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Monuments/ Fort / Historical Palace in Uttar Pradesh |
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 Taj Mahal
A white marble tomb built in 1631-48 in Agra, seat of the Mugal Empire, by
Shah Jehan for his wife, Arjuman Banu Begum, the monument sums up many of
the formal themes that have played through Islamic architecture. Its
refined elegance is a conspicuous contrast both to the Hindu architecture
of pre-Islamic India, with its thick walls, corbeled arches, and heavy
lintels, and to the Indo-Islamic styles, in which Hindu elements are
combined with an eclectic assortment of motifs from Persian and Turkish
sources. Fateh Pur Sikri
37 kms from Agra is built a city predominantly in Red Sandstone and is
called Fatehpur Sikri. This town was built by the Mughal Emperor, Akbar.
He had planned this city as his capital but shortage of water compelled
him to abandon the city. After this within 20 years, the capital of
Mughals was shifted to Lahore.
Fatehpur Sikri was built during 1571 and 1585. Today this ghost city has a
population of about 30,000. This deserted city has retained many of the
old structures, because of the efforts of the Archaeological department .
Fatehpur Sikri is one of the finest examples of Mughal architectural
splendour at its height. Though the city is in ruins, it is a place to
visit if one comes to Agra.But in real terms Fatehpur Sikri is a place
where one should spend some time. The sunset over the ruins is sight to
cherish.
Fatehpur Sikri is the best example of the culmination of Hindu and Muslim
architecture. Fatehpur Sikri Mosque is said to be a copy of the mosque in
Mecca and has designs, derived from the Persian & Hindu architecture. Agra Fort
Construction of the massive red sandstone Agra Fort on the bank of the
Yamuna River was begun by Emperor Akbar in 1565, though additions were
made up until the rule of his grandson, Shah Jahan. In Akbar's time the
fort was principally a military structure, but during Shah Jaha regin it
had partially become Palace. It is an imposing strcture with walls of red
sandstone almost three kilometers long. Entered through the Amar Singh
Gate, the eastern part of the fort contain palace, audience hall and
mosques built by three emperors. The fort presents a good sampling of
their favoured architectural styles. Akbar drew on Islamic and Hindu
traditions and the result is eclectic. By Shah Jahan's time the style had
become so homogenized that it is impossible to seprate the Hindu and
Muslim strands. The Diwan-i-Am (public audience hall), the beautiful
Diwan-i-Khas (private audience hall) and the magnificent Moti Masjid
(Pearl Mosque) were also added by Shah Jahan. Sikandra
Six miles north of Agra, is a glorious introduction to
the city of Mughal wonders, Sikandra. The site of Akbar's mausoleum,
Sikandra was begun by Akbar and completed by his son Jehangir in 1613 AD.
It reflects the fusion of Hindu and Muslim art and architecture which
characterised the era. The tomb is situated in the centre of a large
garden and four identical red sandstone gates lead to the tomb complex.
The building, with three-storey minarets at each corner, is built of red
sandstone with white marble polygonal patterns inlaid. Sikandra is named
after Sikandra Lodi, the Delhi ruler who was in power from 1488 to 1517.
Hussainnabad Imambara (Chota Imambara) Also
known as the Chhota, or Small Imambara, This was built by Mohammed Ali
Shah in 1837 as his own mausoleum. Thousands of labourers worked on the
project to gain famine relief. The large courtyard encloses a raised
rectangular tank with small imitations of the Taj Mahal on each side. one
of them is the tomb of Mohammed Ali Shah daughter, the other that of her
husband. The main building of the imambara, topped by a golden dome,
contains the tombs of ali Shah and his mother. Opposite the Hussainnabad
Imambara is Satkhanda and also known as Sven Storey Tower. A 67m-high
defunct clock tower, overlooks the Hussainabad Tank nearby. West of the
Hussainnabad Imambara is the Jama Masjid which was started by Mohammed Ali
Shah and Completed after his Death. The
Residency Built in 1800 for the British Resident,
this group of buildings became the stage for the the most dramatic events
of the 1857 Uprising the Siege of Lucknow. The red-brick ruins are
peaceful now a days, surrounded by lawns and flowerbeds, but thousands
died during the months-long siege. The Residency has been maintaind as it
was at the time of the final relief, and the shattered walls are still
scarred by cannon shot. Even since Independence, little has changed. The
only major work done on the place was the unveiling of an Indian Martyrs
Memorial directely opposite. you can see cellars in the main Residency
building where many of the women and children lived throughout the siege.
The cemetery at the nearby ruined church has the graves of 2000 men, women
and children, including that of Sir Henry Lawrence, 'who tried to do his
duty' according to the famous inscription on his weathered gravestone. Ramnagar
Fort
On the opposite bank of river, this 17th century fort is the home of
the former maharaja of Benaras. It looks most impressive from the river,
though the decrepit planking of the pantoon bridge you cross to reach it
is somewhat of a distraction. During the mansoon access is by ferry. The
intresting museum here contains old silver & brocade palanquins for the
ladies of the court, gold-plated elephant howdahs, an astrological clock,
marcabre elephant traps and an armoury of swords and old guns. Vishwanath
temple
The Vishwanath temple, or Golden Temple, is the most sacred temple in
Varanasi and is dedicated to Vishveswara-Shiva as lord of the universe.
The original temple was destroyed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, and the
present temple was built in 1776 by Rani Ahilyabai of Indore . 800kg of
gold plating on the towers, which gives the temple its colloquial name,
was provided by Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore some 50 years later.
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