Agra has been immortalized
as the City of the Taj. Yet, it doesn’t take
much for the roving eye to discover that there's more
to Agra than just the fabled Taj Mahal. The city is
a virtual gateway to a world of discovery… a
freeze-frame from a resplendent era that's long since
gone by. In the great epic 'Mahabharat' the region
of Agra is described as 'Agraban' (an integral part
of the Braj Bhumi or the land of Lord Krishna). The
latter part of Indian history outlines the origins
of Agra to 1475 A.D., when the reign of Raja Badal
Singh. However, Agra came into limelight during the
rule of Afghan King Sikandar Lodhi - who had made
it the capital of his empire.
Later in 1526 A.D., the Mughal Emperor Babar took
upon himself the task for rendering Agra, a unique
character and beauty of its own. The visionary that
he was and a great patron of the arts, Emperor Babar
brought in a change in the culture and lifestyle
among the people of Agra, which then brought forth
some of the finest craftsmen, artists, statesmen,
warriors and nobility, this part of India had ever
witnessed. The golden age of Agra's history, thus
began to set in.
The next few hundred years of Agra witnessed the
rise of the pomp and pageantry of three great Mughal
monarchs - Emperor Akbar, Jahangir and ShahJahan
- all of whom lavished on this fabled city, their
love and riches immeasurable to transform the land
into one of the great centers of art, culture, learning
and commerce.
Much of the city's impressive past lives in evidence
even today, in the hunting presence inside the monuments,
the majesty of the buildings, the exquisite arts
and crafts and not to forget, the lure of an exceptional
cuisine… all, cherished as priceless legacies
of a nostalgic past. The older city of Agra has
impressively retained much of its resplendent history…
captivating every visitor with fond memories to
take back home. Today, luxury and modern convenience
also exist adjacent to tradition - luxury hotels,
shopping malls and plazas, wide avenues and a superb
choice of venues for recreation, business, sports,
pleasure, education and the arts.
