A day trip to Agra – Taj mahal – 3 Dec 2022.
Where is it located?
- Country – India
- State – UTTAR PRADESH
How to reach here?
- By Air – Best way is to reach Delhi, Delhi airport has many airlines and is preferred by all due to convenience and connectivity with all major cities in India and other countries. Agra airport is a military base and public airport, but not frequented by travelers, due to only one operator flying here.
- By Road – Agra is connected to Delhi by NH2 and the new Yamuna Expressway.
- By train – Agra railway station is very well connected by Northern railways. If travelling from Delhi, you may take a metro till Delhi station and then take a train to Agra Cantt.
Best time to visit
Undoubtedly – Winter!! October to March its the best time to stay outdoors without sweating. Otherwise in summer the temperature can soar to 40 deg C. However you can take advantage of great deals and offers in summer as it is non-peak season, prices tend to be on a higher side in winter.
What to do?
Ok, lets just do a little exercise. Close your eyes and say Agra. What picture comes in front of you? Obviously, the majestic Taj Mahal – it’s a no brainer. But wait !!! Let us learn to move beyond that as well. Widen your vision, drifting past the monument of Love – and explore other monuments like Agra Fort, Akbar’s tomb and many more in Fatehpur Sikri. Do not focus your gaze too much only on the Taj Mahal, there are several other things to do in Agra. And apart from monuments, one can enjoy the special food items as well. Read on to know more.
If you are planning a visit to Agra between February, then you could enjoy the Taj Mahotsav Agra, one of the most eagerly awaited festivals. It is celebrated from 18th to 27th February every year at Shilpgram near the Eastern gate of “Taj Mahal”.
What and Where to eat?
Agra has experienced decades of Mughal rule, hence Mughlai cuisine is the most popular one here, a must have. Mughlai cuisine is the trademark of Agra and is considered as a token or souvenir from the Mughal era.
- If your taste buds crave for something sweet, then try Petha – an Agra specialty. It is a super sweet dessert made out of ash gourd.
- Paratha is another north Indian staple bread. There are different preparations of paratha, each will scintillate your taste buds.
- Dalmoth is another popular savoury dry snack in Agra, made from fried lentils, nuts, spices, and oil. Crispy, spicy, salty and a little greasy – along with sweet Petha it will satiate your taste buds.
- Gajak is another tasteful and healthy sweet snack. It is made up of sesame seeds, jaggery/ sugar, cardomom, and other nuts. Several variations of Gajak are available in various parts of India.
- Although I have purchased and eaten all of the above, I haven’t taken any pictures. (a mental note to myself to take pictures of every little experience during travelling).
What we did ?
We are already in Delhi to attend a wedding, and staying in Gurgaon, and planning a day trip to Agra and another day in Mathura. We are on a time crunch, and have to be back for a wedding event by 7 pm. It is a challenge to visit Agra and come back on time to dress up for a wedding dinner event. We are 12 of us and have booked a 15 seater traveler bus, which arrives right on time i.e. 5.30 AM. Fortunately, everyone is ready in the wee hours or morning and we begin our day trip at 5.30 AM. We reach by 8.30 AM non-stop, most of us doze off in the bus for the entire duration, and stop for breakfast at Bikanervala. Our breakfast order is paneer paratha, aloo paratha, chole kulcha, idli sambhar, masala tea and espresso coffee. Excellent food, quick service, no complaints. In fact the sambhar tasted good, I was pretty surprised at finding good south Indian meal in the North India. Our English speaking guide meets us here and we head towards the Mausoleum, and book our tickets online on the way.
Only online ticketing is available, no manual tickets are there at present. Tickets for Indians cost – Rs 25 + 200 (to visit main mausoleum). Cost is Rs 1100 + 200 for foreigners.
Tips for travelers –
- Taj Mahal is closed every Friday.
- website for ticket booking – www.asiagracircle.in
- Kids under 15 are free – Indians as well as foreigners.
- ID proof compulsory,
Our Experience
The first sight of Taj Mahal is when we enter from the South Gate. It melts my heart every time I see it. This is my 3rd visit to this monument, but it never ceases to amaze me. The mammoth structure is created with great precision, intricate carvings, using precious stones, and that too at a time when there were no construction machines or any other technology. There was no computer or other tools to create a digital 3D visuilization of the structure before building, this was made solely on the description of the Sultan. No wonder it took 22 years to complete.
The white structure symbolizes love and sends a vibe of calmness, peace and love into my body. It feels like I could gaze at it forever and ever.
The other Great monuments of Agra are mentioned below. We had to skip these monuments due to time crunch but you may have a look at the pictures from our visit in 2012.
- Agra Fort, which embraces grand halls and palaces.
- Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah, a model for the Taj Mahal.
- Akbars tomb at Sikandara.
Pictures from our visit in year 2012
Often described as a “jewel box”, sometimes called the “Bachcha Taj” or the “Baby Taj”, the tomb of I’timād-ud-Daulah is often regarded as a draft of the Taj Mahal. Famous for being the first tomb in the entirety of India to be built entirely of white marble, the Tomb of Itimad Ud Daulah is a must see for all visitors visiting the historic city of Agra.
From Wikipedia
Other nearby places around Agra
- Mathura
- Vrindavan
- Firozabad
- Fatehpur Sikri