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A Handbook to
Agra and the Taj
Sikandra, Fatehpur-Sikri and the Neighbourhood
byE.B. Havell, ARCA.
1904
Preface
This little book is not intended for a history or archæologicaltreatise, but to assist those who visit, or have visited, Agra, toan intelligent understanding of one of the greatest epochs of IndianArt. In the historical part of it, I have omitted unimportant names anddates, and only attempted to give such a sketch of the personality ofthe greatest of the Great Moguls, and of the times in which they lived,as is necessary for an appreciation of the wonderful monuments theyleft behind them. India is the only part of the British Empire whereart is still a living reality, a portion of the people's spiritualpossessions. We, in our ignorance and affectation of superiority,make efforts to improve it with Western ideas; but, so far, haveonly succeeded in doing it incalculable harm. It would be wiser ifwe would first attempt to understand it.
Among many works to which I owe valuable information, I should name
especially Erskine's translation of Babar's "Memoirs;" Muhammad
Latifs "Agra, Historical and Descriptive;" and Edmund Smith's
"Fatehpur-Sikri." My acknowledgments are due to Babu Abanindro
Nath Tagore, Mr. A. Polwhele, Executive Engineer, Agra, and to
Mr. J.H. Marshall, Director-General of the Archæological Survey of
India, for kind assistance rendered. I am particularly indebted to
Messrs. Johnston and Hoffman, of Calcutta, for allowing me to make
use of their valuable collection of photographs for the illustrations.
In quoting from "Bernier's Travels," I have used Constable'stranslation, with Messrs. A. Constable & Co.'s kind permission. Tothe Editor of the Nineteenth Century and After I owe permission tomake use of my article on "The Taj and its Designers," published inthat Review, June, 1903.
CALCUTTA,
January, 1904.
Contents
HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION
The Great Moguls—I. Babar—Babar's Connection with
Agra—II. Humayun—Interregnum: Shere Shah—III. Akbar—Akbar's
Connection with Agra—IV. Jahangir—Jahangir's Connection with
Agra—V. Shah Jahan—The Monuments of Shah Jahan's Reign at
Agra—VI. Aurangzîb—Agra and the Later Mogul Emperors—Agra in
the Mutiny.
THE FORT
The Mûti Masjid—The Dersane Darwaza—The Dîwan-i-âm—Jahangir's
Cistern—The Tomb of Mr. Colvin—The Inner Mîna Bazar—The Chitore
Gates—The Hindu Temple—The Machhi Bhawan—The Najina Masjid—The
Dîwan-i-Khas—Jahangir's Throne—The Baths—The Samman Burj—The Khas
Mahal—The Underground Chambers—The Anguri Bagh—Shish Mahal—The
"Somnath" Gates—The Jahangiri Mahal—The Sahmgarh.
THE JÂMI MASJID
THE TAJ
The building of the Taj—The Intention of the Taj—Description.
ITMÂD-UD-DAULAH'S TOMB
THE CHÎNÎ-KA-RAUZA
THE RAM BAGH
The Zuhara Bagh.
SIKANDRA
Akbar's Tomb—The Kanch Mahal—Suraj-Bhan-ka Bagh—Mariam Zâmâni's
Tomb.
OTHER BUILDINGS AND TOMBS AT OR NEAR AGRA
The Kali Masjid—Alawal Bilawal—The Hamman—The Roman Cat