Images of India - 134

A glimpse of heritage monument of India in black and white. Check other posts that will give you more details about this monument.

Taj Mahal at Agra

Images of India - 113

A glimpse of India in black and white. Other posts provide more details on the place.

A glimpse of  Taj Mahal from Agra Fort 

Images of India - 6

A glimpse of heritage monument of India in black and white. Other posts will give you more details about this monument.

Taj Mahal in Agra 

Agra

Agra which is at a distance of 210 kms is situated on the banks of river Yamuna. There are many historical monument every where in the city and Taj Mahal is most prominent among them. No tourist trip to India can be considered as complete without visit to this city.

Agra city known to exist from 11th century, and since then the city changed hands between various kings, both Hindu and Muslim. It has been the capital of the Mughal empire between 1526 and 1658. There are many monumnets here which belong to Mughal period. The city has many attractions:

• Taj Mahal
• Agra Fort
• Balkeshwar Temple
• Kailash Temple
• Mankameshwar Temple
• Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb
• Jama Masjid
• Chini ka Rauza
• Ram Bagh

I had been to this city twice for a day. Unfortunately I have seen only Taj Mahal here. But I have been to other nearby prominent attractions. They are:

• Dayal Bagh
• Fatehpuri Sikri
• Sikandra

Taj Mahal, Agra

Taj Mahal located in Agra (State: Uttar Pradesh) is a mausoleum. The construction of this finest example of Mughal architecture started in 1632 and completed in 1653. It combines the elements from Persian, Islamic and Indian architectural styles.

This white marble structure stands on a square platform and consists of a symmetrical building with an an arch-shaped doorway topped by a large dome. The multi-chambered structure is an unequal octagon that is approximately 55 meters on each of the four long sides.The marble dome at the top is 35 meters in height and is onion shaped.

The minarets at the four corners are more than 40 meters in height. Each minaret is effectively divided into three equal parts by two working balconies that ring the tower.

One of the entrance gate to the Taj Mahal complex.

Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, it stands as a symbol of eternal love. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Radhasoami Memorial, Dayalbagh

Dayalbagh (State: Uttar Pradesh) is at a distance of 15 kms from Agra.

Here, the grand monument Radhasoami memorial is 110 feet high, and is made of pure white marble. The building is under construction for the last 100 years. The architecture is an exquisite mix of temple, gurudwara, vihara and mosque.

The above is the entrance to the memorial.

The stone carvings on colored marble are magnificent. On the inner walls the semi-precious stones in pietra-dura style has been inlaid.

Dayalbagh Gardens, Agra

Dayalbagh (State: Uttar Pradesh) is at a distance of 15 kms from Agra. Here in 1861, Shiv Dayal Sahib stared a religious movement known as Radhasoami Satsang Movement, that is an amalgamation of a number of other religions. In his memory his disciples constructed the Dayalbagh Gardens.

This is actually not a flower garden, but home for a monument with beautiful carvings.