Description of Agra

The moods of the Taj vary from dawn to dusk. It looks milky white in the soft light that characterizes early morning, while the afternoon sun makes it glisten bright and dazzling in the overhead sunlight, almost looking like a jewel against the opaque blue of the skyline and then comes a moonlit Taj breaking into the night sky, majestic and simply beautiful in a sense that cannot be put into words. The sensuous appeal can never be more heightened as on a full moon night when it shines like a pearl making the visitor stand agape at the spectacle. The romanticism and sheer majesty of the structure is unbelievably true! No wonder if millions of people chose it amongst the World’s top wonders.

History of Agra

A white marble beauty built in Agra,Mughal Empire, by Shah Jehan for his wife,Taj Mahal tops the itinerary of Agra tour packages and fascinates the visitors with its marvellous architecture. One of the seven wonders of the world, Taj Mahal was constructed by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1653 in memory his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal.Standing as an epitome of love, the magnificent monument is set in a huge complex, equipped with well-maintained gardens and fountains.Majestic and sensuous, glistening brightly in the afternoon sun, the bulbous dome and minarets with a slight inward tilt, have all been inscribed meticulously with the Holy Verses bringing forth the arabesque ornamentation.The white marble from Makrana in Rajasthan has added its own natural beauty to this mausoleum that attracts tourists from all over the world. Just one km from Taj Mahal, Agra Fort is another architectural wonder of Mughals. Built by Emperor Akbar in 1565, the red sandstone fort houses numerous interesting buildings like Diwan-e-Aam, Diwan-e-Khas, Sheesh Mahal, Jehangir Palace, Khaas Mahal, Musamman Burj and Pearl Mosque. Proceed further to visit Itmad-ud-Daulahs Tomb, built by Empress Noor Jehan for her father Ghyas-ud-Din Beg. Situated on the bank of Yamuna River, the mausoleum has a huge garden, criss-crossed by waterways. During your Agra vacation, also visit Akbars Tomb at Sikandra. Take an excursion to World Heritage Site of Fatehpur Sikri, which is home to several historic buildings. While on Agra tour, dont forget to do some shopping, Along with sweets, you may buy fine leather shoes and interesting marble items including miniature models of Taj Mahal.

Geography of Agra

Agra is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India.It is 378 kilometres (235) west of the state capital, Lucknow, 206 kilometres (128) south of the national capital New Delhi and 125 kilometres (78) north of Gwalior. With a population of 1,686,993 (2013 est.), it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most populous in India.Agra can also refer to the administrative district that has its headquarters in Agra city. It is a major tourist destination because of its many splendid Mughal-era buildings,most notably the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpūr Sikrī, all three of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.Agra is included on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, along with Delhi and Jaipur and the Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc, tourist circuit of UP state, along Lucknow the capital of the state and Varanasi. Agra falls within the Braj cultural region.

Weather of Agra

The climate of Agra features a semi-arid climate that borders on a humid subtropical climate. The city features mild winters, hot and dry summers and a monsoon season. The monsoon, though substantial in Agra, is not quite as heavy as the monsoon in other parts of India. The average monsoon rainfall during June to September is 628.6 millimeters.Agra has a reputation of being one of the hottest towns in India. In summers the city witnesses a sudden surge in temperature and at times, mercury goes beyond the 46°C mark in addition to a very high level of humidity. During summer, the daytime temperature hovers around 46-50°C. Nights are relatively cooler and temperature lowers to a comfortable 30°C. Winters are bit chilly but are the best time to visit Agra. The minimum temperature sometimes goes as low as 2 or 3°C but usually hovers in the range of 6 to 8°C.

Best Time to Visit Agra

October to March: The best time to visit Agra is between winter as by this time the heat has ebbed and the weather is pleasant and perfect for sightseeing. Spend an afternoon at the Taj complex ambling through the grounds and enjoying the beauty of this magnificent monument. Walk through the many bazars of Agra buying souvenirs and presents and practice your bargaining skills. Choose to sit on a rooftop restaurant with a view of the Taj Mahal while enjoying a cup of coffee. If you’re visiting Agra in December an January, carry woolen clothing as temperatures can drop to as low as 2 degrees Celsius. 

August to October: August marks the beginning of monsoon in Agra and is a great time to witness the Taj Mahal in its rain-washed splendor. Splash through the local bazaars in a cycle rickshaw and enjoy a cup of tea at a local tea stall. Carry an umbrella or a raincoat and don’t let the rain dampen your spirit of travel. 

April to July: This is the beginning of summer and even though the temperatures rise, the timing is perfect as the crowds begin to thin and good deals are available on hotels. Carry light cotton clothes, sunglasses, sunscreen and a water bottle and enjoy the sights of Agra at leisure.

The weather during this time of the period is mostly pleasant. This also happens to be the peak travel season for Agra.

How to reach Agra

By Air 
A new greenfield international airport is proposed for Agra in a bid to give required fillip to tourism in Uttar Pradesh. Taj International Airport project at Agra would be implemented in right earnest with the state government according top priority to this project as Taj Mahal is one of the most visited tourist spots in the world.
Air India flies the following
Delhi - Varanasi - Agra (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday)

Agra - Khajuraho - Varanasi - Delhi (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday)

Mumbai - Agra - Mumbai (Tuesday, Thursday)

As of now Air India connects Agra to the rest of the world via Mumbai, Delhi 5 days a week. These flights are usually on time and observe full load factor. Agra still needs many more daily flights to Kolkata, Jaipur, Goa, Kochi, Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Varanasi and other tourist destinations within the country.

By train

Agra is on the central train line between Delhi and Bombay and between Delhi and Madras and many trains like Bhopal Shatabdi, Taj Express, Bhopal Express, Malwa Express, Gondwana Express, Jabalpur - Jammutawi Express, Shreedham Express, Garib Rath, Tamil Nadu Express, Chennai Rajdhani, Allahabad Mathura Express etc. connect Agra with all major Indian cities like New Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Bhopal, Indore, Kochi, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Ujjain, Jaipur, Aligarh, Mathura, Alwar, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram etc.every day.

By Road

Idgah Bus Stand, Taj Depot, Ford Depot and Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) are the major bus stands in Agra, connecting Agra to most of the bigger cities in North India. It is a major junction of highways with 3 national highways and 1 expressway originating from Agra. Another national highway passes through the city bringing the total highway outlet to 6.

From Delhi: NH2, a modern divided highway, connects the 200 km (124 mi) distance from Delhi to Agra. The drive is about 4 hours. The primary access to the highway is along Mathura Road in Delhi but, if coming from South Delhi or Delhi Airport, it is easier to take Aurobindo Marg (Mehrauli Road) and then work up to NH2 via Tughlakabad.