Taj Mahal – the monument of love that Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal – has fascinated me since my childhood days. Situated on the banks of the River Yamuna in the north Indian city of Agra, the mausoleum attracts visitors from all over the world. Apart from Taj Mahal, Agra boasts of other magnificent monuments and gardens of Mughal era like: Agra Fort, Sikandra, Tomb of Itimad Ud Daulah and Mehtab Bagh. Not to forget, the Fatehpur Sikri, a sibling town of Agra that served as the Mughal capital for a brief period.
On the morning of the Mahanavami of the Durga Puja in 2018, we boarded the Poorva Exp from Howrah station. The train was 2 hours late and we alighted at Tundla around 4.30 AM next day. There is a waiting room in the Tundla station for the travelers to freshen up or take some rest.
Tundla town is around 30 KM from Agra, and it takes around 45 minutes by road. As we came out of the station, a few car drivers approached us and we booked an Innova for Rs. 800.
Day 1: Reach Agra and visit Agra Fort
Our booking was at the Hotel Parador on the Fatehabad Road. We reached the hotel around 5.30 AM, when activities around were yet to start, except the cars/ autos which were heading towards the Taj Mahal.
At the reception, we requested for an early check-in and we were fortunate enough that a room was available. We quickly moved into our allotted room, freshened up and went for a quick nap. Tired due to the lack of sleep last night, we overslept and woke up around noon. After having lunch, we booked an Ola Auto Rickshaw for our first point of interest – Agra Fort.
Agra Fort was the main residence of the Mughal emperors when their capital was in Agra. It is a well maintained fort and known for its majestic looks. The golden rays of the afternoon Sun made our experience even better. We were lucky to get an excellent guide who engrossed us with his narration of the history of the place (guide charge was Rs. 975). It took us around 1.5 hours to visit the entire place. We visited different parts of the fort like, Diwan-i-Am, Diwan-Khas, Shish Mahal, Anguri Bagh, Jahangiri Mahal, Akbari Mahal, Moti Masjid etc. and were enthralled by the beauty and the architecture. The view of the Taj Mahal across the Yamuna River was also gorgeous.
The fort authorities conduct a Light and Sound show every evening, and we booked the 7.30 PM slot. As we had some time in our hand, we headed towards Sadar Bazar, the busy market area of Agra. We visited the famous Chaat Street, and had some quick bites. Also, did a quick shopping of the famous Agra Petha and Dalmoth.
The Light and Sound show at the Agra Fort was the most disappointing part of our trip. We could barely sit there for half an hour (it was a 1 hour show) and then came out. If you still wish to visit the show, please remember to carry a tube of mosquito repellent.
Day 2: Fatehpur Sikri and Akbar’s Tomb in Sikandra
After breakfast, we headed for Fatehpur Sikri, which is around one and half hours from Agra.
Emperor Akbar founded the town of Fatehpur Sikri by joining two villages – Fatehpur and Sikri. It served as the capital of the Mughal Empire for a few years.
We parked our car in the central parking area; from where we took a guide (charges were Rs. 450 for both Fatehpur and Sikri). Tourists need to board the government run buses from the parking lot to reach the entrance of Sikri.
Once inside, we were mesmerized by the marvelous medieval architecture as we explored different part of the city like Panch Mahal, Jodha Bai Palace, Birbal’s House, Hiran Minar, Diwan-i-Am, Diwan-i-Khas.
From Sikri, we moved towards Fatehpur. It is a relatively smaller place, the main attractions being the majestic Buland Darwaza and the Tomb of Salim Chisti.
In total it took us around 2 hours to visit Sikri and Fatehpur. On the way back towards Agra, we stopped for lunch. There are quite a few restaurants on both sides of the highway with ample food options.
Our next stop of the day was Akbar’s tomb at Sikandra, which is a detour from the highway towards Agra. Not every tourist visits this place, but it should be a must-visit place if you are not running short of time.
The entire place is very peaceful. On both sides of the main pathway, are lush green landscaped gardens with blackbucks, monkeys, peacocks and cranes roaming freely. The buildings inside the complex (including the one that houses Akbar’s tomb) are built from red sandstone with marble decorations and bear spectacular looks.
It was almost 4.30 PM when we finished visiting Sikandra.
My plan was to visit the Taj Mahal twice – once during sunset and again during sunrise. Accordingly, we set off for the Taj Mahal West Gate, which is around 30 mins travel from Sikandra. Our driver discouraged the plan, as the gates of the Taj get closed at 5.30 PM, and there seemed to be huge rush during the closing hours. Nevertheless, we decided to take a chance and go ahead with our plan. He dropped us off at a place, from where we had to take a Toto to go near the ticket counter.
Once there, I realized that it would have been wiser to listen to our driver, as there was a huge queue outside the gates with people running and shoving around. With elders and kids with us, we aborted the plan for the evening and returned to our hotel. We went to bed early so that we can get up early and reach the Taj Mahal before dawn.
Day 3: Taj Mahal, Tomb of Itimad Ud Daulah, Mehtab Bagh
We got up early, booked an Ola cab and reached the Taj Mahal East Gate Parking lot around 5.45 AM. We got a guide for us (Rate – Rs. 975), and he helped us to get the tickets booked quickly.
As it was early in the morning, we didn’t expect much crowd. But it seemed everyone wanted to view the Taj at dawn; and the footfall was already picking up.
Once we entered the main complex, I was awestruck by the majesty of the Taj Mahal at a distance. The epitome of eternal love mesmerized each of us. We stood there for a while and enjoyed the views of the Taj Mahal getting soaked in the glows of the early morning sun. Gradually we approached the monument and took pictures from different angles.
Our guide explained us the history of different parts of the place, and we visited Mehman Khana, the inside part of the Taj Mahal and the Kau Ban Mosque. At this point, our guide bid us a goodbye, and we spent some more time wandering around the place. We left Taj Mahal around 8 AM; and by that time the inflow of tourists was so much that I couldn’t even find a free space for a good selfie.
We took a horse cart ride to the parking lot, and from there took an cab to our hotel.
A trip to Agra is not complete without Bedai Poori. This breakfast, usually served at street stands, consists of the bedai (a fried bread, like kachori), served with a spicy potato curry and a dollop of curd. Luckily there was a Bedai stall near our hotel, and I enjoyed a plate along with a Jalebi.
Our check-out time from the hotel was at 11 AM, and the train to Delhi was in the evening. So, we kept our luggage at the front desk and set out for the Tomb of Itimad Ud Daulah and Mehtab Bagh. These 2 places are on the other side of the Yamuna River.
First we took an Ola cab to the Tomb of Itimad Ud Daulah, popularly known as the “Baby Taj“. Similar to Akbar’s Tomb in Sikandra, this structure is also built from red sandstone with marble decorations.
From the Tomb of Itimad Ud Daulah, we took a local auto to the Mehtab Bagh. This is a garden complex just opposite to the Taj Mahal, across the Yamuna River. There is nothing spectacular to the place, but gives you another view of the Taj Mahal sans the maddening crowd.
Once we were out of the Mehtab Bagh, we couldn’t find any means of commuting to the Agra city. It seemed all the tourists visit the place with pre-booked cars/ autos. Even there were no Ola cabs nearby and a couple of cabs that we booked refused to come. We were third time lucky, and the cab arrived after a waiting period of about 20 minutes. So, I would advise that, if you wish to visit Mehtab Bagh, please reserve a vehicle.
Once back to the hotel, we collected our luggage, and headed towards the Agra Cantt Railway Station to board the Gatiman Exp. to Delhi Nizamuddin. Overall it was a nice experience, which we will cherish in the days to come.
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