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Other Agra sights, India

Other sights in Agra, including our hotel
Dasprakash restaurant. Delicious!



The Upper Class Waiting Room in the Agra Train Station, AKA the urinal. It smelled so bad we preferred to stay on the track, AKA the homeless shelter. The irony on the poster ('Incredible India') was rich.

In an auto-rickshaw.


Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, India

Just an hour outside of Agra, the abadoned town of Fatepur Sikri is well worth a visit.
Fatehpur Sikri, a couple of hours outside of Agra, is a silent hilltop city of abandoned palaces and crumbling store facades. This is the back of the Palace of Jodh Bai.
Jodh Bai's Palace entrance.
Raja Birbal Palace. Raja Birbal was Akbar's Hindu Prime Minister
Jodh Bai's Palace courtyard

The Diwan-I-Khas. The Hall of Private Audience was used by Akbar for discussions with Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Hindus and Parsis. The Parchisi Courtyard outside is where Akbar is said to have played the game parchisi using slave girls as pieces.
The Panch Mahal. The bottom floor has 176 intricately carved columns.

The Diwan-i-Khas. This is the throne pillar.
Hathi Pool. In the background, a local offered to dive into the water if the tourists paid him enough.

The Astrologer's Kisok has roof supports carved in a serpentine Jain style.

It's a short walk to the Jama Masjid Mosque. This is a photo of the Buland Darwaza (Victory Gate), built to symbolize Akbar's military victory in Gujarat.
Through the door is the Tomb of Islam Khan.
The Tomb of Shaykh Salim Chishti, the sage who prophesied the birth of Akbar's sons.



Visitors hoping for Shaykh Salim to intercede on their behalf hang threads from the marble latticework.



Buland Darwaza.




Dayal Bagh, Agra, India

The Dayal Bagh is a temple that is under construction, but it gives a great chance to see up close some of the fantastic inlay marble work.
The Dayal Bagh has been under construction since 1915. It is said that one day it will rival the Taj for grandeur. It is scheduled to be finished in 80 years.
That's 'RS' and it stands for the Radh Surami sect, who are building it.



It was a great opportunity to see how the inlay work is done. And there was no one there, since it's not really on the tourist path yet.









Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb (Baby Taj Mahal), Agra, India

Baby Taj (Itimad-ub-Daulah's Tomb) is the precursor to the Taj Mahal. In any other city, people would be lining up to see this. In Agra, it's eclipsed by it's neighbour - but still beautiful.
The Itimad-Ud-Daulah (or 'Baby Taj') was built before the Taj, but is often eclipsed by its big brother.

The tomb was built between 1622 and 1628 for Ghiyas Beg, a Persian diplomat.







Agra Fort, Agra, India

The Agra Fort
Emperor Akbar built Agra Fort in 1565.
Amar Singh Gate
Anguri Bagh, in front of the large harem headquarters.


Amar Singh Gate
Jehangir's Place, built by Akbar for his son Jehangir. In front is Hauz-i-Jehangir, a huge bowl carved out of a single block of stone, possibly used for bathing.

Jehangiri Mahal
Somewhere through the smog is the Taj.
Looking towards hte Yamuna River from Agra Fort.
Khas Mahal (Private Palace). Supposedly where the emperor slept.
Khas Mahal
Digital Monk
I believe this is inside the Khas Mahal.
Nagina Masjid, or Gem Mosque. Built by Shah Jahan for the women in his harem.



Taj Mahal, Agra, India

The most beautiful building in the world.
Our first sight of the Taj Mahal. Our first visit was a lot later than we'd planned, due to a train that was 6 hours late. .
We'll just quote from the Let's Go: 'Despite all the hype and the hoopla, the sheer beauty of the place is so overwhelming that no amount of exposure can diminish it.'
'... even the most jaded of globe-trotters often find themselves smiling in wonder as they behold the Taj'.



This is the Mosque, to the west of the Taj.
The Yamuna River, behind the Taj .
It is said that the entire Qu'ran is written on the walls (inside and out) of the Taj .

The walls are all adorned with beautiful inlaid marble .


At the end of our trip, we squeezed in a second visit to the Taj, and got there first thing in the morning. We were rewarded with beautiful blue skies, and many fewer people.

'Emblazoned across the signs of a million-and-one restaurants, T-shirts, and biscuit tins the world over, this marble prima donna, unofficially crowned by her ardent fans as 'the most beautiful building in the world', remains India's ultimate must-see.'