THE RED FORT (Delhi) was once intended to be a royal city for Shah Jehan (who built the Taj Mahal for his wife) after the death of Mumtaz Mahal. Named as such because of the red sandstone battlements that surrounded the
JAMI MASJID (or JAMA MASJID) (Delhi) literally means Grand Mosque, the way I understand it. The one in Delhi is the largest. Built by Shah Jahan in 1656 with 5000 workers at a cost of a million rupees (then). On Friday, prayer sessions are in place & only the Muslims are allowed to enter. Up to 20000 people can be accommodated.
HAWA MAHAL (or PALACE OF THE WINDS) is the chief attraction which caught my eyes & hence inspired me to want to come to India. No, it was not the Taj Mahal. It was the Hawa Mahal. But Hawa Mahal was simply an illusion; a facade where the ladies in ancient times hide behind it & from there looking out to the world. It is now a tourist attraction but only for a picture instead of a visit. It is not what it should be... a run-down facade amidst many other buildings of the same time. It's just an illusion - a sad one for me.
THE TAJ MAHAL (Agra) - built from 1632-54, a symbol of eternal love, a memorial from the Moghul emperor to his beloved wife who died at 36 years old at childbirth (their 14th, married for 18 years), an abbreviation of the name Muntaz Mahal (meaning
ITIMAD-UD-DAULAH'S TOMB is located very close to the Taj Mahal, about 4 km (2.5 m) across the river bank of the Yamuna.
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AMBER FORT (Jaipur) - A fort palace fit for any shah. Imperial capital was moved from Agra to Jaipur in 1727. An 11-th century fort. If you've ever dreamt of having a ride on an elephant, this is where you get to do it for Rs. 400 per elephant. It was a long queue though. Lots of tourists. We decided to walk instead. It wasn't far but you have to content with the
Jas Mandir (Amber Fort) - Hall of Private Audience. This part of the palace fort is one of the most beautiful sections. You won't believe how fast people (mostly tourists!) filled up this entire hall. It took me ages to wait so that I could take a decent shot. Still, it's worth waiting... Anything worthwhile waiting for is worth the time & effort :-)
Jahangiri Mahal, emperor's main harem by Sharrie Send Photo to a Friend AGRA FORT (Agra) may not have been as famous as the Red Fort but it's certainly one of the very important forts. This is where Shah Jahan was once confined by his son Aurangzeb & where he spent the last days of his life overlooking the Taj Mahal across the Yamuna River. Agra Fort was originally built by Emperor Akbar between 1565 & 73.
QUTB MINAR (Delhi): In Arabic, Qutb Minar means either pole or axis. It is the highest single tower in India. Not high, really, just 5 storeys! But in terms of importance, it's the site of 1st Muslim kingdom in India (1193!).
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