Majestic Mughul Legacies - Akbar's Tomb & Red Fort - Agra, India
Agra, India
Where I stayed
Grand Imperial Hotel
What I did
Visited the Tomb of Emperor Akbar and Toured the Red (Agra) Fort
We woke up in our Delhi Park Hotel room tired and irritable. Long journeys and even slightly late nights are always a toxic combination for us when we are travelling - and the night before had been stressful and exhausting.
The hotel staff must have had a similar experience as they were even more miserable and terse than the night before (my notes actually record "the waiters were the pits.."). Breakfast food and service was very ordinary and the guests were pushy and unfriendly. We were pleased that we were not staying in Delhi but having a relatively early start for our road journey to Agra.
Well, that's what we thought. Our guide and driver were over an hour late which did not add to our poor humour. "Heavy traffic", explained our guide. We understood about the perils of Delhi traffic of course but Ravi (name concealed) was always late. Time and time again we would wait, often out in the blistering sun, for always more than half an hour for him to turn up at the agreed time. Often we would wonder why we bothered to be punctual.
It was not a great start to our travels through Delhi and its surrounds but our humour improved as our quiet but capable driver Ajay sped us through the outskirts of the city in a very comfortable four wheel drive vehicle - which thankfully had very good air conditioning. Like our stay in Amritsar after we crossed the border from Pakistan, the temperature during our next four days tour to Agra and Jaipur would soar to a mighty 47 degrees C. As mentioned, we had to travel during the height of summer as for our early travels in India, the perilous roads through the Himalayas of Kashmir and Ladakh were only open for a few months each year. We did not realise however, just how prohibitive these temperatures would prove to be for walking and sight seeing.
Although we did not undertake a tour of Delhi, from what we could see the city looked prosperous and well laid out with large shady parks and good roads. Large expensive shopping malls and up-market imported motor vehicles revealed the new wealth of the rapidly emerging Indian Middle Class.
The national capital city of Delhi is located within the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, a metropolitan area located on the banks of the famous Yamuna River. Although technically a federally administered union territory, the NCT resembles more of a state of India with its own legislature, high court and an executive council of ministers headed by a Chief Minister. It is the most populous metropolis outside of Mumbai, having a population of almost 22 million residents. To us this statistic is mind blowing, especially as it exceeds the current total population of our home country of Australia.
On the outskirts of Delhi we again came across large convoys of Hindu Yatra pilgrims travelling by car, truck, motor cycles, bicycles or just running along the roads. Chanting wildly, the young men were adorned with bright orange clothing, carrying banners, rods and urns of the Ganges River Sacred Water.
We soon left the NCT of Delhi and entered into the state of Haryana. Moti had told us that the Haryana people were regarded as "being rough and tough" and that they lacked social graces. We were not to test this interesting snippet of information but the lively township of Faridabad, about twenty minutes drive south of Delhi, looked colourful and interesting. Streets were alive with markets selling fruit, vegetables and clothing and ubiquitous overladen motor cycles transported at least two or three people as well as masses of baggage and the occasional goat.
Faridabad is the largest city of Haryana, with a population of 1.5 million and is one of the major industrial hubs of the state. The city is famous for its henna production and manufacture of heavy machinery, tractors, motorcycles, refrigerators - and oddly for its shoes.
Later in the morning we crossed the border from Haryana into the state of Uttar Pradesh, the 5th largest state in India and home to a staggering 200 million plus inhabitants.
Ravi may not have not been a great guide but he did know of good and clean restaurants. We were intrigued with a lime and soda drink that was offered to us "with sugar or with salt?". We opted for the "with salt" and found it to be a delicious and refreshing beverage. It was just what we needed in the blistering heat of Uttar Pradesh whose average high temperature in July is 33 degrees C - and a drink that we now make at home on hot summer days. Staff was friendly and helpful and the food was good.
Our first stop after lunch was at the Tomb of the famous Emperor Akbar, otherwise known as Akbar the Great at Sikindra, a suburb of Agra and just eight kilometers from the city centre. Constructed between 1612 and 1614, the mausoleum was built during Emperor Akbar's reign but after his death it was completed by his son Jahangir.
The mausoleum complex is square in plan with the tomb in the centre with four gates along each of the surrounding walls that house a Char Bagh or walled garden known as "The Heavenly Garden". The tomb building comprises a massive four tiered pyramid sumounted by a marble pavilion containing the "False Tomb". The real tomb, like most mausoleums of its time is located in the basement. On top of the pavilion are four towering minarets, one at each corner. They are similiar to (and pre-date) those of the Taj Mahal.
The complex reveals fine architecture and is widely described as a "Mughal Architectural Masterpeice". The buildings are constructed from deep red sandstone, so typical of this area, and are enriched with gorgeous white marble. Decorated inlaid panels were patterned in geometric, floral and calligraphic designs - an indication of both Islamic and non-Islamic designs. Curiously, we noticed a number of reliefs combined both patterns in the one tile or relief. Apparently, Mughal Emperors had both Islamic and Hindu wives which accounts for the artistic combinations.The ceilings inside the mausoleum were elegantly designed in an arched and cupped fashion and beautifully patterned. They were very reminiscent of the Persian ceilings we had seen in Iran in 2011.
This was Alan's first real taste of Indian Mughal Marble and I just knew that he was thinking about his long held desire for a marble fountain for our garden back at Crowdy Head, Australia. Never mind that his chosen fountain weighed five tons, that our front garden is on an almost vertical slope and the whole structure and pond would have to be shipped from China somehow to remote Crowdy Head, no project was too large for our Alan. Looking at him admiring the marble, I could see his mind ticking over. My brain was more worried about what he would do when he saw the Taj Mahal the following day......
Akbar's tomb itself was, well, like any other tomb only it housed the remains of the mighty Akbar the Great. It too was constructed of fine marble and I fleetingly thought that Alan may like one of these too. After all, Akbar had designed and partially completed his own tomb....
The spacious grounds surrounding the mausoleum complex housed some beautiful large shady trees. It was a welcome relief to be out of the blazing sun. We were realising very quickly just how debilitating temperatures in excess of 45 degrees C can be when you are touring.
Wet with perspiration and bright red from the searing heat, we rested under the trees. Ravi looked even worse than us which may have explained a bit about his rather terse manner. He had wrapped a white cloth around his head in a style resembling a turban. Like the Pakistani and other Indian people we saw (and unlike me), they apparently had no trouble in keeping their head cloths attached.
Perhaps in his early fifties, Ravi was a font of knowledge about his country and the culture and history of his people. He behaved however like a person bored to tears with their job. We guessed we could not blame him. After all, carting tourists around the same sights day after day would be tedious. We must have bored him to tears too. There was no point in talking to him. He just didn't listen. We could not even finish a sentence without him calling someone on his mobile phone. It appeared to us that our Ravi was more concerned with doing other business as he was on his phone non-stop or having lengthy chats with other tour leaders, rather than being our guide.
Our final visit for the afternoon was to the Agra Fort, now a UNESCO World heritage site located about 2.5 kilometers north-west of its sister monument, one of the Great Wonders of the World, the famous Taj Mahal.
More accurately described as a walled city, the massive robust Red Fort (Agra Fort) dates back to AD 1080. Built on the famous Yamuna River, it was originally a brick fort held by the Sikarwar Rajputs, a Hindu clan originating in the state of Rajasthan. The fort was an important strategic site for the Mughals who captured it in 1526, seizing a unique treasure - the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond. The victorious Emperor Babur made his capital at Agra. He built his palace in the Persian Char Bagh Garden and constructed a series of stately buildings, ornamental gardens, pleasure pavilions and beautiful landscaped gardens. His architects cleverly designed hydraulic schmes with masonry channels, cisterns and fountains on both banks of the Yamuna River. Such was the greenery created by the abundant gardens he founded, the people of Agra called the area "Kabul" after the rich gardens of the Afghanistan capital. His son Hunayun was coronated in the Red Fort in 1530. (refer previous entry "Introduction to the Mighty Mughal Empire".
Realising the strategic significance of the city of Agra, Humayun's son Akbar the Great also made Red Fort his capital centre, arriving there in 1558. At that time the brick fort, known as "Badalgarh", was in ruins and Akbar ordered its redevelopment with bricks covered by a facade of red sandstone from Rajasthan. Akbar's architecture combined Central Asian and Indian building traditions into what became a new universally recognised Mughal Imperial style, expressed in red sandstone and highlighted with white marble. Nearly 1.5 million labourers worked on the building site for eight years, completing the massive reconstruction in 1573. Akbar's son Jahangir was coronated at the Red Fort in 1605.
On his ascention to power, Akbar's grandson Shah Jahan "re-modelled" the Red Fort and in making way for his beloved white marble palaces inlaid with gold or semi-precious gems, demolished over 400 of the Fort Begal and Gujarat masonry designed buildings. As mentioned in the previous entry, Shah Jahan at the near end of his life was deposed and restrained in the Fort by his son Aurangzeb. Legend suggests that he died in the Muasamman Burj, a tower with a marble balcony with views of his beloved Taj Mahal monument he constructed in memory of his adored wife Mumtaz Mahal.
The Red Fort of Agra was the site of a battle during the Indian rebellion of 1857, which resulted in the end of the British East India Company rule in India and led to a century of the direct rule of Inida by the British.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RED FORT
The 94 acre Red Fort is designed in an irregular semi circular fashion, with its chord lying parallel to the Yamuna River. Its surrounding massive red walls are some 21 meters in height. Double ramparts have enormous circular bastions at intervals and there are four gates on each of its four walls.
The Amar Singh and the Delhi Gates
The Fort looked particularly imposing in the scorching Agra summer afternoon as we entered the complex via the main southern entrance of the Amar Singh Gate (otherwise known as The Lahore Gate).
Interestingly, the Amar Singh Gate was originally known as the "Akbar Dawaza" in honour of the former Emperor Akbar and his personal entourage. According to legend, Amar Singh of Jodhpur killed the then Emperor Shah Jahan's Treasurer in front of him. Amar Singh then leapt with his horse over the high walls of the fort, killing the horse in the process. Singh was arrested and put to death but as the story goes, his courage won the admiration of Shah Jahan and the gate was re-named as the Amar Singh Gate in his honour. A red sandstone statue of the horse was erected where he apparently died. I felt more sorry for the poor horse.
The monumental Delhi Gate which faces the western side of the Fort is considered the grandest of the four gates and is a wonderful example of fine Mughal Architecture. It was built circa 1568 to both enhance security and to act as the king's formal gate. It is embellished with white marble, testamount to the wealth of the mighty Mughals of the time. A wooden drawbridge was used to cross the moat and reach the gate from the mainland. Inside, an inner gate "Elephant Gate" guarded by two live elephants and their riders added another level of security. Due to its unique design, the Gate was virtually impregnable even by an army of elephants. Because of the current Indian military use of the northern part of the fort, the Delhi Gate cannot be used by tourists, hence we had to use the Amar Singh Gate for our entry to the Fort.
The Jahangiri Mahal
This palace (zenana) was built by emperor Akbar in honour of his son Jahangir, who later became Emperor. The Mahal was the principal palace for women of the royal household, and was used mainly by the Rajput wives of Emperor Akbar (Rajput, meaning "son of a king" refers to members of one of the patrineal clans claiming to be descendents of early ruling Hindu warrior classes of North India).
The Jahangri Mahal is located on the south-east quadrant of the Fort where it was strategically protected from public access. A blend of Hindu and Central Asian architecture, it is widely regarded as one of the most popular sites of the Red Fort. It is one of the earliest surviving buildings of Akbar's time and is defined by "clarity, simplicity and integrity of its different components" (refer World Heritage Series - "Agra Fort", Archeological Survey of India). Another striking aspect of the building is the exquisite surface ornamentation including marble inlay and geometric and floral patterns, an indication of the blend of Muslim and non-Muslim architecture.
HAUZ-I-JAHANGRI (Jahangir's Bath)
This large bath basin in the front of the entrance to the Jahangri Mahal. The circular bath built out of the single piece of granite is 1.2 meters in depth and 2.4 meters in diameter. Massive as it is, the bath was built to be mobile and was transported from site to site as well as in the harem for bathing. It is thought from the inscription in the year AD 1611 that it could have been a gift for Jahangir and Nur Jahan Begum as the date coincides with their wedding.
The Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience)
Constructed between 1631 to 1640, this grand pavilion was the site where public imperial audiences for both nobility and the general public, took place at the Red Fort. The huge assembly hall which measures in excess of 60 meters by 20 meters, has a flat roof and two red sandstone gateways to the north and the south.The facade has a gorgeous arcade of nine robust arches and the main hall is divided into three aisles.
Although the building is constructed of red sandstone, the white plastered shell provides a curious resemblance to that of pure white marble.
The Royal Throne Room (the Takht-i-Murassa) however was lavishly built from marble inlaid with precious stones. The chamber was connected to the royal apartments and so the royal women could watch the ceremonies of the Diwam-i-Am through the marble windows with perforated screens so that they could not be seen by those in the hall. Such was the life for the unfortunate "imprisoned" women of this time.
The marble dias below this chamber was known as "Baithak". It used to serve as the seat for Wazir who presented petitions to the Emperor. It is said that the hall used to have silver balustrades for the nobility where they could stand according to their ranks and that the outlines of the columns were constructed in gold.
The Khas Mahal
The Khas Mahal (Armgah-i-Mualla - or Exulted Place of Rest) was the royal palace for the Emperor and is gloriously set in the Harem Complex. This elegant palace constructed by Shah Jahan in 1636, comprises open terraces and a hall, flanked by a pavilion on each side.
The main palace is built in pure marble and was originally guilded in pure gold. This magnificent building is erected on an elevated platform paved with marble with views across the Yamuna River and in the distance the Taj Mahal. The front section overlooks the Anguri Bagh an exquisitely manicured garden laid out in a Chah Bagh (walled garden) fashion with small hexagonal grids of red sandstone.
It is a splendid complex today but in its hey day, the Khas Mahal must have been an awesome sight.
The Musaman Burj
The private residential quarters of Shah Jahan stand on a plinth overlooking the Yamuna River and in the distance the pearly majestic Taj Mahal, the tomb of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.
On the north side is a most elegant white marble octagonal tower topped with a copper domed cupola, known as Musaman Burj. It was here and in the Khas Mahal where Shah Jahan was imprisoned for eight years by his son Aurangzeb, until his death in 1666.
The Golden Pavilions
On either side of the Khas Mahal lie two beautiful golden pavilions popularly known as the Jahan Ara Pavilion and the Roshan Ara Pavilion. Literature, however suggests that these names may be incorrect but they are still traditionally connected with the two daughters of Shah Jahan, Roshanara and Jahanara Begum.
Built of red sandstone, the surface of both pavilions has been beautifully stuccoed to resemble shining white marble. Both have curious curved roofs guilded in gold on copper sheets that are thought to have been inspired from Bengali shaped roofs which were designed to keep out heavy rains. It is thought that the pavilions were used to store precious treasures and jewellery.
The Red Fort was indeed a great experience and although we were hot and tired from a long day in the blistering heat of Agra, we agreed that we were very fortunate people to be able to visit such wonderful world treasures.
Alan's shoes had not enjoyed the heat either and now even his newest pair decided to divorce its soles from the upper part of the shoes.
We arrived at our Grand Imperial Hotel in Agra late in the afternoon. We were not disappointed - it certainly was a truly grand hotel. An old haveli (mansion), the historic old hotel was built around a gorgeous green lawn and gardens. The three level building was constructed from red sandstone bricks, stuccoed with white plaster and featuring majestic arched terraces.
Our room was huge with a large four poster bed draped with generous mosquito nets. "That's why I need the tonic water" grumbled our gin and tonic starved Alan. I joked with him that there were more effective drugs now other than quinine, but it didn't help. We did of course have a quiet drink in the warm and sultry evening in elegant cane chairs overlooking the hotel gardens. Even gin with lemon squash was very enjoyable.....
The furniture in our room included intricately carved furniture including a beautiful, elegant dresser and a dressing table. The floor was - of course - marble with gorgeous dark green marble inlays of feature motives and borders. The cold clean feel and the lustre of the marble flooring I knew would be too much for our Alan. Surely, we would have a room at home that could accommodate a marble floor? I knew Alan would be thinking the same thing....
The dining room at the hotel was beautifully decorated with ornately carved furniture and adorned with huge crystal chandeliers. Contented with our lovely surrounds, we thoroughly enjoyed a meal of spicy Afghanistani chicken, rice and crisp vegetables.
Dead tired, we had an early night. I must confess that we were not exactly looking forward to our 4.30 am start the next day to view the Taj Mahal at day break. But Ravi had insisted and for once we ended up being very pleased that we took his advice.
I drifted into a comatose sleep, idly wondering whether Alan's new shoes could be re-glued.
MORE PHOTOS - The Tomb of Akbar, the Red Fort and our Grand Imperial Hotel, Agra