Agra Fort - Famous Monuments of India

Agra Fort occupies a significant place on the map of Agra.
The foundation of this majestic citadel was laid by Emperor Akbar , the fort is surrounded by a 70-foot high wall. The fort comprises of several buildings inside. The wall has 2 gates, the Delhi Gate and the Amar Singh Gateof which only the Amar Singh gate is now open to the public. The original and grandest entrance was through the Delhi Gate, which leads to the inner portal called the Hathi Pol or Elephant Gate.

Key Attractions of Agra Fort:

Diwan-i-Khas - or Private Audience Hall was adorned with silver leaves on the wooden ceiling. This room was used by the emperor for reception of kings, ambassadors and nobles in private. The Moti Masjid- Also known as the Pearl Mosque was constructed between 1648-54. From outside the structure appears to be made of brick, but inside it is completely made of marble.

Mussaman Burj - A two-storeyed pavilion, where Shahjahan caught the last glimpse of the Taj Mahal before he died.

Other Attractions :

The Agra Fort houses the Royal Pavilions, which were designed to catch the cool breeze across the river. Other attractions comprise of the Macchi Bhawan or the Fish Palace, the Hammam-i-Shahi or the Royal Bath, the Nagina Masjid or the Gem Mosque, and the Zenana Meena Bazaar, where the ladies of the court would browse through goods like silk, jewellery and brocade.

Plan Your Trip:
It will take one full day or maximum two days for you to visit the Agra Fort and the surrounding places.
Climate of Agra:

The climate of Agra is extreme and tropical. Summers are extremely hot and the maximum temperature can be as high as 45 degree Celsius, while winters are cold and foggy. Heavy rains and high humidity mark the monsoon season.

Agra can be visited throughout the year, but one must avoid the extreme hot summers (April-June) and rainy season (July-Sept). The most suitable time to visit Agra is in winters.

Reaching Agra:

» Agra by Air: Agra airport is 7 km from the city center and 3 km from Idgah bus stand. Major Indian airlines operate daily tourist shuttle flights to Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi and back. It only takes 40 minutes from Delhi to Agra.
» Agra by Road: Idgah bus stand is the main bus stand of Agra, from where one can catch buses for Delhi, Jaipur, Mathura, Fatehpur-Sikri, etc. Buses for Mathura also leave from Agra Fort bus stand.
» Agra by Rail : Agra is well connected by railroad. The main railway station is the Agra Cantonment station. Agra is well connected by rail to Delhi, Varanasi and cities of Rajasthan. Trains like Palace on Wheel, Shatabdi, Rajdhani, and Taj Express are the best choices if you want to reach Agra from Delhi in luxury.

Global Tourist Places - Kodaikanal

Nestled amidst the Palani Hills in the Western Ghats, in the state of Tamil Nadu, 120 km from Madurai, in southern India, Kodaikanal is a precious tourist spot in the Indian subcontinent. Literally meaning ‘gift of the forest’ in Tamil, it is a quaint, unspoilt little hill station, where the air is romantic and dreamy, the landscape exceedingly charming, and tranquility prevails like it was eternal. History of Kodaikanal says that it was set up by American missionaries circa 1845, to seek resort in order to keep the glare of high temperatures and tropical diseases of the plains at bay.

Global Tourist Places

The location of Kodaikanal at 2133 meters above sea level makes it a traveler’s paradise with all its charm and charisma. The best way to utilize your leisure here is to saunter around the area appreciating the landscape. Or else, you can opt to go for facilities like boating, cycling, pony riding, angling, and golf. There are clubs to occupy your spare time in the evenings and you can browse and buy the books in the close by market.
The region around Kodaikanal is replete with breathtaking natural beauty and a tour of the city should be undertaken to absorb the essence of it. Major sites to be visited in Kodaikanal are Kodaikanal Lake, Lutheran Church and King Church, Kodaikanal School, Colonial structure, Bryant's Park, Kodai Club, Green Valley View, Coaker’s Walk, Palani Hills National Park, Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, and Golf Links. Green Valley View (previous name was changed for better appeal to tourists), Pillar Rocks, Silver Falls, Kodai Television tower and the Guna caves are other places of interest in Kodaikanal.
The Kurinji Andavar Temple is renowned for its Kurinji flower which blooms once every 12 years. The blums, Berikke, Kodai milagaay, Red carrot are the commonly grown natural edibles here. Cauliflower, cabbage, chilies and onions are cultivated on the suburbs of Kodaikanal.

There is a brilliant market in Kodaikanal where you can purchase woolen clothing, vegetables, flowers, meats, fruit, handiwork, hot snacks, children toys, oils and medicinal herbs. The multi-ethnic nature of Kodai is obvious at the market place where it is common to bump into Scandinavian backpackers, retired French tourists and people from other corners of India relishing fresh pastries served by Tibetan refugees.

You can avail of the available fixed as well as custom-made itineraries and tour packages for Kodaikanal hill station that helps you in exploring the beauty of Kodaikanal.