Agra

Agra
Metropolitan City

Taj Mahal in Agra
Nickname(s): Akbarabad; The Taj City
Agra
Agra
Coordinates: 27°11′N 78°01′E / 27.18°N 78.02°E / 27.18; 78.02Coordinates: 27°11′N 78°01′E / 27.18°N 78.02°E / 27.18; 78.02
Country India India
State Uttar Pradesh
District Agra
Elevation 171 m (561 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Metropolitan City 1,585,704
 • Rank 24th
 • Metro[2] 1,760,285
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 282 X
Telephone code 0562
Vehicle registration UP-80
Website agra.nic.in

Agra (/ˈɑːɡrə/; Āgrā) is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India.[3] It is 378 kilometres (235 mi) west of the state capital, Lucknow, 206 kilometres (128 mi) south of the national capital New Delhi and 125 kilometres (78 mi) north of Gwalior. Agra is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh, and the 24th most populous in India.[4]

Agra is a major tourist destination because of its many splendid Mughal-era buildings, most notably the Tāj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpūr Sikrī, all three of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.[3] Agra is included on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, along with Delhi and Jaipur; and the Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc, tourist circuit of UP state, along Lucknow the capital of the state and Varanasi. Agra falls within the Braj cultural region.

The city was first mentioned in the epic Mahābhārata, where it was called Agrevaṇa (derived from Sanskrit (अग्रेवण) meaning "the border of the forest").[5] Legend ascribes the founding of the city to Agre Jat clan, Agra is named after Agre or Agr Jat.

However, the 11th century Persian poet Mas'ūd Sa'd Salmān writes of a desperate assault on the fortress of Agra, then held by the Shāhī King Jayapala, by Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni.[6] It was mentioned for the first time in 1080 AD when a Ghaznavide force captured it. Sultan Sikandar Lodī (1488–1517) was the first to move his capital from Delhi to Agra in 1506. He governed the country from here and Agra assumed the importance of the second capital. He died in 1517 and his son, Ibrāhīm Lodī, remained in power there for nine more years and several palaces, wells and a mosque were built by him in the fort during his period. Finally being defeated at the Battle of Panipat in 1526.[7] Between 1540 and 1556, Afghans, beginning with Sher Shah Suri ruled the area. It achieved fame as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1556 to 1658.

Climate

Agra features a semiarid climate that borders on a humid subtropical climate. The city features mild winters, hot and dry summers and a monsoon season. However the monsoons, though substantial in Agra, are not quite as heavy as the monsoon in other parts of India. This is a primary factor in Agra featuring a semiarid climate as opposed to a humid subtropical climate.

Climate data for Agra, India
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 33.0
(91.4)		 35.6
(96.1)		 42.8
(109)		 46.5
(115.7)		 48.6
(119.5)		 48.5
(119.3)		 46.5
(115.7)		 43.0
(109.4)		 41.4
(106.5)		 41.1
(106)		 36.1
(97)		 31.0
(87.8)		 48.6
(119.5)
Average high °C (°F) 22.3
(72.1)		 25.2
(77.4)		 32.0
(89.6)		 38.5
(101.3)		 41.6
(106.9)		 40.7
(105.3)		 35.2
(95.4)		 33.7
(92.7)		 34.4
(93.9)		 34.3
(93.7)		 29.7
(85.5)		 24.0
(75.2)		 32.6
(90.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) 15.1
(59.2)		 17.8
(64)		 24.0
(75.2)		 30.5
(86.9)		 34.0
(93.2)		 34.6
(94.3)		 31.1
(88)		 29.6
(85.3)		 29.4
(84.9)		 27.0
(80.6)		 21.7
(71.1)		 16.6
(61.9)		 26.0
(78.8)
Average low °C (°F) 8.0
(46.4)		 10.4
(50.7)		 15.9
(60.6)		 22.3
(72.1)		 26.4
(79.5)		 28.5
(83.3)		 26.8
(80.2)		 25.8
(78.4)		 24.4
(75.9)		 19.9
(67.8)		 13.7
(56.7)		 9.1
(48.4)		 19.3
(66.7)
Record low °C (°F) −2.2
(28)		 −1.7
(28.9)		 5.6
(42.1)		 10.0
(50)		 14.0
(57.2)		 12.0
(53.6)		 14.5
(58.1)		 12.0
(53.6)		 13.0
(55.4)		 9.4
(48.9)		 2.8
(37)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 −2.2
(28)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 13.2
(0.52)		 17.6
(0.693)		 9.3
(0.366)		 6.3
(0.248)		 11.3
(0.445)		 55.7
(2.193)		 203.3
(8.004)		 243.2
(9.575)		 129.7
(5.106)		 24.8
(0.976)		 4.3
(0.169)		 6.1
(0.24)		 724.8
(28.535)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.1 2.0 4.7 13.6 13.7 6.5 1.5 0.6 0.8 49.2
Average relative humidity (%) 64 55 45 35 34 46 72 77 67 54 56 64 56
Source #1: NOAA (1971–1990),[8] World Meteorological Organization (precipitation 1901–2000)[9]
Source #2: India Meteorological Department (records)[10]

Population

Demographics

As of 2011 India census,[1][11] Agra city has a population of 1,585,704, while the population of Agra cantonment is 53,053. The urban agglomeration of Agra has a population of 1,760,285.[11] Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Agra city has an average literacy rate of 75.11%, above than the national average of 74%.[11] Literacy rate of males is considerably higher than that of women. The sex ratio in the city was 875 females per thousand males while child sex ratio stood at 857.[11] Agra district literacy rate is 62.56%.[12] Agra is dominated by Yadavs and Jats.

According to the 2011 census, Agra district has a population of 4,380,793,[13] roughly equal to the nation of Moldova[14] or the US state of Kentucky.[15] This gives it a ranking of 41st in India (out of a total of 640).[13] The district has a population density of 1,084 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,810/sq mi) .[13] 52.5% of Agra's population is in the 15–59 years age category. Around 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Religions in Agra[11]
Religion Percent
Hindus
  
 80.68%
Muslims
  
 15.37%
Not Stated
  
 1.66%
Jains
  
 1.04%
Sikh
  
 0.62%
Christian
  
 0.42%
Buddhist
  
 0.19%
Others
  
 0.02%
Distribution of religions

Religion

Hindus are 88.77% and Muslims 9.30% of the population in Agra district.[16]

Hinduism, Islam and Jainism are the major religions in Agra city with 80.68%, 15.37% viz. 1.04% of the population adhering to them; others are 1.5%.

The Catholic minority is served by its own Metropolitan Archdiocese of Agra.

History

Origins

Although Agra's history is mainly associated with Mughal Empire, the place was established much before it and has linkages since Mahabharat period so Mahirshi Angira in 1000 BC. It is generally accepted that Sultan Sikandar Lodī, the Muslim ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, founded Agra in the year 1504. After the Sultan's death, the city passed on to his son, Sultan Ibrāhīm Lodī. He ruled his Sultanate from Agra until he fell fighting to Mughal padshah (emperor) Bābar in the First battle of Panipat fought in 1526.

Mughal era

300pxThe Red fort, Agra, c. 1820

The golden age of the city began with the Mughals. It was known then as Akbarabād and remained the capital of the Mughal Empire under the padshahs (emperors) Akbar, Jahāngīr and Shāh Jahān. Akbar made it the eponymous seat of one of his original twelse subahs (imperial top-level provinces), bordering (Old) Delhi, Awadh (Oudh), Allahabad, Malwa and Ajmer subahs. Shāh Jahān later shifted his capital to Shāhjahānabād in the year 1649.

Since Akbarabād was one of the most important cities in India under the Mughals, it witnessed a lot of building activity. Babar, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, laid out the first formal Persian garden on the banks of river Yamuna. The garden is called the Arām Bāgh or the Garden of Relaxation. His grandson Akbar the Great raised the towering ramparts of the Great Red Fort, besides making Agra a centre for learning, arts, commerce and religion. Akbar also built a new city on the outskirts of Akbarabād called Fatehpūr Sikrī. This city was built in the form of a Mughal military camp in stone.

Kos Minar#793 at 12 mile on Agra-Fatehpur Sikri Road section of National Highway 21

His son Jahāngīr had a love of gardens and flora and fauna and laid many gardens inside the Red Fort or Lāl Qil'a. Shāh Jahān, known for his keen interest in architecture, gave Akbarabād its most prized monument, the Tāj Mahal. Built in loving memory of his wife Mumtāz Mahal, the mausoleum was completed in 1653.

Shāh Jahān later shifted the capital to Delhi during his reign, but his son Aurangzeb moved the capital back to Akbarabād, usurping his father and imprisoning him in the Fort there. Akbarabād remained the capital of India during the rule of Aurangzeb until he shifted it to Aurangabad in the Deccan in 1653.

Later periods

After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the city came under the influence of Marathas and was called Agra, before falling into the hands of the British Raj in 1803.

Agra, Main Street, c.1858
Map of the city, ca 1914

In 1835 when the Presidency of Agra was established by the British, the city became the seat of government, and just two years later it was witness to the Agra famine of 1837–38. During the Indian rebellion of 1857 British rule across India was threatened, news of the rebellion had reached Agra on 11 May and on 30 May two companies of native infantry, the 44th and 67th regiments, rebelled and marched to Delhi. The next morning native Indian troops in Agra were forced to disarm, on 15 June Gwalior (which lies south of Agra) rebelled. By 3 July, the British were forced to withdraw into the fort. Two days later a small British force at Sucheta were defeated and forced to withdraw, this led to a mob sacking the city. However, the rebels moved onto Delhi which allowed the British to restore order by 8 July. Delhi fell to the British in September, the following month rebels who had fled Delhi along with rebels from Central India marched on Agra but were defeated. After this British rule was again secured over the city until the independence of India in 1947.[17]

Legacies

Agra is the birthplace of the religion known as Dīn-i Ilāhī, which flourished during the reign of Akbar and also of the Radhaswami Faith, which has around two million followers worldwide. Agra has historic linkages with Shauripur of Jainism and Runukta of Hinduism, of 1000 BC.

The Tāj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Transport

Air

Air India flies to Agra airport on the following route:

Delhi - Varanasi - Agra - Khajuraho - Varanasi - Delhi

As of now Air India connects Agra to the rest of the world via Khajuraho, Varanasi and Delhi 5 days a week. These flights are usually on time and observe full load factor. Agra still needs many more daily flights to chennai, hyderabad, chandigarh, ahmedabad Bangalore, Goa, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and other tourist destinations within the country. Also need direct international flights should land at agra Airport from Dubai, oman, UAE, afghanistan, egypt, bejing, japan etc to reduce the traffic from new delhi airport & most of the central asian, african tourist want to visit this Taj city. Any international tourist to india can avoid any other place but mostly every tourist to india come to see this city atleast once. Many airlines are showing interest to start services from Agra in the near future.

Taj International Airport

A new greenfield international airport is proposed for Agra in a bid to give required fillip to tourism in Uttar Pradesh. Taj International Airport project at Agra would be implemented in right earnest with the state government according top priority to this project as Taj Mahal is one of the most visited tourist spots in the world.

Consortium of Rites Ltd and KPMG Advisory Services Pvt Ltd, the selected consultants for this project, made a detailed presentation to Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner (IIDC), Anil Kumar Gupta on the future course of action. Consultants were asked to identify the best suited site by the end of the current financial year.

The project site would be selected in a way so as to enable prompt clearances and approvals for the implementation without any hindrances. To be developed through Public Private Partnership (PPP), in order to ensure time-bound execution of the project, the government has assured full co-operation at all levels of administration. Development of an international airport near the Taj Mahal will enhance the tourist inflow, the new airport would also cater to needs of frequent fliers, entrepreneurs and exporters from the region. If everything goes to plan, Agra will have an international airport within four to five years. Even the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi promissed International Airport at Agra with the people of city in his Election Rally in Agra during 2014. Place is finalised but the project is waiting for the Govt to Release the required funds.

Rail

Agra Cantt Railway Station

Agra is on the central train line between Delhi (Station Code: NDLS) and Bombay (Station Code: CSTM) and between Delhi and Madras (Station Code: MAS) and many trains like Bhopal Shatabdi, Taj Express, Bhopal Express, Malwa Express, Gondwana Express, Jabalpur - Jammutawi Express, Shreedham Express, Garib Rath, Tamil Nadu Express, Chennai Rajdhani, Allahabad Mathura Express etc. connect Agra with all major Indian cities like New Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Bhopal, Indore, Kochi, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Ujjain, Jaipur, Aligarh, Mathura, Alwar, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram etc. every day. Some east-bound trains from Delhi also travel via Agra, so direct connections to points in Eastern India (including Calcutta are also available. There are close to 20 trains to New Delhi and Gwalior Junction every day, and at least three or four to Bhopal, Indore, Nagpur, Bombay and Madras. There are three main railway stations in Agra.

Railway stations

Railway Stations served by the Indian Railways network at Agra are:

Agra Cantt. Railway Station

Agra-Delhi Semi-High Speed Train

In July 2014, a trial run of a "semi-high speed train" with 10 coaches and 2 generators reached a speed of 160 km/h (99 mph) between New Delhi and Agra. The railways plan to introduce such trains commercially from November 2014. New Delhi Agra Shatabdi Express is same type of train, which takes 2 hours to complete its journey. A new semi-high speed train Gatimaan Express that reduces travel time between Delhi and Agra to 100 minutes has been started from 5 April 2016.

Road

Inner Ring Road, Agra

Idgah Bus Stand, Taj Depot, Fort Depot and Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) are the major bus stands in Agra, connecting Agra to most of the bigger cities in North India. It is a major junction of highways with 3 national highways and 2 expressway (Yamuna Expressway & Agra Lucknow Expressway) originating from Agra. Another national highway passes through the city bringing the total highway outlet to 7.

Local transport

Bus services are run by the Agra Municipal Corporation. Other para-transit modes include rickshaws and autorickshaws. While passengers need to negotiate rates for the rickshaws and they are usually expensive, there is a system of (what is called) 'Tempo' which are autorickshaws that run on specific routes called out by the drivers. Tempos take around 6 people simultaneously and work out to be the most economical and practical. Polluting vehicles are not allowed near the Tāj Mahal, so one needs to take electric autos or Tanga (Tonga) from a few kilometres outside the Tāj Mahal. is located at Agra Cantt railways station.

Metro

Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Akbar's Tomb, besides many other landmarks of the city will now have metro rail connectivity. The feasibility report submitted by Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) has proposed 30 stations, 11 underground and 19 elevated, for two corridors of the Metro Rail in the city in the first phase. The two routes are Sikandra to Taj Mahal East gate via Agra Fort and Agra Cantt to Kalindi Vihar. On 24 March 2017, State Chief Minister Aditya Nath Yogi approved the Agra Metro project.

Monumental Mughal legacy

Taj Mahal from Agra fort.

Tāj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is one of the most famous buildings in the world, the mausoleum of Shah Jahan's favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is one of the New Seven Wonders of the world, and one of the three World Heritage Sites in Agra. Agra is commonly identified as the "City of Taj".[18]

Tombs of Shah Jahan and his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Completed in 1653, the Tāj Mahal was built by the Mughal king Shah Jahan as the final resting place for his beloved wife, Mumtāz Mahal. Finished in marble, it is perhaps India's most beautiful monument. This perfectly symmetrical monument took 22 years (1630–1652) of labour and 20,000 workers, masons and jewellers to build and is set amidst landscaped gardens. Built by the Persian architect, Ustād 'Īsā, the Tāj Mahal is on the south bank of the Yamuna River. It can be observed from Agra Fort from where Emperor Shāh Jahān gazed at it for the last eight years of his life, a prisoner of his son Aurangzeb. It is an acknowledged masterpiece of symmetry. Verses of the Quran are inscribed on it and at the top of the gate are twenty-two small domes, signifying the number of years the monument took to build. The Tāj Mahal was built on a marble platform that stands above a sandstone one. The most elegant dome of the Tāj Mahal has a diameter of 60 feet (18 m), and rises to a height of 80 feet (24 m); directly under this dome is the tomb of Mumtāz Mahal. Shah Jahān's tomb was erected next to hers by his son Aurangzeb. The interiors are decorated with fine inlay work, incorporating semi-precious stones.

A panoramic view of Taj Mahal, Agra

Agra Fort

Amar Singh Gate,
one of two entrances into Agra's Red Fort

Agra Fort (sometimes called the Red Fort), was commissioned by the conquering Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great in 1565, and is another of Agra's World Heritage Sites. A stone tablet at the gate of the Fort states that it had been built before 1000 but was later renovated by Akbar. The red sandstone fort was converted into a palace during Shāh Jahān's time, and reworked extensively with marble and pietra dura inlay. Notable buildings in the fort include the Pearl Mosque or Motī Masjid, the Dīwān-e-'Ām and Dīwān-e-Khās (halls of public and private audience), Jahāngīr's Palace, Khās Mahal, Shīsh Mahal (mirrored palace), and the Musamman Burj.

The forbidding exteriors of this fort conceal an inner paradise. The fort is crescent shaped, flattened on the east with a long, nearly straight wall facing the river. It has a total perimeter of 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi), and is ringed by double castellated ramparts of red sandstone punctuated at regular intervals by bastions. A moat 9 metres (30 ft) wide and 10 metres (33 ft) deep surrounds the outer wall.

Chhatrapati Shīvajī visited the Agra Fort, as a result of the conditions of the Treaty of Purandar entered into with Mirzā Rājā Jaisingh to meet Aurangzeb in the Dīwān-i-Khās (Special Audience Chamber). In the audience he was deliberately placed behind men of lower rank. An insulted Shīvajī stormed out of the imperial audience and was confined to Jai Sing's quarters on 12 May 1666. Fearing the dungeons and execution he escaped on 17 August 1666.

The fort is a typical example of Mughal architecture, effectively showing how the North Indian style of fort construction differed from that of the South. In the South, the majority of forts were built on the seabed like the one at Bekal in Kerala.[19]

Fatehpur Sikri

Dīwān-i-Khās – Hall of Private Audience

The Mughal Emperor Akbar built Fatehpūr Sikrī about 35 km (22 mi) from Agra, and moved his capital there. Later abandoned, the site displays a number of buildings of significant historical importance. A World Heritage Site, it is often visited by tourists. The name of the place came about after the Mughal Emperor Bābar defeated Rāṇā Sāngā in a battle at a place called Sikrī (about 40 km (25 mi) from Agra). Then the Mughal Emperor Akbar wanted to make Fatehpūr Sikrī his headquarters, so he built a majestic fort; due to shortage of water, however, he had to ultimately move his headquarters to Agra Fort.

Buland Darwāza or 'the lofty gateway' was built by the great Mughal emperor, Akbar in 1601 CE. at Fatehpūr Sikrī. Akbar built the Buland Darwāza to commemorate his victory over Gujarat. The Buland Darwāza is approached by 52 steps. The Buland Darwāza is 53.63 metres (175.95 feet) high and 35 metres (115 feet) wide. it is made of red and buff sandstone, decorated by carving and black and white marble inlays. An inscription on the central face of the Buland Darwāza demonstrates Akbar's religious broadmindedness, it is a message from Jesus advising his followers not to consider this world as their permanent home.

I'timād-Ud-Daulah

The Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb at Agra

The Empress Nūr Jahān built I'timād-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, sometimes called the "Baby Tāj", for her father, Mirzā Ghiyās Beg, the Chief Minister of the Emperor Jahāngīr. Located on the left bank of the Yamuna river, the mausoleum is set in a large cruciform garden, criss-crossed by water courses and walkways. The area of the mausoleum itself is about 23 m2 (250 sq ft), and is built on a base that is about 50 m2 (540 sq ft) and about one metre (3.3 feet) high. On each corner are hexagonal towers, about thirteen metres (43 feet) tall. 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 Tāj Mahal.

The walls are white marble from Rajasthan encrusted with semi-precious stone decorations – cornelian, jasper, lapis lazuli, onyx, and topaz in images of cypress trees and wine bottles, or more elaborate decorations like cut fruit or vases containing bouquets. Light penetrates to the interior through delicate jālī screens of intricately carved white marble.

Many of Nūr Jahān's relatives are interred in the mausoleum. The only asymmetrical element of the entire complex are the tombs of her father and mother, which have been set side-by-side, a formation replicated in the Taj Mahal.

Akbar's Tomb, Sikandra

Tomb of Akbar the Great

Sikandra, the last resting place of the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great, is on the Delhi-Agra Highway, only 13 kilometres (8.1 miles) from the Agra Fort. Akbar's tomb reflects the completeness of his personality. The vast, beautifully carved, red-ochre sandstone tomb with deers, rabbits and langurs is set amidst a lush garden. Akbar himself planned his own tomb and selected a suitable site for it. To construct a tomb in one's lifetime was a Turkic custom which the Mughals followed religiously. Akbar's son Jahāngīr completed construction of this pyramidal tomb in 1613. The 99 names of Allah have been inscribed on the tomb.

Jamā Masjid

The Jāma Masjid is a large mosque attributed to Shah Jahan's daughter, Princess Jahanara Begum, built in 1648, notable for its unusual dome and absence of minarets. The inscription at its entrance shows that it cost Rs 5 Lakhs at that time for its completion.

Chīnī kā Rauza

Chīnī kā Rauza

Notable for its Persian influenced dome of blue glazed tiles, the Chīnī kā Rauza is dedicated to the Prime Minister of Shāh Jahān, 'Allāma Afzal Khāl Mullā Shukrullāh of Shiraz.

Rām Bāgh

The oldest Mughal garden in India, the Rām Bāgh was built by the Emperor Bābar in 1528 on the bank of the Yamuna. It lies about 2.34 km (1 mi) north of the Tāj Mahal. The pavilions in this garden are designed so that the wind from the Yamuna, combined with the greenery, keeps them cool even during the peak of summer. The original name of the gardens was Ārām Bāgh, or 'Garden of Relaxation', and this was where the Mughal emperor Bābar used to spend his leisure time and where he eventually died. His body was kept here for some time before sending it to Kabul.

On Ram Bagh to Tundla road near Etmadpur, there is a famed Yoga Ashram of Mahaprabhu Ramlal ji Maharaja(First Guru Gaddi), Yogeshwar Mulakhraj Ji Maharaja(Second Guru Gaddi) & Yogeshwar DeviDayal Ji Mahadev(Third GuruGaddi) blessed Swami Chandra Mohan Ji Maharaj named Shri Siddha Gufa Sawai. Thousands of devotees and seekers visit this holy place.

Mariam's Tomb

Mariams Tomb, is the tomb of Mariam, the wife of great Mughal Emperor Akbar. The tomb is within the compound of the Christian Missionary Society.

Mehtāb Bāgh

Plan of the Taj complex with the Mehtab Bagh gardens to the left

The Mehtāb Bāgh, or 'Moonlight Garden', is on the opposite bank of the River Yamuna from the Tāj Mahal.

Keetham Lake

Also known as Sur Sarovar, Keetham Lake is situated about 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) from the Akbar tomb in Agra, within the Surdas Reserved Forest. The lake has an impressive variety of aquatic life and water birds.

Mughal Heritage Walk

The Mughal Heritage Walk is a part of community development programme being implemented with support of Agra Municipal corporation, USAID and an NGO; Center for Urban and Regional Excellence. It seeks to build sustainable livelihoods for youth and women from low resource communities and improve their living environments through infrastructure services and integration within the city.

The Mughal Heritage Walk is a one-kilometre (0.62-mile) loop which connects the agricultural fields with the Rajasthani culture, river bank connected with the ancient village of Kuchhpura, the Heritage Structure of Mehtab Bagh, the Mughal aqueduct system, the Humanyun Mosque and the Gyarah Sidi.

Other Places of interest

Mankameshwar Temple

The Mankameshwar Temple is one of four ancient temples dedicated to Lord Shiva located on the four corners of Agra City. It is located near the Jāma Masjid and is about 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) from the Tāj Mahal and less than 1 km (0.6 mi) from Agra Fort. Being located in the old city, the temple is surrounded by markets, many of which date back to the Mughal Era.

Indrabhan Girls' Inter College

It is widespreadly considered to be the birthplace of great poet Mirza Ghalib. It is located near the Mankameshwar Temple and is about 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) from the Tāj Mahal and less than 1 km (0.6 mi) from Agra Fort. Being located in the old city, the College is surrounded by markets. Approximately four or five years back, the birth room of Mirza Ghalib was hidden behind the wall by the Management of the college to keep the identity of the place secret.

Gurudwara Guru ka Taal

Guru ka Tal was originally a reservoir meant to collect and conserve rainwater built in Agra, near Sikandra, during Jahangir's reign next to the Tomb of I'tibār Khān Khwājasara in 1610. In the 1970s a gurudwara was erected here. Guru ka Tal is a holy place of worship for the Sikhs. Four of the ten Sikh Gurus are said to have paid it a visit. Enjoying both historical and religious importance, this shrine attracts a large number of devotees and tourists. Boasting elaborate stone carvings and eight of the twelve original towers. It is located by national (Delhi-Agra) highway-2.

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Agra.

Paliwal Park (Hewitt Park)

Paliwal Park, during the British Raj was known as Hewitt Park, is now renamed in memory of Shri Krishna Datta Paliwal, who was the first finance minister of Uttar Pradesh, when Shri Govind Ballabh Pant was the Chief Minister of the State.

Paliwal Park is located in the heart of Agra, spread over an area of around 70 acres (280,000 m2). It also has a small lake and a vast variety of trees.

Paliwal Park links the residential areas of Vijay Nagar Colony & Gandhi Nagar to the financial Hub of the city i.e. Sanjay Place.

John's Public Library, also known as the Agra Municipal Library, is also located here and one can find rare books on diverse topics here.

Many people come here for morning walk, as a result this place is full especially during the summer holidays when youngsters play all sort of different games.

Economy

A shopping mall situated on the Fatehabad Road
A marble table top in Pietra Dura, a craft practised since the Mughal era in Agra
The Sadar Bazar market
An Agra craftsman working with marble stone inlays. The marble is coloured red to give contrast while working.

Due to the presence of the Taj Mahal and other historic monuments, Agra has a booming tourism industry as well as royal crafts like Pietra Dura, marble inlay and carpets.

Today 40% of the population depends largely on agriculture, and others on the leather and footwear business and iron foundries. Agra is the second most self-employed in India in 2007, behind Varanasi, followed by Bhopal, Indore and Patna. According to the National Sample Survey Organization, in 1999–2000, 431 of every 1,000 employed males were self-employed in the city, which grew to 603 per 1,000 in 2004–05.[20] Tourism contributes to the economy of Agra. Agra is home to Asia’s largest spa called Kaya Kalp – The Royal Spa, at the Hotel Mughal in Agra.[21]

Agra has many industries. Uttar Pradesh's first plant biotech company Harihar Biotech is located near the Taj. There are about 7,000 small scale industrial units. Agra city is also known for its leather goods, the oldest and famous leather firm Taj Leather World is in Sadar bazar. The carpets, handicrafts, zari and zardozi (embroidery work), marble and stone carving and inlay work. Agra is known for its sweets (Petha and Gajak) and snacks (Dalmoth), garment manufacturers and exporters and an automobile industry. Carpet making was introduced to the city by Moghul Emperor Babur and since then this art has flourished.

The city centre place at Agra has jewellery and garments shops. The silver and gold jewellery hub is at Choube Ji Ka Fatak. The Shah Market area is an electronics market while Sanjay Place is the trade centre of Agra.

Property

Property is one of the growing sectors of the Agra's economy.

There are several malls such as Big Bazzar, TDI Mall, Pacific Mall, Ratan Mall, Omaxe SRK Mall, Ashoka Mall (Sanjay Place).

Future projects

Development

Agra ranked fifth on both the financial penetration index, which measures things like the presence of ATMs and bank branches, and on the consumption index, indicating the city’s transformation into an urban town. There are many new buildings, shopping complexes, malls, roads, flyovers and apartments coming up. On the India City Competitiveness Index, the city ranked 26th in 2010,[22] 32nd in 2011[23] and 37th in 2012[24]

Education

It was during the advent of the Mughal era that Agra grew as a centre of Islamic education. British people introduced the western concept of education in Agra. In the year 1823, Agra College, one of the oldest colleges in India was formed out of a Sanskrit school established by the Scindia rulers. In the British era, Agra became a great centre of Hindi literature with people like Babu Gulab Rai at the helm.

Universities and colleges

Agra University was established on 1 July 1927 and catered to colleges spread across the United Provinces, the Rajputana, the Central Provinces and almost to entire North India, at present 10 institutes comprising various departments and around 700 Colleges are affiliated to this university. The historic Agra University was later rechristened as Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar University by the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Ms. Mayawati.

Media

Agra is home to the Dainik Jagran newspaper. which is the most read Hindi newspaper in India. Other newspapers that are widely read include Amar Ujala, Aaj, Hindustan,The Sea Express, Deepsheel Bharat, DLA. The English dailies published are The Times of India, Hindustan Times, Economic Times, The Pioneer, etc. The Urdy dailies published are Prabhanjan Sanket, Inksaaf etc. There is also the Hindi and English mixed newspaper tabloid I-NEXT.

Morphers Animation Studios LLP is an animation studio in Agra, which caters 3d visualisation services to clients. State-owned All India Radio has a local station in Agra which transmits various programs of mass interest. There are three private FM radio stations, 92.7 BIG FM (Reliance Broadcast Network Limited) , 93.7 Fever FM and Radio City 91.9 FM [25]. There is a community Radio Station 90.4 FM.

Radio stations

Fairs and festivals

Taj Mahotsav

Ram Barat

Ram Barat (Hindi: राम बारात) is a part of Ramlila celebration in Agra. It is one of the biggest annual events in North India. Ram Barat literally means Baraat Marriage procession of Sri Ram. Every year a new locality is chosen in Agra and is elaborately decorated with lights & flowers. The area is given a major face lift befitting the venue for the divine marriage.

Taj Literature Festival

Taj Literature Festival saw stars of the literary world manifest themselves on the earth of Agra. The galaxy included the stalwarts, Muzaffar Ali, Shobha De, Prahlad Kakker and Raghu Rai. The stage shone brilliant and the heritage city breathed life. This festival, an attempt to rejuvenate that aesthetic spirit which is a soul of this historically rich city, Agra. The city that nurtured the likes of Ghalib, Tansen, Surdas, Nazeer and many more.

Kailash Fair

The Kailash Fair is held in the town of Kailash, about 12 km (7 mi) from Agra, in the month of August/September. It is a major fair celebrated in honour of Lord Shiva who is believed to have appeared here in the form of stone Lingam.

Gangaur Fair

Gokulpura / Moti Katra, Agra

Taj Municipal Museum in Paliwal Park Agra

The museum-cum-public library is housed in an old heritage structure, built in 1922 and renovated in the 1940s. Queen Victori's bronze statue's are also exposed in this Museum. The other old statues and memories of the Mughal Era are exposed for the attraction of tourists, something new other than usual attraction.

Notable individuals

Huzur Shiv Dayal Singh[26] Sahab(Param Purush Puran Dhani Soami Ji Maharaj), Founder Of Radhasoami Faith, Hazur Rai Saligram Bahadur[27] (Param Purush Puran Dhani Huzur Maharaj), Second Revered Leader Of Radhasoami Faith, Great Poet Soordas, Acharya Pt. Shri Ram Sharma, Abul Fazal, Amrit Lal Nagar, Rangey Raghav, Dr Ramvilas Sharma, Babu Gulab Roy, Rajendra Yadav, Mirza Galib, Mir Taqi Mir, Nazir Akbarabadi Motilal Nehru, Actress Nimmi, Raj Babbar, Prof (Dr) Deoki Nandan

See also

Nand Ram Ka Tila

References

  1. 1 2 "Census 2011". The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  2. ↑ http://citypopulation.de/India-UttarPradesh.html
  3. 1 2 http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/251
  4. ↑ "Cities in India with population more than 100,000". Census2011. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
  5. ↑ Williams, Monier. "Sanskrit-English Dictionary". Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries. Cologne University. Archived from the original on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
  6. ↑ "Agra District profile". Official Website of Agra maintained by National Informatics Centre (NIC) of the Government of India. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
  7. ↑ "Agra Fort". Archaeological Survey of India. Archived from the original on 3 December 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
  8. ↑ "Agra Climate Normals 1971-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "World Weather Information Service–Agra". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  10. ↑ "Ever recorded Maximum and minimum temperatures up to 2010" (PDF). India Meteorological Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 May 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 http://www.census2011.co.in/census/city/115-agra.html Agra City Population Census 2011
  12. ↑ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/Yadav-village-near-Agra-to-boycott-polls/articleshow/33460267.cms?
  13. 1 2 3 "District Census 2011". Census2011.co.in. 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-30.
  14. ↑ US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Retrieved 2011-10-01. Moldova 4,314,377 July 2011 est.
  15. ↑ "2010 Resident Population Data". U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2010-12-25. Retrieved 2011-09-30. Kentucky 4,339,367
  16. ↑ "Muslim growth outsmarts Hindus for the first time in Mughal city Agra".
  17. ↑ "Agra City" (GIF). Imperial Gazetteer of India (Digital South Asia Library of University of Chicago). 5: 83–84. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
  18. ↑ Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam, ed. India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 173.
  19. ↑ Koroth, Nandakumar. History of Bekal Fort.
  20. ↑ "India’s new Entrepreneurs". Mint. 16 May 2007.
  21. ↑ "ITC unveils Asia's largest spa in Agra". Economic Times (India). 9 March 2008. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
  22. ↑ Srikant Srinivas; Amit Kapoor (13 December 2010). "Boulevards of Dreams" (PDF). Businessworld. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2014.
  23. ↑ "India's 50 most Competitive cities". Rediff. 13 December 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  24. ↑ "Ranks of 50 Cities as per the India City Competitiveness Index 2012" (PDF). Institute of Competitiveness, India. Archived from the original (pdf) on 21 October 2012.
  25. ↑ www.radiocity.in/radiocity/city/agra
  26. ↑ http://www.radhasoami-faith.info/Soamiji_Maharaj.shtml
  27. ↑ http://www.radhasoami-faith.info/Huzur_Maharaj.shtml

Further reading

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