Dear LG Community,
I’m excited to start another series on a topic I’m passionate about : Heritage of India. This series is based on my recent heritage tour of Agra under the guidance of popular historian Sohail Hashmi.
Ram Bagh
The 7th part of this series takes us through a beautiful garden, called Ram Bagh
.
History :
This garden was originally built by Babur in 1526. Babur, whose homeland was in modern-day Uzbekistan, used to miss the fruit bearing trees and flowering shrubs. It is based on the Char-Bagh style of Persian garden style. It had sloping terrace fountains, using water drawn from the Yamuna river using Persian water wheels and it flowed into interconnected canals.
It was later renovated by Jahangir between 1615 - 1619, and he also added 2 pleasure pavilions and underground ventilated structures which provided shelter from the harsh summer sun.
This garden is relatively less crowded than the other popular Agra tourist places. We can visit it during the mornings and evenings to enjoy the peace and quiet this place provides. Sitting beneath the tree shades and enjoying the scenic view of the Yamuna river can be the exact kind of therapy our mind needs to relax and rejuvenate.
Structure 1 added by Jahangir, with a water body in the middle
Structure 2 added by Jahangir
Unique Features :
- The terraced garden was in continuous use since the Byzantine empire in the 4th Century, which later was adopted into Central Asia and then came to India through the Mughals
- The garden had many fruit bearing trees such as Anjir, Nashpati, Badam, Shahtut, Khajur etc and flowering shrubs like Aam, Amla, Amrud, Imli, Jamun, Karaunda etc.
- Most of these trees did not survive for long, due to harsh climate of Agra, however, when the Mughals conquered Kashmir, they were successful in planting these trees for a long time
- This is the first garden in India to have terraced and four quartered garden plan
- This garden was originally called Bagh-i-Gul Afshan (The Flower Scattering Garden), later was called Bagh-i-Nur Afshan (The Light Scattering Garden) by Jahangir. After Independence, the name was changed to Aaram Bagh (Resting Garden) and now is more popularly known as Ram Bagh
Saw this beautiful sunset at the Ram Bagh
Our customary group pic
Accessibility :
Tickets can be purchased online or through the ticket counter in the entrance
How to reach Agra :
- By Road : Agra is well-connected by road, notably via the Yamuna Expressway from Delhi, which offers a smooth and quick journey. You can travel by private car, taxi, or numerous bus services from surrounding cities.
- By Air: Agra has its own airport, Kheria Airport (AGR), which is primarily a military base but offers limited commercial flights, mainly connecting to Delhi. Many travelers opt to fly to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and then travel to Agra by road.
Recommended Stay Option :
- Hotel Maple Ridge
I stayed at this hotel, it is pocket friendly and easily accessible by Metro, centrally located.
Link to my previous posts in this series :
