Agra is one of the important historical cities of India. Located on the banks of river Yamuna, Agra was one of the important cities under Mughal dynasty. The beautiful city Agra came into limelight when Sikandar Lodhi decided to transfer the capital city from Delhi to Agra. It was capital city for some of the great Mughal emperors like Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb
 

For anyone with a deep interest in history, a summary of Agra's history would indeed provide a wealth of information. Situated on the banks of river Yamuna between Mathura and Surajpur, Agra was originally a part of the Surasena Empire with Mathura as its capital. But it came into limelight when Sikander Lodhi, the Sultan of Delhi made it his capital in the 16th century. After the advent of the Mughals, there was a shift in the power play and Agra became the most important seat of Mughal power in India between the 16th and 17th centuries.


Since Agra was one of the most important cities under the Mughals, it witnessed some big scale renovation and development from time to time. Babar, the founder of the Mughal dynasty laid out the first formal Persian garden on the banks of river Yamuna. His grandson Akbar raised the towering ramparts of the Great Red Fort besides making Agra a center for learning arts and commerce. His son Jehangir built rose-red palaces, courts and gardens inside the red fort, and emperor Shah Jahan, known for his great love for architecture gave Agra its most prized monument, the magnificent Taj Mahal. Built in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the mausoleum took 20 years to finish with the combined efforts of 20,000 laborers, architects and engineers.


Shah Jahan had shifted the capital to Delhi during his reign, but Aurangzeb shifted it back to Agra and imprisoned his father in the Agra Fort. Agra remained capital of India during the rule of Aurangzeb till his death. After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the city came under the Marathas and Jats before falling into the hands of the British in 1803.

Agra came under different rulers and dynasties from time to time, but it was the Mughal rulers who left an indelible mark on this historic city. Anywhere you go, the city's Mughal heritage can easily be discerned, something that Agra has managed to retain in spite of the ravages of time and change.

Taj Mahal History

The Taj Mahal's history dates back to 1631 when Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan's beloved wife Arjumand Bano passed away during childbirth. Mumtaz Mahal, as she was affectionately known, was the Emperor's constant companion, guide and the love of his life. They first met as teenagers, got married in 1612 AD and thereafter were inseparable. Mumtaz Mahal accompanied the Emperor to meetings, wars and campaigns and it was during one such campaign that she passed away shortly after giving birth to their 14th child. It is believed that the Mughal court mourned the death of their beloved Empress for more than two years. There were no celebrations or feasting on holidays for a long time after Mumtaz Mahal passed away.



Before her death, Mumtaz Mahal expressed her wish that Shah Jahan would "build a tomb in her memory such as the world had never seen before." Thus stated the creation of one of the most beautiful monument in the world, the Taj Mahal. A combined workforce of 20,000 people toiled hard for 22 years to build this structure, which clearly surpasses everything else in beauty and elegance. It is also amazing that the Taj Mahal in Agra cost the exchequer 32 million rupees even at that time. At the fag end of Shah Jahan's career, he was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb at the Agra Fort and at that point of time the Taj Mahal was his only source of comfort. He used to spend hours gazing at the Taj Mahal across the Yamuna. After his death, he was laid to rest beside his beloved wife and their two tombs are located in the basement of the
Taj.