The Destination
Crowning Glory of Eternal Love…
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All the world loves a lover…This is the story of Arjmad Banu and the love she inspired. Niece of the beautiful Noor Jehan, wife of the Mogul Emperor Jehangir met Prince Khurram, Jehangir’s son, when she was just fourteen years old, in the Red Fort at Agra.
Cupid struck the two young royals. The path of true love, as the saying goes, is never smooth. They did get married in 1612 but the Prince rebelled against his father and left Agra. She supported her husband at every step and
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followed him in his self-imposed exile. Just before Jehangir’s death (1627), father and son became reconciled…Prince Khurram was crowned Emperor with the name Shah Jehan (Ruler of the World) and Arjmad Banu was named Mumtaz Mahal (Crown of the Palace).
As was her custom, she continued to accompany her husband everywhere, even during his military expeditions. During once such expedition against the rebellious Deccan governor in 1631, Mumtaz Mahal died in childbirth. The 39 years old Emperor was devastated. Unable to bear his loss, he decided to build
a memorial for his beloved that had no equal. Construction began the very same year. Such was Shah Jehan’s passion to obtain ultimate perfection, that 20,000 people worked night and day for 22 years to achieve it.
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The immortal legacy remains to enchant every person who visits the monument. Flowing curves of marble domes and elegant minarets glow by the light of the moon, pearl-like. The Taj Mahal exudes an aura of supernatural beauty on a full moon night. Inside the Taj Mahal, the intricate inlay
work, forming floral patterns like pressed flowers on marble, and large expanses of pure marble leave one agape.
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Shah Jehan had commenced the building of a Black Taj Mahal, but this stands incomplete. The Agra Fort, also on the banks of the Yamuna, is made of red sandstone. Emperor Akbar laid the foundation of this fort. It was Emperor Shah Jehan, however, who was responsible for completing it.
Agra is indeed rich in monuments that reflect the delicate fusion of Islamic and Hindu styles, known as Mogul architecture
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Facts at a Glance
| Population : |
1,118,800 |
| Altitude : |
169 mts |
| State : |
Uttar Pradesh |
| Temperature : |
30°C - 40°C (Summers)
10°C - 20°C (Winters) |
| Dialing Code : |
0562 |
| When to Go |
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The best time to visit Agra is between September to November and March to April. Other months are equally favorable, but since Agra is in the temperate climatic zone, it experiences extreme temperature swings.
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History
Agra’s history could date a long way back, but the town came into prominence when the Mughal moved in and took control during the 16th and 17th centuries. Most of the monuments that we see today date from this era. The city flourished under the reigns of Emperors Akbar, Jehangir
and Shah Jehan. It was during this time that Agra’s major tombs, the Red Fort and the Taj Mahal were built. In 1638, Shah Jehan built a new city in Delhi and ten years later, Aurangzeb shifted his capital there.
The decline of the Mogul Empire began with Aurangzeb and it was not long before (1761 to be precise) Agra fell to the Jats. As with all invasions, the town was plundered, its magnificent monuments looted, even the Taj Mahal wasn’t spared. In 1770, Agra was taken
over by the then powerful Marathas. In 1803 the British wrested control. There was heavy fighting round the fort during the uprising of 1857. The British regained control but then shifted the administration of the northwestern provinces to Allahabad. Agra has since then developed into an industrial center.
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