AGRA
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Agra [pronunciation] (Hindi: , Urdu: ) is an ancient city on the bank of Yamuna River in India, within the state of Uttar Pradesh. It achieved prominence as the capital of the Mughal sovereigns from 1526 to 1658 and remains a major tourist destination because of its many splendid Mughal-era buildings, most notably the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, all three of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Geography
Agra is situated at [Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Agra], on the bank of Yamuna river. It has an average elevation of 171 metres (561 feet). On the north it is bounded by Mathura, on the south by Dhaulpur, on the east by Firozabad, and on the west by Bharatpur. Agra is the third biggest city in Uttar Pradesh.Demographics
As of 2001 India census[Geographic references#IndiaGRIndia], Agra had a population of 56,198. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Agra has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 60% of the males and 40% of females literate. 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.History
Agra is an ancient city, called Agrabana in the epic Mahabharata. Ptolemy marked Agra on a third-century map of the world. The Persian poet Salman described a twelfth century assault on Agra.The city was fortified by Badal Singh ca 1475, whose Fort, Badalgarh stood near the site of the present Red Fort. Agra was a capital of the Lodi kingdom, defeated by the first Mughal Emperor, Babar. The Mughals also began to use it as a capital.
Agra's importance grew during the reigns of Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jahan, and Agra became a major center of art, culture, commerce and learning. These emperors undertook major building projects.
Main sights
Taj Mahal
Agra's Taj Mahal is one of the most famous buildings in India and has been declared a World Heritage Site. It is the mausoleum of Shah Jahan's favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.Agra Fort
Agra's dominant structure, the Agra Fort (also called the Red Fort), was built by Akbar in 1565. The red sandstone fort was renovated and converted into a palace during Shah Jahan's time, and reworked extensively with marble and pietra dura inlay. Notable buildings in the fort include the Pearl Mosque, the Diwan-e-Am and Diwan-e-Khas (halls of public and private audience), Jehangir's Palace, Khaas Mahal, Sheesh Mahal (mirrored palace), and Musamman Burj.
Fatehpur Sikri
It is another World Heritage Site in Agra District, 35 km from city of Taj. It was built by the Mughal emperor Akbar. As Agra was the Mughals' capital, there are many forts and old buildings situated there.Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb
Empress Nur Jehan built Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, sometimes called the Baby Taj, for her father, Ghias-ud-Din Beg, the Chief Minister of Emperor Jahangir. Small in comparison to many other Mughal-era tombs, it is sometimes described as a jewel box. Its garden layout and use of white marble, pietra dura, inlay designs and latticework presage many elements of the Taj Mahal.Jama Masjid
A large mosque attributed to Princess Jahanara Begum, built in 1648 during the reign of the father Shah Jahan. Notable for its unusual dome and absence of minarets.Chini Ka Rauza
A monumental tomb, notable for its dome of blue glazed tiles, dedicated to the Prime Minister of Shah Jahan, Allama Afzel Khal Mullah Shukrullah of Shiraz.Aaram Bagh
The oldest Mughal garden in India, the Aaram Bagh was built by the Emperor Babur in 1528. It lies about 2.5 kilometres north of Chini ka Rauza. Emperor Babur was temporarily buried here before being reburied in Kabul.Swamiji Maharaj
The Swamiji Maharaj is a temple in the Soami Bagh section of town. The temple is sacred to the followers of the Radha Swami faith. Construction was started in 1908, and it is believed that construction will never end. It is often seen as the "next Taj Mahal".Climate
- Summer - Max. 45 °C, Min. 21.9 °C
- Winter - Max. 31.7 °C, Min. 4.2 °C
- Rainfall: 660 mm (June to September)
References
External links
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