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GapFiller 2023

This trip has been designed to visit sites which we hadn't been able to see on previous trips, either because we didn't have the time or because they were too difficult to reach.

We covered a lot of ground, starting in Delhi and making a big loop to finish in Mumbai.

Full map of all GapFiller 2023 pages

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Thinking of our next destination: Italy and Portugal come to mind, or maybe the time has finally come for a US road trip…

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Path: Photos > Uttar Pradesh 2023 > Agra
Tags: India  GapFiller  2023  News

Agra

 

(vero;2024-05-20)

We spent five days in Agra. Plenty of time to explore the city. We had been there already twice in the past, so we were not hurried and took things easy. The Agra entry fees are quite high if you want to see everything, so we decided against visiting the Taj Mahal (this would have been our third visit) but were happy to revisit the fort and Akbar's Mausoleum in Sikandra. We also did a day trip to Firozabad.

We have two galleries dedicated to Agra: the first one focusing on Jami Masjid, Akbar's mausoleum and the Yamuna left bank, the second one dedicated to Agra Fort.

You can also check our gallery dedicated to the Taj Mahal which we visited last in 2008.

Jami Masjid, Akbar's mausoleum and the Yamuna left bank
Day 1: after a busy afternoon filled with arranging train transport to Varanasi and getting our bearings, we found time at the end of the afternoon to pay a visit to the Jama Masjid near Agra's fort. The mosque (seen here before dusk) was built under the patronage of Jahanara Begum, the favourite daughter of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1648 AD.
Jama Masjid. The gate into the prayer hall is surrounded by a frieze where the 99 names of Allah are inscribed. Sunset over the ornemental towers of the Jama Masjid. Day 2: Akbar's Mausoleum in Sikandra is an harmonious mix of red sandstone and white marble. Akbar was the third Mughal Emperor and reigned from 1556 to 1605; he started the building of his mausoleum himself but he died during its construction and it was his son and successor Jahangir who completed it in 1613. This picture shows the Buland Darwaza, the monumental southern gateway to the complex. The four white minarets were innovative at the time and are said to have been a source of inspiration for the later Taj Mahal. Akbar's mausoleum: front view of the Buland Darwaza, the southern gateway to the tomb complex. Check this web page for a detailed description of the mausoleum. Akbar's mausoleum: close-up of the main arch of the Buland Darwaza. Note the symmetry and the mosaic patterns. Akbar's mausoleum: latticed stone screen on the facade of the Buland Darwaza. Such screens (called jali) are typical of Mughal architecture. Akbar's mausoleum: intricate decoration of the Buland Darwaza. Decoration of the ceiling of a side alcove of the Buland Darwaza. Akbar's mausoleum: after passing through the Buland Darwaza, a large paved path leads to the 22.5 m high four-tiered tomb. The monument is square and each side has the same design with a tall central gateway. The gateway on the southern side (on this picture) leads to a chamber from where a corridor goes down to the actual underground tomb chamber. The smaller doors right and left of the central gateway lead to tombs of members of the Imperial family. Only the ground level storey is open to the public. The white marble upper storey contains Akbar's ornate cenotaph, not visible to the public. Akbar's mausoleum: latticed door to one of the secondary tomb chambers. Akbar's mausoleum: the walls and ceiling of the upper chamber of Akbar's tomb are decorated with impressive colourful paintings. Akbar's mausoleum: upper chamber of Akbar's tomb. Akbar's mausoleum: upper chamber of Akbar's tomb. Akbar's mausoleum: a corridor leads from the beautifully decorated upper chamber at ground level to an underground chamber where the tomb lays. The tomb itself is quite a non-event, very simple and located in a small unadorned underground cell. There is an ornate cenotaph on the upper level of the tomb complex, unfortunately not accessible to the public. Akbar's mausoleum: arched gallery running along all sides of the lower level of the tomb complex. Akbar's mausoleum: the tomb complex is at the centre of an elaborate square garden enclosed behind walls. There is a gatehouse in the middle of each side of the enclosure, three of which are false doorways added for symmetry and the only entrance to the complex is the Buland Darwaza on the southern side. This picture shows one of the false gatehouses on the west side. Akbar's mausoleum: close-up of the facade of the west gatehouse. Akbar's mausoleum: Kanch Mahal, a pavilion within the grounds of the site, but outside of the mausoleum. It was built by the emperor Jahangir (Akbar's son and successor) to serve as a harem quarter and was later used as a hunting lodge. Day 5: we explored the left bank of the Yamuna on our last day in Agra with the purpose to see the Taj Mahal from the other side of the river. Stone sculpture workshop on the way to the bridge over the river. Agra left bank: we passed in front of I'timad-ud-Daulah, the tomb built for Ghiyas Beg, a Persian official who was serving Akbar at court and was appointed Chief Minister by Jahangir. He was the father of Nur Jahan, Jahangir's favourite wife who honoured her father by having this mausoleum built for him at his death. The picture shows the gateway into the tomb complex. We did not visit (Dec 2023 entry fee 310 Rs, it adds up very quickly) but the monument inside is all in white marble with mosaic, stone inlays and lattice work, marking a shift from the traditional red sandstone architecture of former Mughal monuments to a more refined and precious architecture culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal by Shah Jahan, Jahangir's son. Agra left bank: further down the road, we passed Chini ka Rauza, the square tomb of Afzal Khan, a Persian poet turned finance minister during Shah Jahan's reign. The style is Persian, the facade decorated with colourful glazed tiles, reminiscent to mosques and monuments we saw in Iran and Eastern Turkey during our TISL trip in 2006. Chini ka Rauza: detail of the glazed tiles adorning the facade. Many are missing but this sample gives a good impression of the past magnificence of the building. Entry is free of charge. Check this web page for a detailed description of the tomb. Chini ka Rauza: close-up of a glazed tile. Chini ka Rauza: the burial chamber inside is decorated with colourful paintings. Chini ka Rauza: the painted dome of the burial chamber. We continued our way in the direction of Mehtab Bagh, a Mughal garden located opposite the Taj Mahal on the other side of the Yamuna. We were walking and passed near a slum where people were making leather whips, mostly women sitting on the ground who held the whip between their toes and braided the individual strands of leather. They were friendly but turned a bit awkward when it became clear that we did not want to buy anything from them. It must have been big washing day with all those colourful saris drying in the sun on the other side of the road. We did not want to pay the entry fee to Mehtab Bagh (Dec 2023 300 Rs), so we made our way through fields along the Yamuna until we could see the Taj. On the way, we met women herding goats or kids playing cricket, all oblivious to the wonderful backdrop. Playing cricket with a view to die for. Well, here it is: the Taj Mahal. Taj Mahal, take two. We had done the same walk in January 2009: at that time access to the river bank was not regulated and we could go to the water where Thomas made the great shot shown in the next picture. The Taj Mahal mirroring in the waters of the Yamuna river (January 2009).

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Agra Fort

We have merged two sets of pictures: the ones taken during this trip with others (marked as such) taken in January 2009.

I recommend reading this blog article, which takes you step by step through the fort and is supported by many pictures.

The ramparts of Agra Fort (January 2009). Built in the 16th century (completed in 1573), the fort is a feat of Mughal architecture and served as the main residence of the rulers of the Mughal dynasty until 1638, when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi.
Closer look at the ramparts. The towers are massive. Entrance to the fort (January 2009). The second arch in the background (nearly perpendicular with only the top visible) is the inner side of the Amar Singh Gate, the real entrance to the fort. Amar Singh Gate. This is a double gate, the picture shows the outer one. Having passed the outer gate, the visitor enters a small green courtyard before passing under the inner gate flanked by two towers. Then comes Jahangir Palace built in red sandstone during Akbar's reign as a zenana (harem). It is a huge building with many rooms, corridors and inner courtyards. Jahangir Palace. Jahangir Palace. Jahangir Palace. Jahangir Palace. Jahangir Palace. Inside the Khas Mahal, an elegant marble hall built by Shah Jahan in 1636. Inside the Khas Mahal. Inside the Khas Mahal. Inside the Khas Mahal. Musamman Burj. This is a two-storey octogonal tower built on the largest bastion of the Fort with open colonnades and a small palace inside. It was originally built of red sandstone by Akbar but was rebuilt by Shah Jahan who replaced the sandstone with white marble decorated with incredible inlaid stones. It is not possible to go inside anymore due to the huge amount of visitors, but this was not the case in 2009, so we have a few pictures from the inside taken at that time. Musamman Burj. The palace has clear views of the Taj Mahal in the distance, Shah Jahan's work of love for his deceased wife Mumtaz Mahal. This is where Shah Jahan spent the last eight years of his life, imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb. Legend has it that he died looking at the Taj… His body was then taken by boat to the Taj Mahal where he was buried next to Mumtaz. Musamman Burj. Musamman Burj. Inside Musamman Burj (January 2009). Inside Musamman Burj (January 2009). Inside Musamman Burj. Inside Musamman Burj. Diwan-i-Khas, Hall of Private Audience where the Emperor met his ministers, courtiers and special guests. Diwan-i-Khas, Hall of Private Audience. Nagina Masjid (Jewel Mosque). All in white marble, it was built by Shah Jahan for the ladies of the zenana. Interior of the Sheesh Mahal. This pavilion was built by Shah Jahan as a summer palace. The inside is covered with glass mosaics and mirrors, all unfortunately a bit faded but nevertheless magnificent. Anguri Bagh (Vine Garden) with the Khas Mahal framed by golden pavilions in the centre. Diwan-i-Aam, Hall of Public Audience. In front of the building is the tomb of a British man, John Russell Colvin, lieutenant governor of the Northwest Provinces who happened to die here as he was sheltering in the fort during the 1857 Uprising. Inside the Diwan-i-Aam, Hall of Public Audience where the Emperor met the public to hear their grievances. Inside the Diwan-i-Aam, Hall of Public Audience (2009) View from the road skirting the fort on the river side. From right to left: Diwan-i-Khas, Musamman Burj, Sheesh Mahal, Khas Mahal (partially hidden by trees).

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Go back to Mathura and Vrindavan or go on to Agra or go up to Uttar Pradesh 2023

$ updated from: Uttar Pradesh 2023.htxt Fri 16 Aug 2024 15:40:09 trvl2 — Copyright © 2024 Vero and Thomas Lauer unless otherwise stated | All rights reserved $