Monuments of Delhi and Agra

India has been a dynamic country since ages, right from the Harapan age to the modern world. India can boast itself to be a country which has the richest history in the world. Hundreds of small-big kings and emperors have ruled the lands of India. They all have left their mark in the form of the buildings which we see today as ancient monuments. These monuments are our heritage and remind us of our glorious past.

It was here in the cities of Delhi and Agra the history of India changed its course when the Muslim kings from central Asia invaded the country in the 11^th century. After this for the next 600 years the country was under Muslim rule. It influenced the art, architecture, language, poetry, music , and the everyday customs and traditions of the people. The center of the change were the cities of Delhi and Agra.

Monuments in Delhi

Qutub Complex

The Qutub Complex is a mark of the transition of the Hindu rule in India to the Muslim rule. The Qutub complex houses monuments build by the first Muslim rulers in India - The Slave Dynasty, representatives of Muhammad Ghuri of Afghanistan.

The Qutub Minar

Qutub-ud-Din Aibak the first Slave king of Delhi build the foundations of the Qutub Minar, later completed by his successor Iltutmish. It was indented as a victory pillar and a minaret attached to the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque for the use of ‘crier’ to call the people for prayers. Originally the minar had only four storeys, faced with red and buff sandstone. The uppermost storey which was damaged by lightning in 1368 was replaced by two storeys, making use of marble by Feroz Tughlaq. With a height of 72.5m and 379 steps it is the highest stone tower in India.

Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque

This is the first Mosque build in India. The Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque translated as "Might of Islam" was build by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak by demolishing 27 Hindu and Jain temples. The mosque was begun in 1192, immediately after the capture of Delhi, and completed in 1198. Later a massive screen was erected in front of the prayer hall, consisting of central arch, with two similar but smaller arches on either side.

The Iron Pillar (seen above)

In the courtyard of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque stands the famous iron pillar which bears a Sanskrit inscription in Gupta script, paleographically assignable to 4th century. The inscription suggests that pillar was setup as a standard of God Vishnu. The pillar has been brought here evidently from somewhere, else, as no other relics of the fourth century are found at the site, by Anangpal, the Tomar king who is credited with the founding of Delhi.
The metal of the pillar has been found to be almost pure malleable iron. The 1625 years of its existence is a standing testimony to the metallurgical skill of ancient Indians.

Humayun's Tomb

This is the burial place of the second Mughal Emperor, Humayun. This magnificent monument was build by Emperor’s senior widow Haji Begum fourteen years after his death in 1565. It is the first substantial example of the Mughal architecture, with high arches and double dome. It is also a first mature example of the idea of garden tombs in India, culminating with the famous Taj Mahal.

Purana Quila

The foundations of the Purana Quila were laid by the Afghan Sher Shah Suri, in the vicinity of the ancient city of Indraprastha. It was the sixth medieval city of Delhi, later captured by Humayun. It was here at the 'Sher Mandal' Humayun is believed to fall to his death from the steps.

Entrance to the fort

Qala-I-Kuhna Masjid

Sher Mandal

Red Fort

The famous Red Fort in Delhi was build by Emperor Shahajahan when he shifted the Mughal capital from Agra to Delhi. The construction of the fort started in the year 1638 and it was completed in the year 1648.

Lahore Gate and the Meena Baazar

Jantar Mantar

The Jantar Mantar is a astronomical observatory build by Maharaja Jai Singh-II of Jaipur in 1710. It was build by brick rubble and plastered lime. There are many precise and semi-precise instruments for astronomical measurements. The markings of scale can still be seen today in some of the instruments.

India Gate

The India Gate was commenced as a war memorial for the Indian soldiers who were martyred in the World War-I. According to defence records nearly 70,000 Indian soldiers lost their lives in the war, but only about 13,000 names could be engraved. Under he arch, a lamp burns perpetually beside an inverted rifle and helmet. It reminds us of the sacrifices made by the Indian soldiers in keeping the borders of the country safe from enemies.

Monuments in Agra

Red Fort

The Red fort in Agra was build by the famous Mughal Emperor Akbar . Completed in the year 1565 the Agra fort served as the administrative seat of the Mughal Empire for nearly three generations.

Fatehpur Sikri

This beautiful city was build by Akbar after returning from successful campaigns in Gujrat and is a tribute to the Sufi Saint Salim Chisti. The construction of the city began in 1571 and it remained as the capital of the empire until about 1585. Later abandoned after Akbar's death. There were several reasons for its desertion, lack of water being amongst the chief ones.

Sikandara

Sikandara is the place where the most celebrated of the Mughal Emperor was buried, Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar. The tomb was designed by Akbar himself, later modified by his son Jehangir. The monument was seriously damaged in the 17th century when a group of Sikh fighters in a fit of rage, sickened by the continuous oppression of the then Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb attacked and even burned down the bones of the Great Emperor Akbar, under whose rule the Sikh religion blossomed. It was Akbar who gave Sikh's the land in Amritsar to build the Golden Temple.

Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb

This monument is the burial place of Noor-Jahan’s (Emperor Jehangir’s wife) father and his wife. This monument is the first Mughal monument to be build in complete marble with delicate design and colourful stones studded inside the marble. It is the predecessor of the famous Taj Mahal and is also fondly called as ‘Baby Taj’.

Taj Mahal

Probably the most celebrated monument in the world, The Taj Mahal requires no introduction. It was build by the Mughal Emperor Shahajahan in memory of his wife Mumtaj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is made of pure marble with precious stones studded making a beautiful painting in the marble. Everything in the Taj Mahal has a purpose, a symmetry and the architecture is top class.

Taj Mahal was commenced in the year 1653 after Mumtaj Mahal’s death and was completed in 22 years. In the construction of the Taj Mahal the fine textured marble was brought from the Makrana quarries near Jaipur in Rajasthan; jade and crystal from China, turquoise from Tibet, lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, chrysolite from Egypt, agate from Yemen, sapphire from Sri Lanka, amethyst from Persia, coral from Arabia, malachite from Russia, quartz from Himalayas and pearl from the Indian Ocean.

The Taj Mahal is not only beautiful but also build with intelligence. For example the four minarets are tilted at an angle outwards so that during an earthquake they don't fall on the main dome, the base of Taj Mahal is wood instead of stone, again to minimize effects of earthquake. There are numerous illusions and designs, which cannot be described but have to be seen only in presence.

Mehtab Baug

Mehtab Baug was a Mughal Garden foundations of which were laid by the first Mughal Emperor in India, Babur. It is right opposite to the Taj Mahal, on the other side of the Yamuna river. This garden is the best place to enjoy the beauty of the Taj.

It is also said that Shahajahan had plans to build one more Taj Mahal of black marble in the same place where present day Mehtab baug stands.