What if your lover after your death builds a palace to show how much he loves you?! Well it’s not that easy too in today’s era. You can’t have one for yourself but surely you can make a visit to the biggest gift gave from history. A monument called ‘Taj Mahal’ that is  an example for every lover in today’s era. The structure has been built with an intricate architecture and with the beautiful white marble. This is the reason why it is listed amongst the seven wonders of the world.

640px-front_view_of_taj_mahal

Taj Mahal is situated on the banks of Yamuna river in Agra (Uttar Pradesh – India to be more specific), it is the first spot that people use to visit on the arrival to the city. Do you want to know what to do when you come there? Just reach the hotel or hostel (if you are looking for an hostel there is one nearby the monument called Bonfire), set your luggage, rest yourself and then you will be ready to admire the beauty of the Taj.

640px-tazmahal_on_the_bank_of_yamuna_clicked_from_agra_fort

If you decide to use the “Auto-rickshaw” to reach the Taj  please make sure to be really specific with the drivers or they will take you to the railway station with the same name as the monument. Enjoy the vast area of the fort and don’t forget to go on the top of the fort to admire the view. Then you can opt to go to the local market near the Taj for souvenirs and some snacks or decide to wait for dinner to enjoy a typical meal. There are lots of options for that, an example is the Pind Balluchi.

The adventure is not over yet. A new day started with a new place to explore. You can choose to drive or can opt for public transport to reach Fatehpur Sikri. This is one of the best example of architecture from the Mughal Empire. This place is a complex of buildings, a walled city from the Mughal era with public and private spaces. Fatehpur Sikri is situated at 29 km from Agra and 40 km from the kheria airport. Having  said that, enjoy your day!

640px-a_gate_to_the_courtyard_of_jama_masjid_fatehpur_sikri

Most importantly, don’t forget to try the Petha at the original Panchi Petha shop and get lots of them so you can share them with your family and friends and you can say you’ve tried them without any regret!

Tips from my experience

  • Use the local transport to save yourself from the crowd and from the struggle to find a place where park your car.
  • Try to not visit the city on weekends or during the holidays to avoid crowd. I’m sure you don’t want to spend your day like this.
  • Try to not visit the city in a too sunny day but if you do this, make sure to keep yourself hydrated.
  • Don’t get confused with the original Panchi Petha shop since there are numerous shops with the same name but only two authentic ones.
  • At last, don’t forget to check for online offers for your stay to save money.

 

Written by: www.mohitarts.wordpress.com

27 thoughts on “A weekend in Agra

  1. As someone who has never visited Agra, but obviously heard of the Taj Mahal, I enjoyed reading about the history of the palace.
    What a lovely monument for one you love. A beautiful building and I would love to visit one day!

  2. Thanks for the practical tips. This place has been on my bucket list forever…and I really didn’t know about that hostel- bonfire, that makes me wanna go more….

  3. I never knew the history of the Taj Mahal or why it was built! It’s very beautiful and had always wanted to visit. While not as grand the Fatehpur Sikri is also very beautiful and I had never heard of it. Will have to make note to add this on the list when Going to India.

  4. Oh, I wish I’ll see the Taj Mahal one day. It’s so impressive! It looks so impressive. It’s great to learn about all these places and monuments through your blog. I love it. Thanks for the great tips!

  5. If my lover will built me something in my memory, I might not appreciate it (coz I’m actually gone) but my love ones will. And I hope that it will reminds them what precious love is.

    Taj Mahal is a great symbol of love that have lasts for many years.

  6. Taj mahal is the most beautiful heritage we own as Indians. I love Agra and the vibe out there. It’s been a while since I visited the place and would definitely visit soon.

    1. Hii…myself the writer of this post and answering your question I would say Petha is simply inevitable for a person visiting Agra..this holds true not only for the tourists but also for the locals…anyone visiting Agra makes sure to carry back home few boxes of Petha for sure…I am savoring it since childhood and the variety has only increased over the years

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *