Agra is the one of the prominent destinations of the World Tourism map with three heritage monuments -The Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri & Red Fort. It is more just a dacadent city of graveyards and stones, but it is a vibrant centre of Culture, Art and Religious philosphies that have enriched mankind and shaped humen thought over centuries. Agra is famous for handicrafts products such as Inley work on Marvel, Leather work,Footwear, Brasswear, Carpets, Jwellery, Zari and Embroidery work.
Agra is connected to Delhi and neighboring cities by air, rail and road.
By Air: It is only 30 minutes' hop from Delhi. The 'Kheria' airport is only 6km away from the city center. National and other private airlines connects Agra to Delhi, Khajuraho and Varanasi. Taxis and autorikshas are available in large numbers at the airport.
By Rail:Agra is a major railway junction on main broad guage routes to the south, east and west. Agra's railway station is Agra Cantonment. There are excellent train services from New Delhi. Shatabdi Express, Taj Express and Inter-city Express from Delhi takes 2-3 hours to reach Agra. Some other train servicing the city are : G.T. Express ( New Delhi to Chennai), Dadar Express (Mumbai to Amritsar), Jhelum Express (Jammu to Pune), Kalinga Utkal Express (New Delhi to Puri), Karnataka Express (New Delhi to Trivendrum), Ujjani Express (Dehradoon to Ujjain) and Hyderabad Express (New Delhi to Hyderabad).
By Road: Agra is on the cross roads of national highways 2, 3 and 11 and is well connected to all parts of the country. 'Idgah' is the main bus terminal in Agra. Most of the buses leaves Agra from here. Express and air-conditioned bus services are available from Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Gualior and Jhansi. Buses are less expensive in comparison with train and air services. Rest houses and catering facilities are available en-route of journey.
Ten days Carnival
The Taj Mahotsav is a non-stop 10 day carnival held annually at Shilpgram, near Tajmahal. The impressive festival commences with a spectacular procession inspired by Mughal splendor. Bedecked elephants and camels, drum beaters, folk artists and master craftsmen together recreate the glorious past of the Mughals.
The Taj Mahal Mahotsav area comes alive culture, crafts and traditions. It is a great opportunity for legendary artisans to display their exquisite works of art. Marble of course rules the festivities each year for obvious reasons.
Besides these, crafts include wood carvings from Saharanpur, brass and other metal ware from Moradabad, handmade carpets of Badohi, the pottery of Khurja, chickan-work of Lucknow, the silk of Banares and much more.
Indian festivities can never be complete without the preparation of exotic cuisine. Some of the best and richest foods are available during this time.
Add to this the soul-stirring performances from folk artists of various states casting a spell on the visitors. Throughout the Taj Mahotsav, one can experience a profusion of folk music and dances of Dundelkhand, 'Nautanki' (Drama), 'Sapera' dance of Rajasthan, Lavani of Maharashtra... performed just the way they used to be centuries ago. Visitors join in with the folk dancers enjoying swinging to a different tune and dance style.
The Taj Mahotsav is truly India at her best with a glimpse of her rich heritage and extraordinary legacies. |
