Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh One of the most famous buildings in

the world, the Taj Mahal was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his
beloved third wife, Mumtaz Mahal who died during the birth of their 14 th child. It
combines elements from Persian, Islamic and Indian architectural styles and is
made entirely from white marble inlaid with semiprecious stones. The Taj Mahal
with it gardens were meant to be an interpretation of heaven on earth. It comes
quite close to it.

Jama Masjid & Red Fort, Old Delhi Also constructed by Shah Jahan, the
Red Fort served as his fortress-cum-palace. It was the capital of the Mughal
Empire till 1857 when Bhahadur Shah Zafar surrendered to the British. They say
this fort of Red Sand Stone was originally called Quila-i-Mubarak or the blessed
fort and took 10 years to build. It was built on the banks of the Yamuna which fed
the moats that surround most of the wall. An enchanting spectacular, the Red
Fort is a must visit if in Delhi. Not too far from the Red fort is the Jama Masjid
which till today is the principal mosque of Old Delhi. Also commissioned by Shah
Jahan, it was built before the fort and can hold up to twenty five thousand
worshippers at a go. An architectural marvel, the courtyard of the mosque has
three grand flights of steps, brilliant archways, proud minarets and beautiful

flooring of black and white marble, ornamented to imitate the Muslim prayer
mat.

Fatehpur Sikri Constructed by Emperor Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri on the

outskirts of Agra was the first planned Mughal city designed in Mughal
architecture (which is an amalgamation of Indian, Persian and Islamic styles).
Interestingly, while it took 15 years to build the city, it was soon abandoned in 14
years as the water supply could not sustain the thriving population. A walk
around the city, if assisted by a well versed guide can be exhilarating as you try
to imagine it in its days of glory.

Humayuns Tomb Emperor Humayuns tomb was built 15 years after he

died. His body was first buried in his palace, and then moved to Sirhind in Punjab
and his widow commissioned the tomb some 9 years later. Other than the tomb
enclosue, there are several smaller monuments and tombs of other Mughal
dignitaries along with a well planned Persian garden, called the Charbagh
Gardens, considered the first of its type in the Indian sub-continent. The
grandeur of the gardens has changed drastically over the years with repeated
construction however, the tomb in itself remains awe inspiring

Dal Lake, Shalimar Bagh and Nishat Bagh, Srinagar, Kashmir

Known as Srinagars Jewel, the Dal Lake was patronized by the Mughal rulers of
India as their summer resort and they developed the neighbouring areas around
the lake into sprawling Mughal stlye gardens and pavilions. Shalimar Bagh is
considered to be the high point in Mughal horticulture and has three elaborate
terraces, fountain pools, waterfalls, pavilions and marble thrones for the
Emperors. Nishat Bagh is also known as the Garden of Pleasure and has a
magnificent view of snow capped mountains. It was built and designed by Asif
Khan, brother of Noor Jehan. It is said that Shah Jahan expressed his appreciation
for the garden to Khan three times in the hope it would be gifted. When no such
offer was made, Shah Jahan ordered the closure of the water supply to the
garden causing it to be deserted for a considerable period of time. Such is the
gardens beauty that it invoked jealousy from the Emperor himself.

In 1538, the Mughal emperor Humayun laid the foundations of his city
named Dinpanah, or the Refuge of the Faithful. The inner citadel of this city is
today called Purana Qila or the Old Fort. An old fort, it is! One can almost smell
the ancient stories oozing from the corners of the fort. The site of the fort was
also Indraprasta, the capital of the famed warriors of the Mahabharata, the
Pandavas. Excavations near the eastern wall of the fort reveal that the site had
been occupied since 1000 B.C. Archaeologists found painted grey ware pottery
and other remains, which date back to the Mahabharata. The Purana Qila has
three gates - Humayun Darwaza, Talaqi Darwaza and Bara Darwaza. The present
entrance is the Bara Darwaza, an imposing red sandstone gate on the western
wall. Inside the Purana Qila is the Sher Mandal, a two-storied octagonal pavilion
in red sandstone, built by Sher Shah. Humayun used it as a library after he
captured the fort.

Safdarjung's Tomb is the last of the enclosed garden tombs in the tradition
of Humayun's tomb. It was built in 1753-54, for Safdarjung, the Prime Minister of
Muhammad Shah, the Mughal emperor between 1719-48. Marble was allegedly
stripped from other tombs to build Safdarjung's tomb. Now that speaks volumes
for the kind of power Safdarjung must have wielded during his rule! The tomb
has several smaller pavilions - Jangli Mahal (Palace in the Woods), Moti Mahal
(Pearl Palace) and Badshah Pasand (King's Favourite) - the interiors of which have
been beautifully ornamented in the typical Mughal style. The Archaeological
Survey of India maintains a library over the main gateway, and it is a haven for
all bookworms and history buffs.

The highest stone tower in India, the Qutub Minar was built by Qutbuddin
Aibak, the viceroy of Mohammed Ghori in 1192. It was built to celebrate Ghori's
victory over the Rajputs. The tower and the victory are very significant, because
both heralded the birth of a new dynasty - Slave Dynasty. And it laid the
foundations of the Delhi Sultanate. And the rest, as one would put it after
witnessing this monumental tower, was history. The Minar is a five-storey
building with a height of 72.5 metres. The first storey of the Qutb Minar was
completed in the lifetime of Qutbuddin. His son-in-law and successor, Iltumush,
added the next three storeys. Within the complex, is the famous Iron Pillar which
has stood for millennia without rusting, Quwwat-ul-Islam, the first mosque built in
India, and the Alai Darwaza, the gateway to the complex erected by Alauddin
Khilji. The entry to the Minar has been closed, after the tower became infamous
for the several suicides that were committed here.

The 7.2 metre high pillar, standing within the Qutb Minar complex, is a proof
of India's advanced knowledge of metallurgy 2000 years ago. For it continues to
stand, even today, rust-free. The pillar was erected sometime between the 4th
and 5th century AD as a Dhavaja-stambha (flagpole) of a Vishnu temple. It was
erected in memory of King Chandragupta Vikramamditya who ruled from 375 to
413 AD.

This solemn monument was built in memory of the 90,000 Indian soldiers
who died in World War I. It was built in 1931, designed by Lutyens, and was
originally called the All India War Memorial. The names of the soldiers are
inscribed on the walls of the arc of the gate. Later in 1971, an eternal flame was
lit here in memory of the unknown soldiers who died in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan
war. India Gate stands at the end of Rajpath, and is a popular picnic site
especially during hot summer evenings. At night, the Gate is brightly lit and the
fountains near the Gate are lit with coloured lights. The sight is delightful.

The spectacular fort of Tughlaqabad was built by Ghiyasuddin Tuglaq and

was completed in four years. It was built to guard the city against the attacks of
the Mongols from Central Asia. It was so sturdy that it has withstood the ravages
of time and still stands today, all along the 6.5 km perimeter. To the right of the
main entrance are the ruins of Vijay Mandal (Tower of Victory). Towards the west
of the citadel, is a 15.5 metre deep water tank nicknamed Jahannum ka Rasta or
the Road to Hell. Even the monkeys that inhabit the fort keep away from the
tank. Soon after its construction, Tughlaqabad was destined to be abandoned.
Legend has it that Nizamuddin Auliya, a Sufi saint, cursed Ghiyasuddin that
Tughlaqabad would never prosper after the emperor quarreled with the saint. The
curse did come true with Ghiyasuddin's alleged murder, when a pavilion erected

in his honour crashed on him. With Ghiyasuddin's death came the tragic end of a
city, which could have otherwise prospered.

Khuni Darwaza (blood soaked gate), is a huge gateway on Bahadur Shah

Zafar Marg. It was built by Sher Shah Suri as one of the gates to his city. If you
are wondering about the rather gruesome name, it is because the Gate has a
bloody history to it. In the battle to the throne of Delhi, the Mughal emperor
Aurangazeb, beheaded his brother Dara Shikoh. And as a grand finale he had the
dismembered head hung on the gate. And it is also here that the British
assassinated the two sons and the grandson of Bahadhur Shah Zafar. Their
bodies were hung on the gateway, to be displayed to the public as a warning
against any kind of a mutiny. And since horror is in itself fascinating, the gate is
worth a see!

A gravelled path, little away from Qutb Minar leads to Jamlai Kamali Masjid
and Tomb. It is set within a beautiful park, where one can find numerous birds,
especially peacocks, in the mornings. The tomb is enclosed within a ten feet wall.
The mosque has a quiet air of elegance and simplicity, with the simple lines that

mark its exterior. It is a flat roofed chamber, with a highly decorative ceiling,
characteristic of Mughal architecture. Jamali is the pseudonym of Sheik Fazullah,
a saint and poet, who was the favourite of Sultan Sikander Lodi and Emperor
Humayun. His tomb lies beside the mosque, which was built under his guidance.