| "Agra, The home of Taj Mahal", seventh wonder of the world, is a sheer poetry in marble with which Mughal architecture reached its zenith. Agra served as the capital for the Mughal Empire in the 16th and 17th century. With its splendour of the mausoleums, the fort and the palaces, Agra presents as a beautiful picture of Mughal glory. Agra’s significance as a political centre may have ended with the transfer of the capital to Delhi in 1634 by Shah Jahan, however its architectural wealth has secured the city’s place on the international map. The nearby Lord Krishna land, and the Braj Bhoomi, imparts an impression to the visitor about the brotherhood between different communities who share the land and history together. It is important to mention here that the epic Mahabharata refers to Agra as Agravana, an inseparable part of the Braj Bhoomi. Some of the legendary personalities, like Surdas, Haridas, Raskhan, Bihari, Amir Khusro, Mirza Ghalib, Nazeer Akbarabadi etc. have also given fame to this region. The city of Taj is known for its superb inlay work on marble and soapstone by craftsmen who are the direct descendants of those who worked under the Mughals in building the Taj Mahal. Agra has also earned accolades in the manufacturing of its carpets, gold thread embroidery and leather articles. |
