The Tiger and the Flame

This is a small post following my two previous on Jhansi and the Queen of Jhansi titled:

• Jhansi, and India’s Joan of Arc
• Queen's Battle to Death

Other notable sights in the Jhansi Fort are the Panch Mahal, Rani Amod garden area, the Shiva temple, the Ganesh temple etc.

Ganesh Mandir

Of particular interest are the popular cannons: Kadak Bijli and Bhawani Shanker Cannon, and then there are a couple of mini-cannons too. It is written that Kadak Bijli was operated by Ghulam Ghaus Khan, the revolutionary leader, while Bhawani Shanker was handled by Moti Bai. Moti Bai was apparently a dance performer at the times of Jhansi’s King but she is known to have handled the cannon better than her dances.

Inside the Fort Complex are the tombs of Ghulam Ghaus Khan, whose last words are said to be: “For our queen we shall lay down our life…” Buried nearby are Motibai and the famous horse, Khuda Bux (or Baksh), who died on 4 June 1858.

Other places of interest around the Fort are the Rani Mahal (Queen's Palace) built in the latter half of the 18th century which is converted into an archaeological museum now.

Rani Mahal

A good collection of sculptures belonging to the period between 9th and 12th centuries A.D. has been housed in the Rani Mahal. Photography was not allowed there.

Entrance to Rani Mahal

Raja Gangadhar Rao's cenotaph

There is also the cenotaph of the Queen’s husband, Raja Gangadhar Rao Newelkar and the temples around it.

Raja Gangadhar Rao was considered as a good man and a good administrator of Jhansi and a great promoter of arts.

A section of the temple nearby

Cenotaph

Then there is the Lakshmibai Talab nearby which is a lake in a sadly dried up and shabby state with stagnant water. I hastily left the place to move on to Orchha.

Jhansi is very well connected to major cities across India by direct train links. Situated at a strategic location where the NS and EW National Highways intersect with each other, I took the NH 75 connecting Jhansi from Gwalior, 98 kms away. Datia is about 30 kms, Orchha 20 kms and Khajuraho is 175 kms away. There is regular bus service to Jhansi from Jaipur, Agra and Gwalior.

The nearest operational airport to Jhansi is Gwalior, 98 kms away. Jhansi has an airport, but is not operational for civil flights as it is a base of Army Aviation. A new airport is in the pipeline which would enable excellent connectivity with major metros and other important cities.

Queen's Battle to Death

The Jhansi Fort is synonymous with the great revolt of 1857 which many refer to as the first war of India's independence. It is a beautiful fort built on the Bangra hilltop by Raja Vir Singh Deo of Orchha in 1613. The Fort was later on passed into the hands of Rani Lakshmibai, the Queen of the Maratha-ruled princely state of Jhansi and she made it her residence.

As soon as I set my eyes on the Fort, I was transported back to history and thought of the heroism of the young Queen who lost her life in the battlefield.

If you have read my previous post on Jhansi, and India's Joan of Arc, you would understand my sentiments on why my heart goes out to the young Queen. She had to face so many difficulties during her short life. To cite a few:

• at losing her mother when she was just 4 years old,
• at being widowed at a young age,
• at the death of her only biological child,
• at the blow dealt to her by the British on the secession case of her infant adopted son who did not receive his inheritance,
• at the lack of support from neighboring rulers,
• at the capture and execution of her father, Moropant Tambe, by hanging at the hands of the enemies,
• at how torn she must have felt to remain loyal to the British out of helplessness under the circumstances while wanting to support the rebels when the Mutiny erupted, and
• above all, at how the society of those days must have looked down upon her for being a childless widow.

Whether it was defending the invading armies of the Orchha and Datia rulers in 1857, or getting no support from neighboring Gwalior, or fighting off the British army in 1858, the young Queen's life was a constant struggle. Historians state that though originally she continued to serve her British masters faithfully, it was only when she was faced with the impending likelihood of execution that the Queen then revolted against them.

I can't stop from sharing a little more on the sad history of events that took place during the last few years of the Queen’s life.

In 1858, on suspicion that the Queen was aiding the mutineers, the British attacked the Jhansi Fort and after weeks of conflict, they laid siege and finally succeeded in the annexation of Jhansi. However, the Queen managed to escape along with her son and covering several kilometres in a few hours, took refuge in Kalpi.

There is a legend of a spot at the Fort that is said to remind of the extremely heroic feat of the Queen when she, in the guise of a man, jumped from an edge of the Fort to her waiting horse several feet below, with her adopted son tightly strapped to her back.

In Kalpi the Queen was received as a great warrior together with a very small group of her most faithful soldiers who escaped along with her. From there, three months later, with the help of the Nawab of Banda and others, the Queen lead a successful attack on the British fortress at Gwalior that was under the control of General Hugh Rose.

The Queen was determined to secure Jhansi from British annexation throughout her life. She proclaimed her decision on not giving up Jhansi and went to the extent of establishing links with various revolutionaries and also with her childhood friend, Tatya Tope (also called Tantia). In one of her meetings with Tatya Tope, she is said to have mentioned that Jhansi will set an example of free India. The more I read about the Queen, the more I am convinced that her intention was not limited to territorial aspirations but that she had a vision and foresight for India's freedom.

Lord Dalhousie, the colonial administrator in India in between 1812-1860, who was on a quest for mass annexation of all Indian territories decided to annex Jhansi. Under his Doctrine of Lapse thousands of lives were lost. Throughout the uprising, the Queen had to fight another private battle to secure the rights of her adopted son who was deprived of his kingdom by the British authorities.

In the final days, Tatya Tope had hopes of support for the Peshwa from Gwalior, however, it was not to be so as it is reported that the Scindia army had a secret alliance with the British. In the losing battle with the British at Gwalior, days of fierce hand to hand fighting ensued in which thousands of soldiers were killed. It is written that on the last day on the battlefield in Gwalior she rode on her horse as the defiant leader of the defense, dressed as a man, using her sword. She was in the thick of battle when a British Army soldier threw his sword at her, killing the Queen on June 18, 1858.

The Queen will always be remembered for her words: Meri Jhansi nahin dungi meaning, I will not give up my Jhansi.

The Queen's heroism became a beacon for the upcoming generations of freedom fighters. She is considered a martyr and iconic figure whose example set in motion the freedom struggle that consequently rid the subcontinent of its colonial rule.

The Queen of Jhansi will always be regarded as an epitome of bravery in India because of her wisdom, courage, sacrifice and progressive views on women's empowerment in 19th century India.

Jhansi, and India's Joan of Arc

Bundele harbolon ke munh hamane suni kahaani thi,
Khoob ladi mardaani woh to Jhansi waali raani thi.

A rough translation of it is:

"This story we heard from the mouths of Bundel bards
Like a man she fought, she was the Queen of Jhansi."

Those are the last few lines of one of the most recited poetry in Hindi literature composed by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan on the life of Rani Lakshmibai. During my school days, I’ve sung it too with rousing feelings of patriotism.



And that is what I recalled when I had my taxi stop at the Jhansi Fort while on my way to explore Orchha, the twin city of Datia.

Jhansi is approximately 25 kms from Datia, and about 100 kms from Gwalior. To the uninitiated, on the map of Central India, there is the southern part of Uttar Pradesh jutting into the northern part of Madhya Pradesh and in between that tiny protruding area of UP is where Jhansi is located. It was nice to see my phone popping up continuous messages of ‘Welcome to Uttar Pradesh’ and ‘Welcome to Madhya Pradesh’ alternatively while on that short road journey, and the signboards on road checkposts affirming same.

Who is the Queen of Jhansi?

Most of us are aware of the historical facts on the popular Rani Lakshmibai. Since I like to dwell on it, let me briefly put a few of my thoughts here.

Queen Lakshmibai was affectionately called Manu when small. Having lost her mother at age 4, her father encouraged her with martial training, including riding, fencing and shooting when she was still a child. Probably her father envisioned her becoming the queen and so educated her accordingly.

Manu married Raja Gangadhar Rao Niwalkar at a young age and became the Queen of Jhansi. As was customary in those days to change name after marriage, she was thereafter known as Lakshmibai. It is said that she gave birth to a son, but the child died a few months after birth. Shortly, Gangadhar Rao fell very ill and he grudgingly relented only a day before his death to adopt a distant relative, a boy named Damodar Rao.

To ensure that the British would not be able to contest the adoption, the Rani had it witnessed by the local British representatives. If I have my history right, upon the Maharaja's death, the British-Indian authorities refused to recognize the adopted child as the next prince, sought to disgrace the Queen and moved to take control. They confiscated the state jewels and deducted her husband's debts from her annual pension. She was required to leave Jhansi Fort for the Rani Mahal, another palace nearby that I visited in Jhansi town.

An poignant account of a meeting between the Rani and her lawyer, John Lang, are recounted in his book, Wanderings in India, published in 1861.

In my next, I shall write and post more pictures of the Jhansi Fort, the fort that played a major role during the first war of Indian Independence in 1857.

Akbar, and Cultural Synthesis

Some of you may be aware that last month I have put up a few posts on my visit to:

• Fatehpur Sikri;
• Agra Fort; and
• Taj Mahal

Following my trips to those splendid places, I have been reading a bit of Indian history and about the Mughals in general, and Akbar in particular, with special interest pertaining to his liberal approach to religion.

As I was browsing, I came across an intriguing post dated February 13, 2008 in which Manish has detailed his experience at the Fatehpur Sikri and his views on the Mughals, and Akbar in particular here:

Manish and I have shared a few comments. One of my comments on Part II of his post dated February 13, 2008 reads as follows:

“February 13th, 2008 at 11:20 pm

This is an interesting read and thank you for the details. The sleeping place of Akbar was something new that I learned about for the first time on this post.

With some of your initial description, I do not know if you are trying to portray an image of Akbar as one who led a hedonistic lifestyle. From what I read, Jehangir is more of a thoroughbred pleasure seeker than Akbar. You have pointed out Acharya Chatursen’s philosophy of the Rajput kings lifestyle and their harems, so overindulgence of the royalty was common in those days.

Akbar may have been illiterate but he was not certainly uneducated. In fact, Akbar was constantly keeping himself well informed, and was one of the greatest promoters of music, architecture, art and anything related thereto. The best about him, in my opinion, was his tolerance for other religions but sadly, that trend changed since Jehangir’s reign.

You write about a room “perfectly dark, with no provision for any light” to “emphasize the kind of accommodations women in harem used to live in.” As far as I am aware, the royal women of the Mughals spent a considerable time pursuing art, poetry, literature etc. For example, Noor Jehan, as you pointed out, unofficially ruled the Empire while Jehangir was ruled over by alcohol.

If you have been to the Agra Fort, inside the Fort premises you might have seen the Jehangir P[a]lace which was the zenana for the women of the palace. Inside it is a beautifully adorned white marble structures (my pictures shot there turned out hazy for some reason) and the Shish Mahal whose walls were inlaid with tiny mirrors. This was meant as a dressing room for the women in the harem. No dark rooms there at all. After Jodhabai, Noor Jehan continued to live there. A picture of the Jehangir’s Palace is among the set of pictures here:

...”

Decor inside the Jehangir Mahal
(one of the hazy pictures that I referred to)

Subsequently more comments have been exchanged. My dear reader, if this subject interests you and if you happen to have some time to spare, I would like to direct you to Manish's two posts, and any contribution from you for a further discussion on the interesting topic would be useful to get a better idea on it.

Despite putting up a long comment there, I feel the need to speak out a little bit more of my impressions on the matter, with particular reference to Akbar's tolerance to other religions and hence this post.

Who was Akbar and what kind of a person was he? So much has been documented about him being a great ruler who demonstrated his own capacity for good judgment and excellent leadership. He is personally known to have successfully managed the implementation of his brilliant administrative policies.

Is there a real basis for challenging that?

Akbar was born in the Rajput fortress of Umarkot in Sind where Humayun and his newly wedded wife, Hamida Banu Begum were taking refuge during the interregnum of Mughal rule. At one point, having lost his territories to Sher Shah Suri, Humayun had to flee to Persia leaving his son, Akbar behind. Akbar was then raised in Afghanistan by his uncle, Askari, in the rugged country where he did learn to hunt and fight, but not to read and write.

Later they moved to the State of Rewa (in present day Madhya Pradesh) where Akbar grew up in a village along with Prince Ram Singh, a Rajput, who later became Maharaja of Rewa. Akbar and Ram Singh spent time together in their childhood and they remained good friends forever.

Again, Akbar may have been illiterate but he was certainly not uneducated, as he ensured that he was constantly well informed. There was so much about him to be admired. He was one of the greatest promoter of arts and anything related thereto, with fine taste in music, architecture, had great love for literature and a vision that tolerates other opinions.

There are also references to holding religious debates and discourses in his court where Muslim scholars would debate on religious matters with scholars of other religions including, Sikhs, Hindu, Christians and also atheists. Most of us are aware of Akbar's concept of Din-i-Ilahi, which was created choosing what the best of other religions had to offer, including Islam, Christianity, Jainism and Zoroastrianism. Sadly and mainly for lack of cooperation from the religious ulema of his own court, it was not a success and dissolved after his death.

Akbar is known to have not only abolished payment of taxes by poor people, but also tried to eradicate the practice of sati by issuing general orders prohibiting the practice. He repealed the jizya tax on non-Muslims, discouraged child marriages and encouraged widow remarriage.

Majority of his subjects during those times were Hindus and Akbar was known to have appointed Hindus to high posts during his time. In the polarized society of such times, Akbar tried to create a medium for tolerance for all religions. He preserved Hindu temples, and is one ruler who is known to have tried to remove all distinctions between the Muslims and non-Muslims.

There are references that the organisational development of Sikhism had mostly taken place during the tolerant days of Akbar. It is said that he even helped the Sikh Gurus in various ways and sat with the ordinary and poor people of Punjab to have langar.

Akbar's integration of the Rajput principalities into his Mughal Kingdom may be considered by many to be a shrewd move, but there are the others who view it as an action that was necessary in order to strengthen his relations with the Rajputs so as to avoid wars and bloodshed.

Jehangir Mahal for Akbar's Rajput wives

Akbar's Rajput queen, mother of Jehangir, has been recorded in the Akbarnama of the Mughal period as Mariam Zamami and is popularly known as Jodhabai. According to historians, his distaste for orthodox Islam and his dabbling in other Indian faiths provoked a backlash among insecure Muslim elite of those days. So, Jodhabai's name was kept out of the Mughal records intentionally because the Islamic clergy and the Mughal people could not come to terms with the future Mughal emperor being the son of a Hindu woman.

Akbar is a good example of someone who was tolerant of other religions, Tolerance, according to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary is "a sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing or conflicting with one's own." Of course, when we say one is tolerant, it does not mean that he holds his own beliefs less strongly. It means that he does not condemn people who have different ideas from his own.

Under Akbar’s rule, Jodhabai as well as the other Rajput wives of the Mughals were free to practice their own religion. It is also documented that Akbar's grandson, Shah Jahan's mother was also a Rajput princess.

Jodhabai and the other Rajput women of Akbar’s time lived in the Jehangir Mahal while in Agra. According to architectural experts, the main feature of this majestic palace is the interior painting work, which is a direct expression of the Rajput style of painting. This is another example where the Hindu art and architecture was incorporated together with Persian (Islamic) to form the Mughal architecture. I would say it's a classic example of cultural synthesis.

What is your opinion of Akbar?

Do you think Akbar is:

(a) a selfish emperor with a hedonistic lifestyle to his credit; or

(b) an able statesman and leader, tolerant of other religions, and a brilliant Emperor as he is widely claimed to be; or

(c) no comments.

To make it simple, kindly choose (a), (b) or (c) with or without any explanation. Thanks for your response.

PS: Now that Jhodaa Akbar is due for release, can’t wait to watch if the alliance between Jhodabai and Akbar blossomed into a relationship of true love between them. Of course, I am aware it is not accurate history, it is a movie to be enjoyed nonetheless. ;)

Agra, Hasta La Vista

The magnificent buildings of the Mughal periods have left an indelible mark on my mind. However, the City of Agra is not just about its magnificent Fort, the forgotten city of Fatehpur Sikri and the ever popular Taj Mahal, all of which are famous and World Heritage Sites.

Agra has several other facets to it as well. That evening, while having dinner with a couple of local acquaintances at a small but tastefully decorated restaurant that served delicious Mughlai food, we discussed the pros and cons of life in Agra.

Road on the way to Fatehpur Sikri

Agra, the medieval city on the banks of the River Yamuna, overpopulated with approximately 1.3 million, does not have enough clean water and sanitation is inadequate. Roads are often crowded and one can see clouds of pollution. It is a city where one can become a victim of tourist scams. Sadly this is the state of the same city that houses the architectural masterpieces like the Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort and the Fatehpur Sikri.

On the way to Fatehpur Sikri

I also brought up the topic that many steer clear of. Whilst they admit that there is a bit of communal tension hanging in the air, they however, try not to let them affect their everyday life. I, on my part, said what I could to stress on the need of the hour for more peace and better communal harmony and how every single citizen ought to feel responsible to achieve that. At the end of the discussion, I got the feeling that the whole world may be rapturous about the Taj Mahal but not all the people of Agra are!

Outside the Agra Red Fort

Nevertheless, Agra has its own beautiful cultural variety and ethnicity. The Taj Mahotsav (Taj Festival) is a cultural festival held every year in the month of February at Shilpgram, near the Taj Mahal. It is, after all, a place where the legendary musician Tansen is said to have performed at the Anup Talao of the Fatehpur Sikri. Decorated elephants and camels, drum beaters, folk artists and master craftsmen showcase the rich heritage of Agra – all done to recreate a scene that is reminiscent of the Mughal era.

In the area towards the entrance of the Taj Mahal

Agra's climate is sub-tropical and prone to extremes. Summers are extremely hot and the maximum temperature can be as high as 45°C (113°F) while winters are cold and foggy and can go as low as 2°C (35.6°F). Who could vouch for this better than me when I actually experienced both the limits during my trips to Agra in those two seasons!

Near the Buland Darwaza

After dinner, I ventured to one of the popular shopping areas of Agra, the Sadar Bazar in the Agra Cantonment. It was a good hour’s walk in the busy street in that area, and it being a Sunday, I was told that the crowd that day was more than on weekdays. Shortly thereafter, I was willing to taste bits of local delicacies displayed in the shops including a variety of the famous Agra Paetas (a sweet made from pumpkin). I found the saffron Paetas the most delectable.

Agra has both modern shopping complexes and traditional market areas. One can purchase all items from antique souvenirs, to rugs, leather items, gemstones, jewellery, ethnic clothing, to handicrafts from the state emporiums as well. The travel to Agra is incomplete to many without buying at least a small marble replica of the Taj Mahal. Even though I do not usually shop during my travels, that evening I ended up buying, firstly, a cute pair of shoes for me, and then another 10-inch pair, that was so intricately designed and beautifully decorated, for my little niece.

Then someone suggested a movie and of course, I was game for it. By the time we reached the nearest multiplex cinema, there was a delay of almost half hour, however ended up watching Aa Ja Nachele. After that it was a late night ride back to the hotel through the almost freezing and misty weather that made me grit my teeth and shiver like a helpless goose caught up in a raging hurricane!

I must have fallen asleep almost immediately after reaching Mansingh Palace, for the next thing I remember was waking up to my alarm ringing. It was morning and I had to get ready and rush to catch the 8:15 a.m. Shatabdi Express to Gwalior.

See you in Gwalior soon.

Taj Mahal

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, the Taj Mahal (meaning, Crown Palace) was built by the great Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, in memory of his beloved queen, the Persian princess Mumtaz Mahal who died after giving birth to his 14th child.

The Taj Mahal, built between 1632 and 1654, is one of the most well-loved, well-preserved and architecturally beautiful structures and is so popular that it needs no further introduction.

The Taj Mahal consists not just the monument containing the cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal and tomb of Shah Jahan but includes an integrated complex of structures and gardens that extends over several acres and in it are subsidiary tombs, waterworks infrastructure, the small town of 'Taj Ganji' and a 'moonlight garden' that is presumed that have repeatedly gone under water during the flooding of the Yamuna river.

The Taj Mahal is a crowning jewel of the Indo-Islamic architecture. Specific design credit is uncertain, however, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri is generally considered as the principal designer of Taj Mahal. The calligraphy found in Taj Mahal is believed to be created by Persian calligrapher, Amanat Khan, who has signed his name at several of the panels. The calligraphy is made by jasper inlaid in white marble panels.

The white tomb, flanked by four tapering minarets, is raised on a terrace and first seen reflected in the central canal. It is entirely covered in marble, but the mosque and counter-mosque on the transverse axis are built in red sandstone. Within the dome lies the jewel-inlaid cenotaph of the queen.

Shah Jahan, grandson of Akbar, was deposed by his son and imprisoned in the great Agra Fort for eight years, cared for by his eldest daughter Jahanara. The great emperor that he was, surely Shah Jahan had not expected that his last days would be so utterly mournful. According to the legend, when he was on his death-bed, he kept his eyes fixed on the Taj Mahal which was clearly visible from his place of confinement.

After his death, he was buried in the Taj Mahal beside his queen, Mumtaz Mahal. Probably as an afterthought Shah Jahan's tomb was built along side it, and that is why it is the only assymmetrial object in the entire Taj Mahal complex.

No words or photographs of the Taj Mahal can do justice to describe the beauty of the place, so I will not even make an attempt to do so here.

I have heard much about the Taj Mahal sparkling in moonlight when the semi-precious stones inlaid into the white marble on the main mausoleum catch the glow of the moon. The moonlight viewing has been resumed since about 2 years after a gap of 20 years and is, I believe, restricted to 400 people per night in order to avoid overcrowding.

Therefore, thinking that few things would be more romantic than viewing the Taj Mahal in the moonlight, I set off to Agra, only to learn upon reaching there that the moonlight sighting can be done only on 5 days in a month, i.e., on the full moon night plus two days each preceding and following that. May I suggest hidden 'moonlight effect' kind of floodlights to simulate the moonlight and allow viewing throughout?

Anyway, the city of love, Agra, can never be disappointing. I was, in fact, delighted with my visits to not just the Taj Mahal on that misty day in December 2007 but also got another opportunity to visit the Fatehpur Sikri, Mosque and Palace complexes in addition to the Agra Fort.

My suggestions to anyone wishing to visit the Taj Mahal are:

• for night viewing, check the full moon dates and make reservations in advance.

• for day viewing, start early in the morning. The gates open at 6 am. So reach there early to enjoy the beauty of the monuments with a few early-risers rather than with the crowd that fills there later throughout the day.

• allot a good amount of time to enjoy the place as I feel the Taj Mahal reveals its subtleties when one visits it without being in a hurry.
  

• once there, for some time at least, keep your camera aside, choose a corner and "feel" the beauty of the place. Allow nothing to come in the way between you and the awe of the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal is said to be appearing pinkish in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden when the moon shines - probably depicting the different moods of a woman. To admire its full glory, one needs to also appreciate the fact that the architecture and its adornments are associated to the passion that inspired it.

There is nothing like viewing the Taj Mahal with your own eyes and being embraced in its ethereal beauty. As I said earlier, no words or photographs can fully convey the magic of the place.

It was a misty day when I reached the Taj Mahal. The above are just a few photographs shot during my delightful visit to the Taj Mahal. If you wish to see the rest of my pictures of one of the world's most admired masterpieces, they are here.

Magnificent Agra Fort

After the Battle of Panipat the Mughals captured the Agra Fort and with it came a vast treasure which included the world famous Kohinoor diamond. Babur then started living in the Fort in the palace of Ibrahim Lodi. The other great Mughals Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangazeb lived here and the country was governed from this Fort. The Agra Fort was visited by foreign dignitaries and ambassadors, travellers and other high ranking officials who were instrumental in the making of history in India.

Akbar began further construction of the splendid Agra Fort on the banks of River Yamuna in 1565 to serve as a military base. The Fort was ready by 1571 and was then used also as royal quarters and several additions were made until the rule of Shah Jahan.



Akbar and his son, Jahangir, preferred red sandstone and used it to build many palaces and courts. His grandson, Shah Jahan, used white marble, and built other marble mosques and palaces and pavilions of gem-inlaid marble which is seen in its resplendent beauty in the Taj Mahal.

Historians state that about 500 buildings were existing in the Fort originally. It is reported that some of them were demolished to make way for Shah Jahan's white marble palaces and mosques and some were apparently destroyed by the British between 1803 and 1862. Now there are about 30 Mughal buildings that have survived in the Fort.



Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal, was imprisoned by his son, Aurangzeb, in this luxurious Agra Fort. It is rumored that Shah Jahan died in Muasamman Burj, a tower with a marble balcony from where he could see the mirage of the Taj Mahal until his death.

I went to the Agra Fort after my visit to the Fatehpur Sikri. Little did I know then that this was going to be the first among other forts that I was to explore during this trip to India.

There was a long queue at the Fort entrance for buying tickets, and I had no intention of spending time there. So within a few minutes, while in the snail-paced queue, I befriended a small group of people in front of me. Unfair it may sound, however, I informed them that I'd be returning for my spot in the queue after taking a few pictures of the Fort from outside, to which they agreed.

After about ten minutes of shooting these pictures of the Fort, I went back to find them still in the queue, and this time they kindly volunteered to buy a ticket on my behalf thus giving me the freedom to go around. I was glad and promptly paid them and continued exploring further. I stopped by at the entrance gate called the Lahore Gate (so named because it faces Lahore). It is also called the Amar Singh Gate.



Till my entry ticket was ready, I stood by the Lahore Gate to listen to the low-pitched sweet sounds of chirping birds dwelling in the Fort premises. I made a half hearted attempt to capture a few pictures of them fluttering past but realized I am not talented enough to achieve that feat.



It was a cool, slightly misty day, and there was a strange mix of excitement and serenity in the atmosphere at the Lahore Gate. Somewhat like how I got lost in my surroundings for a while even through the hustle and bustle of the tourists, probably the birds have got used to the place and so continue singing sweetly in the trees - coolly indifferent to the crowd passing by.


The Agra Fort is a fine example of a beautiful blend of the Islamic and Hindu style of architecture, and various buildings inside the Agra Fort represent the assimilation of other cultures as well. This is widely regarded as a distinguishing feature of the Mughal architecture.



The northern part of the Agra Fort is closed to the public as it is being used by the military. The northern side gate is called the Delhi Gate.

Jahangir Palace was used by the Rajput wives of the Mughals

View from Diwaan-I-Aam

Arches of Diwaan-I-Aam

The three rising domes of the ancient mosque, Moti Masjid, raising their heads over the red sandstone is a charming sight. Built by Shah Jahan, it is situated on the right of Diwan-I-Aam and its white marble structure is one of the precious buildings of the Agra Fort.



I spent the next few hours at the Agra Fort and had a delightful time in exploring the place. During this visit, I felt that I had a look at the Fort with a new perspective.

The Agra Fort is a photographer's delight. If you liked these photographs, click this link to view more pictures of the magnificent Agra Fort.