Back on the road toward Agra. We rode in an authentic Indian Jugaad. We passed a roadway brothel [pictures India_4820 thru India_4833.] In India prostitution is a family business. Our stop was at the Jaypee Palace Hotel just outside Keoladeo National Park, in Bharatpur. Keoladeo National Park is a protected bird sanctuary that hosts thousands of rare and endangered birds during the winter season. Dating to 1850 the park was hunting grounds for the Maharajas of Bharatpur. Yearly duck shoots were organized in honor of the British viceroys. In 1938 over 4,273 birds were killed in one shoot by Lord Linlithgow, then Governor-General of India. Shooting rights were abolished in 1972. The Jaypee Palace Hotel is one of the most contemporary of 5 star hotels in Agra India. The Jaypee Palace Hotel offers the luxury of a palace with a subtle blend of Mughal architectural brilliance and modern amenities. The hotel is located on 25 acres landscaped gardens, tree lined walkways and dancing fountains.
In 1631, Shah Jahan, emperor during the Mughal empire's period of greatest prosperity, was grief-stricken when his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during the birth of their fourteenth child. Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 and was completed around 1653, employing thousands of artisans and craftsmen. The Taj Mahal is the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Islamic and Indian architectural styles. While earlier Mughal buildings were primarily constructed of red sandstone, Shah Jahan promoted the use of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones, and buildings under his patronage reached new levels of refinement. While the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar component of the Taj Mahal, it is actually an integrated complex of structures. It is widely considered as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and stands as a symbol of eternal love.
Agra is located on the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and 200 kilometers south of New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 (2010) Agra is the 19th most populous city in India. Agra achieved fame as the capital of the Mughal emperors from 1526 to 1658 and remains a major tourist destination because of its many splendid Mughal-era buildings, most notably the Tāj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpūr Sikrī, all three of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Agra Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site, more accurately described as a walled city. It is the most important fort in India. Agra Fort was mentioned for the first time in 1080 AD when a Ghaznavid force captured it. The great Mugals, Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb lived here, and the country was governed from here. It contained the largest state treasury and mint. When the Mughals captured the fort in 1526 they found a vast treasure - which included the Koh-i-Noor diamond. It was visited by foreign ambassadors, travelers and dignitaries.
Realizing the importance of its central situation, Akbar made Agra his capital 1558 and when he arrived he found the fort in ruined condition. Akbar had it rebuilt with red sandstone. Builders worked on it for eight years, completing it in 1573.
Shah Jahan, Akbar's grandson, built the Taj Mahal for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan had buildings made from white marble, often inlaid with gold or semi-precious gems. At the end of his life, Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son, Aurangzeb, in the fort. It is rumored that Shah Jahan died in Musamman Burj, a tower with a marble balcony with a view of the Taj Mahal.
The fort was the site of a battle during the Indian rebellion of 1857, which caused the end of the British East India Company's rule in India, and led to a century of direct rule of India by Britain.
- Northern