The chimerical Taj Mahal has been alluring the
humankind for ages. With a profile as distinct as that of other wonders of
the world, the magnanimous edifice happens to be an iconic structure of
India. A powerful city in the medieval times, the city of Agra has been
flocked to with legions of tourists from across the globe. The city that
forms the Golden Triangle along with the cities of Delhi (203 km) and Jaipur
(232 km) heads the itinerary list of travellers on their vacations of India.
The
city of Agra, that is the third biggest city in the northern Indian state of
Uttar Pradesh, is positioned on the banks of the river Yamuna and lies
between 27.18° N and 78.02° E longitude. The city remains
surrounded by Mathura on its north, Firozabad on the east, Fatehabad on the
southwest and Bharatpur on its west. The city is situated at an average
elevation of 171m/ 561 ft.
Close to the Shah Jahan Park in Agra, the Taj Mahal can be easily accessed
from any corner of the city. Prepaid taxis are available all around the
city. Besides you can also take auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws for
wandering around in the city. The Taj is just a few minutes walk from Hotel
Mughal Sheraton. The area of Taj Ganj which is named after the Taj Mahal is
a regular haunt of tourists. The Ftehabad Road that passes through Taj Ganj
further, covering a distance of 2 km, takes you to the Agra Fort. A local
bus stand also lies close to the Taj Mahal. From here, you can hire taxis
and auto rickshaws to move towards the Agra Fort. A few minutes from the
fort is the Agra Fort railway station.
The Mughal kings, whenever they built a tomb, also constructed a court
through which it could be entered - the forecourt. The Taj Mahal too can be
entered through the forecourt that remains surrounded by a red sandstone
wall like the one that surrounds the mausoleum. Within the forecourt, there
are spaces for 128 shops along with sandstone pavillions and servant
quarters. Each of the two southern corners of the forecourt has a small
royal tomb with terraced gardens. The southern gateway, through which the
Taj Mahal can be entered, has a majestic appearance. It is a two storey
structure and as you enter through the gate, you find yourself in an
octagonal hall where you can see fantastic specimens of stone inlay works.
To the left is the Taj Museum that displays a collection of nice paintings
depicting Shah Jahan and his favourtite wife Mumtaz Mahal. With a string of
fountains in the middle, a pebbled path leads to the Taj Mahal. On each side
of the Taj are two symmetrical red sandstone buildings. The one that lies to
the west is a mosque that stands facing Mecca. It was customary with the
kings to build a mosque near the tomb.
The
Taj Mahal lies on the western bank of the river Yamuna. Moving across to the
other side (eastern), you come across the Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah which is
just 2½ km from the Taj. Move ahead of the tomb to arrive at a point
from where two roads separate. The right turn, further ahead meets the
Shikohabad Road. Taking the left one, you can get to the Ram Bagh Gardens
which is 3 km from the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah. The Chini Ka Rauza lies
close by.
Agra lies on the main rail route between Delhi and Varanasi. So, a number
of trains pass through the city including the Shatabdi Express and the Taj
Express that run from Delhi. If you catch a flight from Delhi to Agra, in a
matter of 30 minutes you find yourself at the Kheria Airport of Agra, 7 km
from the city centre and 3 km from the railway station. Tarvelling through
road route takes you 5 hours to reach Agra from Delhi. There are regular
luxury bus and coach services between Delhi and Agra.
