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Monuments/
Fort & Palace/ Historical Palace in Uttar Pradesh
Taj Mahal
A white marble tomb built in 1631-48 in Agra, seat of the Mugal
Empire, by Shah Jehan for his wife, Arjuman Banu Begum, the
monument sums up many of the formal themes that have played
through Islamic architecture. Its refined elegance is a
conspicuous contrast both to the Hindu architecture of pre-Islamic
India, with its thick walls, corbeled arches, and heavy lintels,
and to the Indo-Islamic styles, in which Hindu elements are
combined with an eclectic assortment of motifs from Persian and
Turkish sources.
Fateh Pur Sikri
37 kms from Agra is built a city predominantly in Red Sandstone
and is called Fatehpur Sikri. This town was built by the Mughal
Emperor, Akbar.
He had planned this city as his capital but shortage of water
compelled him to abandon the city. After this within 20 years, the
capital of Mughals was shifted to Lahore.
Fatehpur Sikri was built during 1571 and 1585. Today this ghost
city has a population of about 30,000. This deserted city has
retained many of the old structures, because of the efforts of the
Archaeological department .
Fatehpur Sikri is one of the finest examples of Mughal
architectural splendour at its height. Though the city is in
ruins, it is a place to visit if one comes to Agra.But in real
terms Fatehpur Sikri is a place where one should spend some time.
The sunset over the ruins is sight to cherish.
Fatehpur Sikri is the best example of the culmination of Hindu and
Muslim architecture. Fatehpur Sikri Mosque is said to be a copy of
the mosque in Mecca and has designs, derived from the Persian &
Hindu architecture.
Agra Fort
Construction of the massive red sandstone Agra Fort on the bank of
the Yamuna River was begun by Emperor Akbar in 1565, though
additions were made up until the rule of his grandson, Shah Jahan.
In Akbar's time the fort was principally a military structure, but
during Shah Jaha regin it had partially become Palace. It is an
imposing strcture with walls of red sandstone almost three
kilometers long. Entered through the Amar Singh Gate, the eastern
part of the fort contain palace, audience hall and mosques built
by three emperors. The fort presents a good sampling of their
favoured architectural styles. Akbar drew on Islamic and Hindu
traditions and the result is eclectic. By Shah Jahan's time the
style had become so homogenized that it is impossible to seprate
the Hindu and Muslim strands. The Diwan-i-Am (public audience
hall), the beautiful Diwan-i-Khas (private audience hall) and the
magnificent Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) were also added by Shah
Jahan.
Sikandra
Six miles north of Agra, is a glorious introduction to the city of
Mughal wonders, Sikandra. The site of Akbar's mausoleum, Sikandra
was begun by Akbar and completed by his son Jehangir in 1613 AD.
It reflects the fusion of Hindu and Muslim art and architecture
which characterised the era. The tomb is situated in the centre of
a large garden and four identical red sandstone gates lead to the
tomb complex. The building, with three-storey minarets at each
corner, is built of red sandstone with white marble polygonal
patterns inlaid. Sikandra is named after Sikandra Lodi, the Delhi
ruler who was in power from 1488 to 1517.
Hussainnabad Imambara (Chota Imambara)
Also known as the Chhota, or Small Imambara, This was built by
Mohammed Ali Shah in 1837 as his own mausoleum. Thousands of
labourers worked on the project to gain famine relief. The large
courtyard encloses a raised rectangular tank with small imitations
of the Taj Mahal on each side. one of them is the tomb of Mohammed
Ali Shah daughter, the other that of her husband. The main
building of the imambara, topped by a golden dome, contains the
tombs of ali Shah and his mother. Opposite the Hussainnabad
Imambara is Satkhanda and also known as Sven Storey Tower. A
67m-high defunct clock tower, overlooks the Hussainabad Tank
nearby. West of the Hussainnabad Imambara is the Jama Masjid which
was started by Mohammed Ali Shah and Completed after his Death.
The Residency
Built in 1800 for the British Resident, this group of buildings
became the stage for the the most dramatic events of the 1857
Uprising the Siege of Lucknow. The red-brick ruins are peaceful
now a days, surrounded by lawns and flowerbeds, but thousands died
during the months-long siege. The Residency has been maintaind as
it was at the time of the final relief, and the shattered walls
are still scarred by cannon shot. Even since Independence, little
has changed. The only major work done on the place was the
unveiling of an Indian Martyrs Memorial directely opposite. you
can see cellars in the main Residency building where many of the
women and children lived throughout the siege. The cemetery at the
nearby ruined church has the graves of 2000 men, women and
children, including that of Sir Henry Lawrence, 'who tried to do
his duty' according to the famous inscription on his weathered
gravestone.
Ramnagar Fort
On the opposite bank of river, this 17th century fort is the home
of the former maharaja of Benaras. It looks most impressive from
the river, though the decrepit planking of the pantoon bridge you
cross to reach it is somewhat of a distraction. During the mansoon
access is by ferry. The intresting museum here contains old silver
& brocade palanquins for the ladies of the court, gold-plated
elephant howdahs, an astrological clock, marcabre elephant traps
and an armoury of swords and old guns.
Vishwanath temple
The Vishwanath temple, or Golden Temple, is the most sacred temple
in Varanasi and is dedicated to Vishveswara-Shiva as lord of the
universe. The original temple was destroyed by the Mughal Emperor
Aurangzeb, and the present temple was built in 1776 by Rani
Ahilyabai of Indore . 800kg of gold plating on the towers, which
gives the temple its colloquial name, was provided by Maharaja
Ranjit Singh of Lahore some 50 years later.
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