India Revealed: Delhi, Agra & the Taj Mahal

Destination: Delhi & Agra, India

Travel guidebook summary

Our guidebook takes you on a tour of Delhi & Agra’s premier monuments, revealing their artistic and architectural splendors.

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★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Unique guidebook
I used this guide in India and found the commentary, highlighted diagrams, spotlight photographs, and author’s tips most helpful to get the most from my visit.

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Message from the author

“One of the fascinating things this guidebook does is reveal the extent to which the masterpiece Taj Mahal is connected to many earlier structures built by the Mughals and in many respects reflects yet another refinement of an existing aesthetic.”

Jennifer Raezer | Founder & Author, Approach Guides

Delhi & Agra: About this Guidebook

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Guidebook details

Guidebook Description

Delhi and Agra are the former capitals of Islamic dynasties that controlled much of the Indian subcontinent from the 13th-19th centuries. Together, the cities hold an unrivaled collection of art and architecture: mosques with towering minarets that call the faithful to prayer; gardens with designs that recreate Quranic paradise; and tombs with inlaid stone decoration that spark contemplation of the divine. Not to mention the culmination of it all: the Mughal dynasty’s famed Taj Mahal, an “equal to it the eye of the Age has not seen under these nine vaults of the enamel-blue sky.” It is yours to discover.

What’s in this guidebook

Art and architecture review. We provide an overview of Indian Islamic art and architecture, isolating trademark features that you will see again and again while touring Delhi and Agra. To make things come alive, we have packed our review with high-resolution images.
Tour of the highlights. Following our tradition of being the most valuable resource for culture-focused travelers, we offer a tour of Delhi and Agra’s greatest Islamic monuments (see itinerary below). For each, we reveal its most important architectural and decorative features and offer a discussion that ties it all together.
Advice for getting the best cultural experience. To help you plan your visit, this guidebook supplies logistical advice, maps and links to online resources. Plus, we give our personal tips for getting the most from your experience while on location.
Information the way you like it. As with all of our guides, this book is optimized for intuitive, quick navigation; information is organized into bullet points to make absorption easy; and images are marked up with text that explains important features.

Tour itinerary

Delhi: Humayun’s Tomb, Jama Masjid, Quwwat-al-Islam Mosque (including Qutb Minar and Alai Darwaza Gateway), Safdarjung’s Tomb and the Tomb of Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq. See in Google Maps.
Agra: Akbar’s Tomb, Taj Mahal and the Tomb of I’timad-ud-Daulah (Baby Taj). See in Google Maps.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Watch Before You Go

ISLAMIC ART & ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA

Meet the Builders

Primary Structures

Tombs
Walled Gardens
Mosques

Architectural Features

Trademark Features
Domes

Decoration

Common Types
Stone Inlay

DELHI MAP AND TOUR ITINERARY

1. Jama Masjid *

Layout
Appearance
Interior of Prayer Hall

2. Humayun’s Tomb *

Entrance and Garden
Mausoleum Appearance
Mausoleum Layout

3. Safdarjung’s Tomb

Entrance and Garden
Mausoleum Appearance
Mausoleum Layout

4. Quwwat-al-Islam Mosque *

Layout and History
4a. Qutb Minar
4b. Original Mosque
4c. Alai Darwaza Gateway

5. Tomb of Ghiyath Al-Din Tughluq

Mausoleum Appearance
Inside the Mausoleum

AGRA MAP AND TOUR ITINERARY

1. Akbar’s Tomb *

Entrance Gate
Garden
Mausoleum Appearance
Mausoleum Layout

2. Tomb of I’timad ud-Daulah (Baby Taj)

Entrance and Garden
Mausoleum Appearance
Mausoleum Layout
Decoration

3. Taj Mahal *

Entrance Gate
Garden
Mausoleum Appearance
Mausoleum Layout
Inside the Mausoleum

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

India’s Islamic Dynasty Timeline
Continuing Travel in India

Our Recommendations

Where to Stay, Eat and Shop
Packing List

About Approach Guides

Additional Info

Extras to enhance your trip

Video

Watch our video that explains how the Taj Mahal was influenced by Humayun’s Tomb