Agra ( /r/; gr) is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the

northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India.[3] It is 378 kilometres (235 mi) west of the state
capital, Lucknow, 206 kilometres (128 mi) south of the national capital New Delhi and 125
kilometres (78 mi) north of Gwalior. With a population of 1,686,993 (2013 est.), it is one
of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most populous in India.[4] Agra
can also refer to the administrative district that has its headquarters in Agra city. It is a
major tourist destination because of its many splendid Mughal-era buildings, most notably
the Tj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpr Sikr, all three of which are UNESCO World
Heritage Sites.[5]
i

Agra is included on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, along with Delhi and Jaipur; and
the Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc, tourist circuit of UP state, along Lucknow the capital of
the state and Varanasi. Agra falls within the Braj cultural region.
The city was first mentioned in the epic Mahbhrata, where it was
called Agrevaa (derived from Sanskrit () meaning "the border of the forest").
[6]
Legend ascribes the founding of the city to Raja Badal Singh, a Sikarwar Rajputking (c.
1475), whose fort, Badalgarh, stood on or near the site of the present fort. However, the
11th century Persian poet Mas'd Sa'd Salmn writes of a desperate assault on the
fortress of Agra, then held by the Shh King Jayapala, by Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni.[7] It
was mentioned for the first time in 1080 AD when a Ghaznavide force captured it.
Sultan Sikandar Lod (14881517) was the first to move his capital from Delhi to Agra in
1506. He governed the country from here and Agra assumed the importance of the
second capital. He died in 1517 and his son, Ibrhm Lod, remained in power there for
nine more years and several palaces, wells and a mosque were built by him in the fort
during his period. Finally being defeated at the Battle of Panipat in 1526.[8] Between 1540
and 1556, Afghans, beginning with Sher Shah Suri ruled the area. It achieved fame as
the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1556 to 1658.
Contents
[hide]

1Climate

2Demographics

3History

4Transport
4.1Air

4.1.1Taj International Airport

4.2Rail

4.2.1Railway stations

4.2.2Agra-Delhi Semi-High Speed Train

4.3Road

4.4Local transport

4.5Metro
5Places of interest

5.1Tj Mahal

5.2Agra Fort

5.3Fatehpur Sikri

5.4I'timd-Ud-Daulah

5.5Akbar's Tomb, Sikandra

5.6Mankameshwar Temple

5.7Indrabhan Girls' Inter College

5.8Gurudwara Guru ka Taal

5.9Jam Masjid

5.10Chn k Rauza

5.11Rm Bgh

5.12Mariam's Tomb

5.13Mehtb Bgh

5.14Keetham Lake

5.15Mughal Heritage Walk

5.16The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

5.17Paliwal Park (Hewitt Park)

6Economy

6.1Property

6.2Future projects

7Development

8Education
8.1Universities and colleges

9Media

10Radio stations

11Fairs and festivals

o

11.1Taj Mahotsav

11.2Ram Barat

11.3Taj Literature Festival

11.4Kailash Fair

11.5Gangaur Fair

11.6Taj Municipal Museum in Paliwal Park Agra

12Notable individuals

13References

14Further reading

15External links

Climate[edit]
Main article: Climate of Agra
Agra features a semiarid climate that borders on a humid subtropical climate. The city
features mild winters, hot and dry summers and a monsoon season. However the
monsoons, though substantial in Agra, are not quite as heavy as the monsoon in other
parts of India. This is a primary factor in Agra featuring a semiarid climate as opposed to
a humid subtropical climate.
[hide]Climate data for Agra, India

Month

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Record high C (F)

Average high C (F)

Daily mean C (F)

Average low C (F)

Record low C (F)

33.0

35.6

42.8

46.5

48.6

48.5

46.5

43.0

(91.4)

(96.1)

(109)

(115.7)

(119.5)

(119.3)

(115.7)

(109.4)

22.3

25.2

32.0

38.5

41.6

40.7

35.2

33.7

(72.1)

(77.4)

(89.6)

(101.3)

(106.9)

(105.3)

(95.4)

(92.7)

15.1

17.8

24.0

30.5

34.0

34.6

31.1

29.6

(59.2)

(64)

(75.2)

(86.9)

(93.2)

(94.3)

(88)

(85.3)

8.0

10.4

15.9

22.3

26.4

28.5

26.8

25.8

(46.4)

(50.7)

(60.6)

(72.1)

(79.5)

(83.3)

(80.2)

(78.4)

2.2

1.7

5.6

10.0

14.0

12.0

14.5

12.0

(28)

(28.9)

(42.1)

(50)

(57.2)

(53.6)

(58.1)

(53.6)

(1

13.2

17.6

9.3

6.3

11.3

55.7

203.3

243.2

(0.52)

(0.693)

(0.366)

(0.248)

(0.445)

(2.193)

(8.004)

(9.575)

(5

Average rainy days ( 1.0 mm)

1.6

1.5

1.6

1.1

2.0

4.7

13.6

13.7

Average relative humidity (%)

64

55

45

35

34

46

72

77

Average rainfall mm (inches)

Source #1: NOAA (19711990),[9] World Meteorological Organization (precipitation 190

Source #2: India Meteorological Department (records)[11]

Demographics[edit]
According to the 2011 India census,[1][12] Agra city has a population of 1,585,704, while the
population of Agra cantonment is 53,053. The urban agglomeration of Agra has a
population of 1,760,285.[12] Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%.

Agra city has an average literacy rate of 73.11%, lower than the national average of 74%.
[12]
Literacy rate of males is considerably higher than that of women. The sex ratio in the
city was 875 females per thousand males while child sex ratio stood at 857.[12] Agra
district literacy rate is 62.56%.[13] Agra is dominated by Yadavs and Jats.[citation needed]
See also: List of cities in Uttar Pradesh
Hinduism, Islam, and Jainism are three major religions in Agra district with 80.68%,
15.37%, and 1.04% of the population following them. And others are 1.5% 52.5% of
Agra's population is in the 1559 years age category. Around 11% of the population is
under 6 years of age.
ReligionsinAgra[12]
Religion

Hindus
Muslims
Jains
NotStated
Others

Percent

80.68%
15.37%
1.04%
1.66%
1.25%

Distributionofreligions
IncludesChristians(0.42%),Sikhs(0.62%),Buddhists(<0.19%).

History[edit]
Though Agra's history is largely recognised with Mughal Empire, the place was
established much before it and has linkages since Mahabharat period so Mahirshi Angira
in 1000 BC.[citation needed] It is generally accepted that Sultan Sikandar Lod, the Ruler of
the Delhi Sultanate founded Agra in the year 1504. After the Sultan's death the city
passed on to his son Sultan Ibrhm Lod. He ruled his Sultanate from Agra until he fell
fighting to Bbar in the First battle of Panipat fought in 1526.

The Red fort, Agra, c. 1820

The golden age of the city began with the Mughals. It was known then as Akbarabd and
remained the capital of the Mughal Empire under the
Emperors Akbar, Jahngr and Shh Jahn. Shh Jahn later shifted his capital
to Shhjahnabd in the year 1649.
Since Akbarabd was one of the most important cities in India under the Mughals, it
witnessed a lot of building activity. Babar, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, laid out the

first formal Persian garden on the banks of river Yamuna. The garden is called the Arm
Bgh or the Garden of Relaxation. His grandson Akbar raised the towering ramparts of
the Great Red Fort, besides making Agra a centre for learning, arts, commerce and
religion. Akbar also built a new city on the outskirts of Akbarabd called Fatehpr Sikr.
This city was built in the form of a Mughal military camp in stone.
His son Jahngr had a love of gardens and flora and fauna and laid many gardens inside
the Red Fort or Ll Qil'a. Shh Jahn, known for his keen interest in architecture, gave
Akbarabd its most prized monument, the Tj Mahal. Built in loving memory of his
wife Mumtz Mahal, the mausoleum was completed in 1653.
Shh Jahn later shifted the capital to Delhi during his reign, but his
son Aurangzeb moved the capital back to Akbarabd, usurping his father and imprisoning
him in the Fort there. Akbarabd remained the capital of India during the rule
of Aurangzeb until he shifted it to Aurangabad in the Deccan in 1653. After the decline of
the Mughal Empire, the city came under the influence of Marathas and was called Agra,
before falling into the hands of the British Rajin 1803.

Agra, Main Street, c.1858

In 1835 when the Presidency of Agra was established by the British, the city became the
seat of government, and just two years later it was witness to the Agra famine of 1837
38. During the Indian rebellion of 1857 British rule across India was threatened, news of
the rebellion had reached Agra on 11 May and on 30 May two companies of native
infantry, the 44th and 67th regiments, rebelled and marched to Delhi. The next morning
native Indian troops in Agra were forced to disarm, on 15 June Gwalior (which lies south
of Agra) rebelled. By 3 July the British were forced to withdraw into the fort. Two days
later a small British force at Sucheta were defeated and forced to withdraw, this led to a
mob sacking the city. However, the rebels moved onto Delhi which allowed the British to
restore order by 8 July. Delhi fell to the British in September, the following month rebels
who had fled Delhi along with rebels from Central India marched on Agra but were
defeated. After this British rule was again secured over the city until the independence of
India in 1947.[14]
Agra is the birthplace of the religion known as Dn-i Ilh, which flourished during the
reign of Akbar and also of the Radhaswami Faith, which has around two million followers
worldwide. Agra has historic linkages with Shauripur of Jainism and Runukta of
Hinduism, of 1000 BC.

Tj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Transport[edit]
Air[edit]
Air India flies the following sectors in Agra airport:
Delhi - Varanasi - Agra (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday)
Agra - Khajuraho - Varanasi - Delhi (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday)
Mumbai - Agra - Mumbai (Tuesday, Thursday)
As of now Air India connects Agra to the rest of the world via Mumbai, Delhi 5 days a
week. These flights are usually on time and observe full load factor. Agra still needs many
more daily flights
to Kolkata, Jaipur, Goa, Kochi, Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Varanasi and other tourist
destinations within the country. Many airlines are showing interest to start services from
Agra in near future.
Taj International Airport[edit]
A new greenfield international airport is proposed for Agra in a bid to give required fillip to
tourism in Uttar Pradesh. Taj International Airport project at Agra would be implemented
in right earnest with the state government according top priority to this project as Taj
Mahal is one of the most visited tourist spots in the world.
Consortium of Rites Ltd and KPMG Advisory Services Pvt Ltd, the selected consultants
for this project, made a detailed presentation to Infrastructure and Industrial Development
Commissioner (IIDC), Anil Kumar Gupta on the future course of action. Consultants were
asked to identify the best suited site by the end of the current financial year.
The project site would be selected in a way so as to enable prompt clearances and
approvals for the implementation without any hindrances. To be developed through Public
Private Partnership (PPP), in order to ensure time-bound execution of the project, the
government has assured full co-operation at all levels of administration. Development of
an international airport near the Taj Mahal will enhance the tourist inflow, the new airport
would also cater to needs of frequent fliers, entrepreneurs and exporters from the region.
If everything goes to plan, Agra will have an international airport within four to five years.

Rail[edit]

Main article: Railways in Agra

Agra is on the central train line between Delhi (Station Code: NDLS) and Bombay
(Station Code: CSTM) and between Delhi and Madras (Station Code: MAS) and many
trains like Bhopal Shatabdi, Taj Express, Bhopal Express, Malwa Express, Gondwana
Express, Jabalpur - Jammutawi Express, Shreedham Express, Garib Rath, Tamil Nadu
Express, Chennai Rajdhani, Allahabad Mathura Express etc. connect Agra with all major
Indian cities like New
Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Bhopal,
Indore, Kochi, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Ujjain, Jaipur, Aligarh, Mathura, Alwar, Lucknow, Thiruv
ananthapuram etc. every day. Some east-bound trains from Delhi also travel via Agra, so

direct connections to points in Eastern India (including Calcutta are also available. There
are close to 20 trains to New Delhi and Gwalior Junction every day, and at least three or
four to Bhopal, Indore, Nagpur, Bombay and Madras. There are three main railway
stations in Agra.