Agra [India 2020]

Travels Mar 4, 2020

Tourists visit Agra, primarily for the Taj Mahal, arguably the most beautiful mausoleum in the world and a fine example of Mughal architecture and landscaping. I reached Agra late at night, stayed the night at a backpackers hostel right next to the Taj Mahal, and visited the Taj at 6 am the next day to avoid queues. My full post on Taj Mahal's impressive architecture can be found here:

5 story palace of Akbar. He used to sit on the top, enjoying the view. His countless women had veiled access to this palace.

I spent the afternoon and evening visiting other notable places in Agra. It was the capital of the great Mughal empire until Aurangazeb shifted the capital to Delhi. The greatest Emperors of the Mughal empire are of the following order:

Babur (1526-1530) - Invaded from Afghanistan
Humayun (1530-1556)
Akbar (1556-1605) - Built Agra Fort, shifted the capital to Fatehpur Sikri. Diplomatically married Hindu Rajput princesses from Jodhpur, Jaipur, and Jaisalmer (among others) and promoted religious harmony.
Jahangir (1605-1627)
Shah Jahan (1628-1658) - Built Taj Mahal, the city of Old Delhi and Delhi Red Fort. Was imprisoned by his son in the Agra Fort after he started building a second Taj Mahal for himself.
Aurangzeb (1658-1707) - Ruthless zealot, but a righteous and competent emperor, shifted the capital to Delhi, ruled from the peacock throne with Koh-i-Noor diamond at Delhi Red Fort.

Akbar's Palace; Palaces of his Hindu concubines with shrines in the walls; Marble inlaid in sandstone.

Fathepur Sigri is a gigantic palace complex built with red sandstone, an hour away from Agra. It was the short-lived capital of Emperor Akbar. The complex is full of palaces decorated in stone carvings and incorrectly named after Jodha, Birbal, and Akbar's concubines. You can see the Hindu shrines in the quarters of Akbar's countless wives, evidence he did not convert them to Islam and allowed them to perform daily Hindu rituals (and even took part in them).

A lone pillar. It is said Akbar sat on the top of this and debated with scholars sitting at the corner pillars.

First is Birbal house (misnomer) inside Akbar's capital city

Akbar's city now sits on a landfill. Perspectives of India

Agra Fort

Built by Akbar, one of the finest Mughal forts in India. Aurangazeb imprisoned his father Shah Jahan here, who died in prison, looking at the Taj Mahal from distance.

Joey's Hostel

I booked Joey's hostel, Agra via Booking.com. To my pleasant surprise, not only it was clean, but the bathrooms and toilets were decorated with graffiti referencing my favorite books: Hitchhiker's Guide, The Lord of the Rings...etc.