Agra

Name While the heyday of Agra (AHG-rah) was as the capital of the Mughal Empire between 1526 and 1658, the city was founded much earlier. There has been much debate regarding the origin of the city's name. The most commonly-held theory is that it comes from the Hindi-Urdu word agar (अगर), meaning "salt pan", referring to the region's brackish soil; salt was once made in the area by evaporation. Others derive it from the ancient epic, the Mahabharata, claiming that the name comes from Sanskrit agravana (अग्रवन), meaning "grove forest", indicating the first of the many small forests where Krishna frolicked with the gopis of Vrindavan. In the Mughal era, Agra was also known as Akbarabad, which was given by emperor Shah Jahan to honour his grandfather Akbar. History The recorded history of Agra begins around the 11th century, and over the next 500 years, the city changed hands between various kings, both Hindu and Muslim. In 1506, Sultan Sikandar Lodi, the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, moved his capital from Delhi to Agra. His son Ibrahim Lodi was the last ruler of the Lodi dynasty, as he was defeated in 1526 by Babur, the first Mughal ruler, in the battle of Panipat. Agra fell too, and became the capital of the Mughals, whose rule over Agra was uninterrupted except for a brief period between 1540 and 1556. In 1540, Sher Shah Suri overthrew Humayun and became the ruler of much of North India, including Agra.

Agra is 200 km southeast of Delhi and is one of the points of the tourist's Golden Triangle of Agra-Delhi-Jaipur. Agra is also very well connected via rail and road with other nearby cities and tourist destinations, and thus suitable for a day trip from Delhi or as a part of a larger itinerary. By plane New Delhi (DEL, HDO and DXN) is the nearest major hub with direct flights from more destinations. By train Agra is on the main railway line between the Delhi–Mumbai and Delhi–Chennai routes, and many trains connect Agra with these cities every day. Some east-bound trains from New Delhi also travel via Agra, so direct connections to points in Eastern India (including Kolkata) are also available. There are close to 20 trains to Delhi every day, and at least three or four to Mumbai and to Chennai. In late December and early January (the fog season), because of the reduced visibility, all trains slow down and travel time goes up. The New Delhi–Rani Kamalapati Shatabdi Express, for example, may arrive in Agra well after 10AM, and might return to New Delhi well after midnight. From a safety point of view, it is always preferable to travel by train during the winter. If you travel during the high season, you must book your tickets a few days to a few weeks in advance if you wish to make it a day trip, i.e. travelling early in the morning and coming back at a reasonable time at night. Train tickets can be booked online through the Indian Railways website, paying by debit or credit cards, although those issued by foreign banks are often declined.

Metro, electric buses, tongas (horse-drawn carriages) and e-rickshaws are readily available and the best way to get to the Taj Mahal. Camels are also available. By metro The Agra Metro (agra yellow) runs between the Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal. Tickets are ₹30 and trains run from 6AM to 10PM. By rickshaw Auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are available everywhere. Remember to agree on fares clearly in advance. Foreigners should bargain everywhere and bargain hard. Generally, things are available at 40% of the initially quoted fares. Normally, charges for e-rickshaws are ₹150-200 per e-rickshaw, which can accommodate up to 4 people. As a guide, an auto rickshaw from Agra Cantonment station to the Taj is about ₹200 (at least in off-season), and a cycle rickshaw from the Taj to Agra Fort is ₹40. By bus The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) operates some non-air-conditioned and air-conditioned buses, but they run only on specific routes. On foot The best way to experience the city is to take a walk on the Mall Road (Sadar). The street is full of handicraft and leather goods shops. You will also find plenty of food items quite unique to the city. You can also walk between the Taj and Agra Fort in about 30 minutes.

Agra's top two sights by far are the incomparable Taj Mahal and Agra Fort.

Other than the monuments visits, one can also stroll in the local markets in old city area. It's a nice experience to have a walk in one of the oldest parts of the city.

Agra has many shops selling stone products, from jewellery to small boxes and plaques with inlay work resembling that on the Taj. The best of these are wonderful, and even the run-of-the-mill ones are rather pretty. Agra is also famous for its leather goods. Consider spending time in Sadar Bazaar for some shopping and cheap food. These markets have gemstones, both precious and semi-precious, cut and polished but unset, and finished jewellery. You can also find chic boutiques, classy leather goods, culturally-designed clothing, and marble markets. Beware of being overcharged. Do not let anyone lead you to a shop, lest the price go up to cover their commission, typically 50%. Be very wary of the promises these people make. Bargain hard. Be prepared to walk away, you can nearly always get the same items in another shop or order items you liked during your visit over the Internet after you return. Expect to encounter petty and greedy shopowners who will resort to every lie in the book to make a sale (with initial markups of 1,000-10,000%). There are many local markets: Sadar Bazaar. a sophisticated market, Raja ki Mandi market, Sanjay Place for all the offices, Shah Market for electronics. All of these markets are situated on MG Road. Hospital Road Market and Subhash Bazar for clothes situated near Agra Fort railway station. Rawatpara market is for spices. Besides these there are many branded shops on MG Road. Many wholesale marble products are available at Gokul Pura Market near Raja Mandi on M. G.

Agra specialities are petha, a type of very sweet candy, and Dal Moth, a spicy lentil mix. Both are also popular souvenirs. Chaat - Agra is a heaven for any Chaat lover. Chaat can be of various types but there is one thing common among them all is that they are spicy and you will find crowd outside virtually every chaat stall, especially popular places like Double Phatak (near Sikandra) for Mangores. You'll find quality Bhallas and Panipuri at Sadar and Belangunj. Samosa and Kachori are found at every sweet shop that flood the city. Some typical chaat items are Aloo Tikki (made by roasting mess made out of boiled potatoes), paneer tikka (cubes of cottage cheese baked in a tandoor with spices), pani puri or golguppa (small round hollow shells filled with a potato-based filling and a spicy sweet blend of sauces), mangores, Samosaes, Chachori, etc. If you want to savour the typical Agra breakfast have a bite of one of those spicy Berahi and round it off with sweet Jalebies. Sweets - There are quite a few good sweets shops. The best for the famous petha of Agra are at Hari Parwat, a short distance from Agra Fort. Amongst the well-known shops are Panchi's, Bhimsain BaidyaNath and The Pracheen Petha store. There are many types of petha available but, for the authentic experience, try either the plain one (ivory white) or Angoori flavoured (rectangular and yellow pieces soaked in sugar syrup). Other shops in Agra include: Bikanervala, Deviram, Munnalal Petha, Gopaldas, and Ajanta Sweets, Kamla Nagar.

A bottle of Indian beer costs around ₹70-100 in a hotel, but there is virtually no nightlife in Agra outside of cultural shows at some of the larger hotels and restaurants. After getting off the streets of Agra and into your hotel, you will not want to go back anyway.

Under ₹1,000 ₹1,000–6,000 Over ₹6,000 Thanks to heavy competition, Agra's five-star hotels are good value compared to most other cities in India.

Don't leave cash or any valuables in the hotel room. Cross check all hotel, restaurant and lounge bills for errors. Never pay anyone for anything upfront, including taxi drivers. Beware of pickpockets. If you decide to purchase anything, beware that most items are cheap replicas of original items and not likely to last long. The toys are really poorly put together so do not buy them! During the winter season, the weather of Agra is unpredictable and temperature may go as low as freezing; be well prepared. Some unscrupulous dealers of carpets use the classic 'bait and switch'. If you buy something, insist on carrying it yourself else what arrives in the post might not be what you bargained for. A carpet shop named 'Kanu carpets' is particularly infamous for this. It is prudent to steer clear of shady looking establishments.

Delhi#Stay healthy Agra experiences moderate to unhealthy air quality throughout the year, resulting in smog that potentially harms the health of all residents and causes a few flight delays due to low visibility. Air quality tends to be the best in the monsoon because of the prevailing winds and frequent rainfall, and it is worst during the summer and winter, especially around the crop burning season of September–November. Keep an eye on air quality data. Have masks (single-use surgical masks are okay), tissues, and eyedrops ready when going out. Hospitals There are only a handful of hospitals in Agra compared to Delhi. Refer to the hospitals in Delhi in emergency.

There are several Internet cafés for sending email or uploading digital photos. Sify Iway also offers broadband connectivity at different locations spread all over the city. Many cheap cafés, such as the Taj Café, offer free Wi-Fi.

Bharatpur is about 56 km from Agra and houses the famous bird sanctuary in which you can see thousands of rare birds including Siberian Crane. The Lohagarh Fort remained invincible despite several attacks by the British. Just 32 km from Bharatpur is the Deeg Palace. This strong and massive fort was the summer resort of the rulers of Bharatpur and has many palaces and gardens. Fatehpur Sikri ghost city is a UNESCO world heritage site about 40 km from Agra. Built in the 16th century by the Emperor Akbar, the "City of Victory" was the capital of the Mughal Empire for a brief decade and was abandoned in 1586 due to inadequate local water supplies and proximity to the Rajputana areas in the North-West, which were increasingly in turmoil. It includes one of the largest mosques in India, the Jama Masjid. Full of well preserved palaces and courtyards, it is a must see for anyone visiting Agra. In order to get a full idea of this site it is better to take a guide (₹450 for 2h for its free entry part) or have a good printed guide. Entry to the site of the mosque (even to the yard) is only without wearing footwear. The vehicle parking is about a kilometre away and Agra Development Authority (ADA) runs some rickety non air conditioned buses to the site entrance, fare is ₹10 per person one way. Entry to the fort area where the palaces are located is ₹610 for foreigners. Mathura is said to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna. There are many beautiful temples in Mathura, including the one built at Shri Krishna's birthplace. Nandgaon was the home of Shri Krishna's foster father, Nand.