Agra

Agra

 

Main languages: Hindi and Urdu

State: Uttar Pradesh

 

History: 

 

The city of Agra has one of the richest cultural histories in India. It was mentioned in the great Indian epic called Mahabharata and was referred to as Agrabana or paradise. The famous 2nd century geographer, Ptolemy, marked this city on his map. There are historical evidences of the city being formed by Sultan Sikander Lodi in 1504. The city was lost to the Mughal king Babur in the 1st battle of Panipat in 1526 which also marked the golden age for the city. It was renamed as Akbarabad and remained the capital of the Mughal Empire under Emperor Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan. In the year 1649 Shah Jahan shifted his capital to Shahjahanabad.

 

Geography and demography:

 

Agra has an average elevation of 171 meters and is by the bank of the river Yamuna. On its north is Mathura, Firozabad on its east, Dhaulpur on the south and Bharatpur on the west. It is the 3rd largest city of UP. There are 6 'tehsils' and 15 blocks in the district with 114 Nayay Panchayats, 636 Gram Sabhas and 904 villages. Agra had a population of 1,800,000 as per the 200 census. The average literacy level is 65%. 

 

Climate:

 

The climate of Agra is subtropical with long and scorching summers from April to September. Monsoons are from July to September with about 67cm of annual rainfall. Winters are cool and last from November to February and minimum temperatures dip to 6 degrees. The city has extreme temperatures and best time to visit is from September to March.

 

Tourism:

 

Agra is the hub of tourism in Uttar Pradesh due to the splendors of forts and palaces constructed in the Mughal era. The main tourist attractions are Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, whihc have also been categorized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Taj Mahal has also been voted as amongst the 7 wonders of the world and is considered to be the idol of love through to the world and was built by Shah Jahan in the beloved memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is also one of the most spectacular architectural creations of the world. The other tourist attractions are Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, Sikandra (Akbar's tomb), Swami Bagh Samadhi, MankaMeswar Temple, Guru Ka Tal, Jama Masjid, Chini Ka Rauza, Ram Bagh, Mariam's Tomb, Mehtab Bagh and Keetham Lake.

 

Economy: 

 

Tourism is the main contributor to the economy of Agra. It has some of the best hotels and spas in the country. The largest spa in Asia, Kaya Kalp is at Hotel Mughal Agra. The industrial base of the city includes manufacturing plants and wholesale markets. Apart from garments, automobiles and small scale industries, the leather industry is amongst the most flourishing businesses in Agra. The sweets Petha & Gajak, and Snacks like Dalmoth are also vital contributors to the economy and are sent to different parts of the country. Jewelry and handicrafts industry also flourish in the city and their products can be brought from various government emporiums.