnificent Taj.
Did you know that Agra is also the only city in the world that boasts three UNESCO World Heritage Monuments! It deserves much more than a quick day trip! I recommend spending 3 days in Agra.
Top Things to Do in Agra
There are many wonderful things to do in Agra and there are some great tour companies within the city that can take you on a tour of the top sights. The best way to get a real feel for the city is to take a walk along The Mall Road, Taj Road or Fatehabad Road where you will find spice shops, leather shops, handicraft shops and plenty of food.
Taj Mahal: There isn’t any sight more famous than the Taj Mahal and you’d be crazy to travel India and not see India’s most recognized monument and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This famous monument to love and beautiful exercise in perfect symmetry really does live up to the hype as the most beautiful building in the world.
The Taj is actually a mausoleum, built in 1630 by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal who died during child birth. It took 22 years and 20 000 workers to complete. The perfectly symmetrical monument is arguably the most beautiful monument in India and is one of the country’s most photographed sites. But photos, and words, just can’t do it justice, it is even more jaw-dropping in person
The best time to see the Taj Mahal is at sunrise as the Taj ethereally reveals itself through the morning mist and then gradually changes colour as the light changes. The best place to get the perfect Taj photo is on the Diana Bench, where Diana, Princess of Wales was photographed in 1992. There’s also great views of the Taj from Agra Fort, Mehtab Bagh and the Taj Khema hotel.
Warning – The main dome on the Taj Mahal is currently undergoing restoration. There is scaffolding and a mud pack on the building. The work is being carried out in sections and is expected to last until April 2018.
Useful tips for visiting the Taj Mahal: The Taj is the most expensive monument in India – it’s 1,000 Rupees for foreigners and 40 Rupees for Indians. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket offices near the entry gates. There are three entry gates; West, South and East. The West is normally the busiest, the South is closest to Taj Ganj where many budget hotels are located. Opening and closing times vary depending on the time of sunrise and sunset, as well as the time of year. There are night viewings two days before, the night of and two days after a full moon, which is an incredible experience. No food, cigarettes, lights or tripods are allowed inside the Taj Mahal, and the frisking is heavy so just don’t bother bringing them. The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays.
Agra Fort, another UNESCO world heritage monument, is an imposing red sandstone Mughal fort. Agra Fort is one of the finest Mughal forts in India and has an interesting history, first as a military fort constructed in 1565 by Emperor Akbar, later Shah Jahan (who built the Taj Mahal) transformed it into a palace before he was overthrown by his son Aurangzeb and ended up being imprisoned in Agra Fort where he could only gaze out over the river to see the Taj Mahal glistening under the sunshine in the distance.
Agra Fort is similar to the more famous Red Fort in Delhi, but I actually enjoyed visiting Agra Fort more as it had more nooks and crannies to explore from a mish mash of different eras and is definitely worth a visit. visit and there is also an evening sound and light show that recreates the Fort’s history.
Mehtab Bagh – This 25 acre Mughal botanical garden complex on the opposite side of the river from the Taj Mahal offers good views of the monument, minus the crowds. The botanical gardens are open from sunrise to sunset and are perfectly aligned with the famous monument. It was the last garden built by the Mughal Empire and Shah Jahan himself saw it as an ideal place to view his beloved Taj Mahal. Entrance is 200 rupees for foreigners and 15 rupees for Indians. You can also get a rowing boat from near here.
Taj Nature Walk – There is also a nice park and 9 km nature walk that you can take under the cover of the forest to get good views of the Taj from different mounds in the park and see various flora and fauna. It starts 500 meters away from the Eastern Gate of Taj Mahal and costs 50 Rupees for foreigners.
Kinari Bazaar – Right in front of the Taj Mahal are narrow streets and a maze of lanes that are filled with colour where you will find fabrics, jewellery, clothing, shoes and spices, as well as stalls selling typical Indian snacks. I felt like I was surrounded by millions of people, and there was still room for the cows and even the odd elephant. Walking around this area is definitely an experience that will open up all of your senses.
Akbar’s Tomb – The resting place of the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great is in the Sikandra area of Agra along the Delhi-Agra Highway. The red sandstone tomb is beautifully decorated with carved rabbits, deer and langurs. There are also lovely inlaid panels with floral, geometric and calligraphic designs. These were later copied in Itmad-Ud-Daulah, which then inspired the design of the Taj Mahal
Akbar’s Tomb – The resting place of the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great is in the Sikandra area of Agra along the Delhi-Agra Highway. The red sandstone tomb is beautifully decorated with carved rabbits, deer and langurs. There are also lovely inlaid panels with floral, geometric and calligraphic designs. These were later copied in Itmad-Ud-Daulah, which then inspired the design of the Taj Mahal
Itmad-Ud-Daulah – Often called the baby Taj, the tomb of Ghias-ud-Din Beg was built by his daughter; Empress Nur Jehan. The marble mausoleum is also located along the banks of the river and consists of numerous outbuildings and gardens.
Watch a Kalakriti Show – The story of making of Taj Mahal is performed in a dance drama every evening at the Kalakriti Cultural and Convention Center, not far from Taj Mahal. It’s a multi-lingual show with a huge replica of Taj Mahal lit up with multi color lights.
Visit a village – A community based tourism initiative called the Mughal Heritage Walk has been set up to improve villagers lives by making an income from tourism. In Kachhpura village you can visit a number of relatively unknown Mughal era monuments and see the village communities as well as get a fabulous view of the Taj Mahal. You can also visit Korai Village, a tribal village on the way to Fatehpur Sikri, whose inhabitants were the keepers of dancing sloth bears
If you do want to Agra as a day trip from Delhi then if you are willing to leave at 2.30am this private tour gets you to Taj in time for the magical sunrise before having breakfast at a fancy hotel and seeing Agra Fort. If you don’t want to get up so early this private tour takes you from Delhi to Agra to see the Taj and Agra Fort.
Fatephur Sikri – It’s an easy day trip from Agra to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Fatephur Sikri, an 16th century city that was once the capital of the Mughal Empire. It was abandoned after only 15 years because of the insufficient supply of drinking water there. Fatephur Sikri is home to one of the largest mosques in all of India and is one of the country’s best preserved examples of Mughal architecture.
The impressive Buland Darwaza at the entrance of the city is made of red sandstone, and ornamented with black and white marble. Also check out Jama Masjid, which was one of the first buildings to be built in the complex, and the Tomb of Salim Chishti that sits within its courtyard. There’s also the five-storied Panch Mahal and Mariam-uz-Zamani’s Palace, which was home to Akbar’s Rajput wives
Tickets cost 510 Rupees for foreigners and 40 Rupees for Indians. It takes about an hour to get there on the local bus or you can take a day tour. You can also visit the World Heritage-listed Keoladeo National Park (formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary). This private day tour goes to both Fatephur Sikri, the bird sanctuary and also visits a rural village. Or, if you are also going to Jaipur then this great value tour combines seeing Fatephur Sikri, the impressive Abhaneri stepwells and a private transfer to Jaipur!
Mathura and Vrindavan – Explore the holy side of Agra by taking a day trip to the holy cities of Mathura, which is said to be the birthplace of Krishna and Vrindavan. Mathura is one of the seven Hindu holy cities and one of the heritage cities chosen for National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY). Visit the sacred Keshav Dev Temple and Vishram Ghat, where it is said that Krishnu rested after killing Kansa. Mathura’s twin-town of Vrindavan is where Krishna spent his youth and also has lots of temples to visit, including Prem Mandir. There are also numerous temples dedicated to Radha Ramana.