Beyond the Taj: Exploring the Palaces and Forts of Agra, India
Summary. On this day, we drove 4 hours from from Delhi to Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal. Our visit to the Taj Mahal was scheduled for the next day, at sunrise so today we headed to Agra Fort, a sprawling red sandstone fortress that was once the center of Mughal power. Built by Emperor Akbar in the 16th century and expanded by later rulers, the fort feels like a city within a city, filled with palaces, courtyards, and grand halls. As we wandered through the sprawling complex, it was easy to appreciate why this fortress served as the center of an empire for so many years.
[This blog is part of our 16-days in India and Bhutan trip].
Our day started early with a 4-hour drive from Delhi to Agra. The drive offered an interesting contrast to the nonstop energy of the city. As we left Delhi behind, the landscape opened up to fields of farmland, small villages, roadside markets, and glimpses of daily life in rural India. After a few hours on the road, we expected Agra to feel like a smaller, quieter destination centered around the Taj Mahal. Instead, we arrived in a bustling city of roughly 2.3 million people, with crowded streets, constant traffic, and much of the same organized chaos we had experienced in Delhi. Despite its fame for historic monuments, Agra is very much a living, vibrant city in its own right.
Upon arrival, we checked into our hotel which includes a rooftop view of the Taj Mahal. This photo was taken later that evening a dinner time.
Agra Fort. After checking in, we met up with a local tour guide to visit Agra Fort. One thing that immediately stood out was the red sandstone used throughout Agra Fort. The massive walls have a rich reddish-orange color that seems to change depending on the light, making the entire complex feel even more dramatic. Later rulers added sections of white marble, so throughout the fort you see this beautiful contrast between the rugged red stone and the more delicate marble details. It's easy to see why the fort earned its nickname, the "Red Fort of Agra."
After passing through the imposing gates and winding entrance passage, the fort opens into a broad open area leading toward the palaces and royal courtyards beyond.
Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience). Next, we walked to see Diwan-i-Am, also within the walls. Our guide explained that this area would have been used for royal audiences, where the emperor would address officials and visitors from an elevated position above the crowd. Large carpets and textiles were often displayed during these gatherings, adding to the grandeur of the court. From there, we walked over to Khas Mahal, the private residences of Mughal emperor.
Khas Mahal was also the setting for some of the Mughal Empire's most dramatic moments. In one of history's great ironies, Emperor Shah Jahan, who commissioned the Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, spent the final years of his life confined within the fort after being deposed by his son Aurangzeb. From his quarters in the Musamman Burj, an elegant octagonal tower within the fort, he is said to have looked across the Yamuna River toward the Taj Mahal until his death in 1666.
At the end of the tour, we continued our way around the Fort and back out the entrance.
After visiting Agra Fort, we returned to our hotel and chose to explore the town on foot for dinner, without our guide. We discovered a rooftop lounge for our meal, though we're unable to recall its name at the moment. Nonetheless, there were many similar dining options, as rooftop restaurants are popular for showcasing views of the Taj Mahal.
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