AGRA
Proceed for sightseeing of the city after breakfast. First, proceed to TAJ MAHAL, which is just walking distance from
the hotel. TAJ MAHAL: The fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, built it in 1631 in the memory of his second wife,
Mumtaz Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess. She died while accompanying her husband in Behrampur in a campaign
to crush a rebellion, after giving birth to their 14th child. Her death so crushed the emperor that all his hair and beard
were said to have grown snow white in a few months. When Mumtaz Mahal was still alive, she extracted four
promises from the emperor: first, that he build the Taj; second, that he should marry again; third, that he be kind to
their children; and fourth, that he visit the tomb on her death anniversary. He
kept the first and second promises. Construction began in 1631 and was
completed in 22 years. Twenty thousand people were deployed to work on
it. An Iranian architect designed it and it is best appreciated when the
architecture and its adornments are linked to the passion that inspired it. It is
a "symbol of eternal love".
Having buried her down at Behrampur, it was time for the emperor to keep his promise and build a tomb there itself.
But by and by, it was felt that it was virtually impossible to transfer all the marble there, as it would cost an entire
fortune and an entire lifetime. So, when Agra was chosen as the only alternative, astonishingly her grave was
uprooted and brought to Agra, only to be finally transferred to the monument, completed twenty-two years later.
Proceed to Agra and visit Agra Fort- that was built by Akbar In 1525 AD. After Agra Fort we will visit Baby Taj - The
interiors of which are considered better than the Taj.
Visit TAJ MAHAL at sunset. Overnight will be at Agra.