Agra was once called as pride of Uttar Pradesh when Mughal ruled India and the capital of Mughal Empire was Akbarabad (now known as Agra). The Agra city was founded by Sikander Lodi in 1504 and was ultimately first ruler of the place.
Agra city is situated on the banks of river Yamuna and 24th most populated city in India. The total land area of the city is around 47 sq mi. The official language of the place is Hindi but due to Mughal rule, Urdu dialect has its own character. Other than that, regional lingo is Braj Bhasha. Many of the touristy places like Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri in Agra come under UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Best time to visit
The west of the mega polis is in close proximity with the Thar Dessert. The summers are extremely harsh and monsoons are relatively dry. The city experiences mild winter, which is why winters i.e. September to March are the best time to visit to explore the town. The climate of the region is described as Humid Subtropical and Tropical.
Top Places to see
Taj Mahal
Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz in her memory situated on the banks of river Yamuna. It comes under the 7 wonders of the world; it is built of white marble called Sangmarmar. It is belived that Shah Jahan ordered to cut down the hands of workers who built the Taj Mahal so it remains one of its kinds. It is also the tomb of Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz. The monument signifies love.
Agra Fort
Agra fort is called as “walled city”. This fort was the main resident area of Mughal emperors until the empire capital sifted from Agra to Delhi.
Fatehpur Sikri
The place is called as City of Victory”. The region depicts the excellent work art work of Mughal architecture.
Other Miscellaneous places
1)Itmad-ud-Daula
2)Tomb of Akbar the Great
3)Chini ka ROza
4)Mehtab Bagh
How to reach
By Road
Agra is well connected to other major cities like Delhi, Gwalior, Kanpur, Lucknow and Jaipur through state owned and private buses. The bus fair is technically decided by state so it varies greatly.
By train
There are 5 railway stations in Agra; from that 1 prime station is Agra Cantt Station. There is availability of regular express and passenger trains from Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Kolkata, Gwalior, Chennai, Mumbai and Jhansi. The ticket charge is around Rs. 350 to Rs.1200.
By Air
Kheria Airport is the military base and also commercial airport located at the distance of 13kms from the main city land. The taxis, cabs and auto-rickshaws are readily available from the airport. There is availability of regular flights from mega cities like Delhi, Bombay, Bangalore and Pune. The ticket charge is around Rs. 3000 to Rs.10k