History of Agra
The historical city of Agra was evidently standing during the pre-Mahabharata times as well as it finds mention as the city of Agravana or literally ‘Paradise’ in the epic writings.Later on it was Ptolemy, the Greek philosopher, writer and traveler who had given the city its name of Agravana. Till date it is the work of the Mughals, however, that has put Agra on the world map.
The historical monuments that dot the Agra landscape are evidences of the longevity and checkered past of the city. Agra has been referred to by many names down the annals of history.
It has been called Arya Griha or the abode of the Aryans during the Vedic times and as Agravana during the time period of the epic Mahabharata.
It was in the records of Ptolemy the Greek traveler and guide that one saw the first reference to Agra as it is known today.
Lodhi Dynasty in Agra
The 16th century advent of the Sikandar Lodhi Sultanate saw the emergence of Agra for the first time as a city. The city grew under the Delhi Sultanate and yet it was only under the Mughal Empire that it really blossomed into the beautiful jewel it has become.Mughals in Agra
Then came Akbar who built Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri which was to be his seat of administration for fifteen years only to abandoned later under mysterious circumstances.In 1658 Shah Jahan was imprisoned in the Agra Fort by his own son, Aurangzeb who shifted the Mughal headquarters back to the city of Agra.
After the Mughals there was the onslaught of a number of petty kingdoms till the takeover by the British. It is finally after Independence in 1947 that the city was restored t the country.
There are a number of monuments that stand testimony to the Mughals’ preference for grandeur in every plane and their elaborate gardens make a sweeping statement of affluence and an eye for detail.
Historical Monuments in Agra
There are a number of monuments that stand testimony to the Mughals’ preference for grandeur in every plane and their elaborate gardens make a sweeping statement of affluence and an eye for detail.
The first of its kind the Aaram Baugh or the ‘Relaxation Garden’, also called Gul Afghaan, was laid out by Babar the first Mughal to set up the Mughal Sultanate in India.
Some of the edifices constructed by the Mughals were the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort, the Itmad-ul Daulah tomb and the Sikandra situated nearby.
Besides these there are five ancient Shiva temples located in Agra as it falls within the Brij Dham of Lord Krishna. In 1809 the British took over Agra and made it into a Commissionary.