Agra Fort
Agra Fort was built by Akbar the Great in 1565 AD and was attacked multiple times but never fell. It was surrounded by two moats—a west one filled with crocodiles and a dry one filled with elephants. It was the residence of the king where he lived well. Shah Jahan was imprisoned there when his third son, Arsunza, killed his two older brothers, took the throne, and ruled successfully for 50 years until the British took over. According to our guide, “Kingship knows no kinship.”
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| The only entrance to the Agra Fort is through the Amar Singh Gate. |
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| This is the wet moat that borders the fort on one side. |
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| Frisky monkeys |
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| Water Gate at Agra Fort |
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| The Darshani Gate |
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| The Diwan-i-am in Agra was built in Shah Jahan's characteristic style. |
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| Symmetrical gardens |
Marble works
We learned about the process by which marble is carved and jewels are inlaid in the same manner as was used on the Taj Mahal. The precious stones (lapis, malachite, coral, jasper, onyx, abalone, turquoise, and carnelian) are filed and smoothed on wheels by hand to create the designs. Sometimes pieces are as small as slivers of fingernail! The art is passed down through families as in the secret recipe for the glue that permanently holds the jewels in place in the marble. The marble is translucent and strong.
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| The raw gems used for inlaid designs |
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| The work is exceptionally delicate. The cost of one of these art works is based on how many inlaid pieces there are, not the amount of marble. |
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