Mehtab Bagh, Agra

Date: 15th Oct 2018

Visitors: Arun and Shilpi.

Fee: Rs 15.

Timing:  Sunrise to Sunset.

Food: Snack available outside.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Taj Mahal.

One of the eleven Mughal gardens located in Agra is the Mehtab Bagh. Also known as Moonlight garden was built by Babur. Shah Jahan identified a place to view the reflection of Taj in a tank in the garden. There is also a Myth that Shah Jahan planned a black Taj for himself in this garden opposite of Taj Mahal. Narrow roads through few villages will take us to the Mehtab Bagh. Place generally gets crowded in the evenings as tourist try to get a view of the Taj from the garden during sunset. On other times there is nothing much to see or do in this garden.

Not a good tourist attraction and nothing notable in the garden except a far view of Taj.

Tomb of Mariam Zamani, Agra

Date: 15th Oct 2018

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi, Muthusamy, Vijayalakshmi and Harsh

Fee: Rs 15.

Timing:  Sunrise to Sunset.

Food: None.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Akbar Tomb.

Jodha Bai, Eldest daughter of Raja Bharmal Kachhwaha of Jaipur is the wife of Akbar. She was married to Akbar in 1562. She gave birth to Salim aka Jehangir in 1569 at Fatehpur Sikri. Akbar conferred the title Mariam Zamani upon her after the birth of Jehangir. She died in 1623 in Agra and the tomb was built by Jehangir between 1623 and 1627. The place was originally a Lodi Barahdari which was converted to a tomb. The building has three tombstones, one underground, one cenotaph above the ground floor and one cenotaph on the terrace. There are four octagonal Chhatris on four corners of the build and four oblong chhaparkhats in middle of each side. The Chhatris and Chhaparkhats are the only ornate structure in the entire tomb. This monument is one of the important domeless tombs of the Mughals. The tomb is located around a Km from Akbar tomb.

Few pics from the place.

The tomb of Akbar's favorite wife is another monument to visit in Agra.

Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah, Agra

Date: 15th Oct 2018

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi, Muthusamy, Vijayalakshmi and Harsh

Fee: Rs 15.

Timing:  Sunrise to Sunset.

Food: Small Snacks available outside.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Taj Mahal.

Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah also called as Baby Taj or Jewel box is the tomb of Mirza Ghiyas Beg, Father of Nur Jahan. Mirza Ghiyas Beg was from Iran and served in Akbar's court. He later became the prime minister or Wazir of Jehangir. He married his daughter Nur Jahan to the emperor Jehangir. He is the grandfather of Mumtaz Mahal. Nur Jahan commissioned this monument in 1622 and it took 6 years to complete the tomb. Mirza Ghiyas Beg and his wife Asmat Begum was laid to rest here.

The tomb is the first monument to be built in white marble instead of the regular red stone. This marks the transition from redstone structure to white marble. The monument is located on the east bank of river Yamuna.  The tomb is located at the center of the four quartered garden. The exterior of the tomb is decorated extensively with floral designs, trees, bottles, cut fruit using semi precious stone in inlay or mosaic technique.  The interiors are list by natural light through the intricately carved jalli screens made of white marble. This tomb is considered as an inspiration for Taj Mahal which was built by Shah Jahan few years later.

Few pics from the place.

The monument overshadowed by Taj in size and beauty is totally worth the visit. 

Light and Sound Show, Agra Fort, Agra

Date: 16th Oct 2018

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi, Muthusamy, Vijayalakshmi and Harsh

Fee: Rs 70.

Timing:  6:30 PM Hindi and 7:30 PM English.

Food: Small Snacks available outside the fort.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Taj Mahal.

The Light and Sound show in Agra fort is another tourist attraction in Agra. The show starts after sunset and happens in Diwan-E-Aam. The show explains the history of the fort and some story about the Mughal empire. The show was pretty average with dull yellow light turning on off most of the time. There is was nothing interesting in the show.

Few pics from the show.

A boring tourist trap that should be avoided even if one has plenty of time.