| Voice of Agra : Shabnam
Saifi
Education quality is poor.
High drop out rate.
Teacher quality and attention to students an issue.
Health infrastructure needs enhancement
Agra
District
Area, Population & Sex Ratio
Geographical Area : 4 027.0 Km2
Population in Agra (Census 2011)
Total Population
Total : 4,380,793
Male : 2,356,104
Female : 2,204,689
Under 6 population
Total : 638,983
Male : 348,298
Female : 290,685
Disabled population
Total disabled population : 93959
In seeing : 59063
In speech : 6371
In hearing : 3121
In movement : 18968
Mental : 6436
Rank (VoiceOfBharat.org Analysis
)
Backwardness : Does not figure in list of 447 backward
districts
HIV : Does not figure in A & B Category dists
HIV Category District : C (HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 -2006)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Disability : 22 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 329 (Census 2001)
Total Electrified Villages 2003-04 : 812
Total Electrified Villages 2003-04 : 15
Total Electrified SCHEDULE Caste Localities Villages 2003-04 : 788
Sex Ratio Rank : 31
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
Water : Occurrence of High Arsenic in Ground Water, Flouride in
Groundwater above permissible limits.
Villages in Agra district
Visit
villages
Year 2001 data in old format
Agra District
Information
Agra District History
Agra is the one of the prominent destinations of the World Tourism
map with three heritage monuments-The Taj Mahal, Red Fort & Fatehpur
Sikri. It is more just a dacadent city of graveyards and stones,
but it is a vibrant centre of Culture, Art and Religious philosphies
that have enriched mankind and shaped humen thought over centuries.
Agra is situated in the State of Uttar Pradesh, India. Agra is famous
for handicrafts products such as Inley work on Marvel, Leather work,
Footwear, Brasswear, Carpets, Jwellery, Zari and Embroidery work.
It is also well known for Petha, Dalmoth and Gajak.
Origin and Development
Agra is the city of the inimitable Taj Mahal. The story of agra
beigns much earlier then the Taj, However it finds mention in the
epic Mahabharata when it was called Agrabana are Paradise. Ptolemy,
the famous second century A.D. geographer, marked it on his map
of the world as Agra. Tradition and legend ascribe the present city
of Raja Badal Singh (around 1475 A.D.) whose Fort, Badalgarh, Stood
on or near the site of the present Fort. However, the 12th century
A.D. persian poet Salman, too, Speaks of a desperate assault on
the forrtress of Agra, then held by one King Jaipal, by sultan Mahmud
of Ghazni. It was Mughals who finally nurtured Agra with the finest
monuments architects could design : The Taj Mahal of Shah Jhan,
Agra Fort of Akbar, Itmad-Ud-Daulah and neighbouring Sikandra are
but few of the many that spangle the city, each of which stands
in mute testimony to the city's grandur over the ages.
Location, Boundaries and Weather
The Agra district is situated in western U.P., between 27.11'
degree Latitude North and 78.0' degree to 78.2' degree Longitute
East. Its Altitude is 169 meters above sea level. On the North it
is bounded by Mathura District, On the South it is bounded by Dhaulpur
District, On the East it is bounded by Firozabad District and On
the West it is bounded by Bharatpur. Agra is situated on the bank
of Yamuna river. In Agra Maximum Temperature in Summer is 45D.C.
and minimum temperature is about 21.9D.C. and in Winter maximum
temperature in131.7D.C. and minimum temp. in about 4.2D.C.. Best
season for tourist in from October to March.
Area and Population
According to Census 1991, the are of Agra district is 4027.00
sqr. km., Where Rural area is 3838.60 sqr. km. and Urban area is
188.40 sqr. km.. Its Total Population is 27,51,021 out of which
Males are 15,01,927 and Females are 12,49,094. Of the Total Population,
16,39,935 constitute the Rural Population and 11,11,086 are makes
the Urban Population.
Infrastructure
The Agra district is divided into Six Tehsils and 15 Blocks.
Total number of Nayay Panchayats in the district are 114 while Gram
Sabhas stands at 636. The total populated villages are 904. The
total number of police stations in the district are 41 out of which
16 are in Urban area and 25 are in Rural area. The total number
of Railway Stations (including Halts) are 29 and Bus Stands/Bus
Stops are 144. Total number of Broad Guage lines is 196 K.M. and
Meter Guage is 35 K.M..
Economy
Primarily the Economy of the Agra district is agriculture based
while the economy base of Agra city is Small Scale Industries, Commerce
and Trade. Major crops are Wheat, Paddy, Bajra, Mustard, Patato
etc. About 40% of the total economy of Agra depend on industry (Directly
or Indirectly). Over 7200 Small Scale Industrial Units are spared
all over the district. Agra city is famous for the Leather Goods,
Handicrafts, Zari Zardozi, Marvel and Stone carving & inlay work.
Agra is also welknown for eats sweets (PETHA) and Snaks (DALMOTH
AND GAJAK).
Forest
The headquarter of Social Forestry, Agra division is at Agra,
which is under Divisional Director social forestry. At district
level there is a district forest officer. The main work of the forest
department is to make a proper balance in environment, to prevent
land sliding, to make the better climate by plantation and protection
to forest animals. To increase the forest area, to avoid the cutting
of trees in the forest area.
Information
Information department is an interface between public
and government. The main aim of this department is to make publicity
as much as possible of government activities and policies.
For this purpose they use several books, press advertisement, an
article, news reel, documentary films and exhibitions.
At district level, there is a district information
officer who is linked to public through media. He is also responsible
to all press release of district administration.
HOW TO REACH AGRA
BY AIR
Indian airlines connects Agra to Delhi, Khajuraho
and Varanasi. Kheria Airport is about 9 km. from Govt. of India
Tourist Office.
BY RAIL
Agra is a major railway junction on main
broad guage routes to the south, east and west. Two of the
best trains viz. Shatabdi Express (between Delhi and Bhopal) and
Taj Express (between Delhi and Gwalior) are available to access
agra. Some other train servicing the city are : G.T. Express (New
Delhi to Chennai), Dadar Express (Mumbai to Amritsar), Jhelum Express
(Jammu to Pune), Kalinga Utkal Express (New Delhi to Puri), Karnataka
Express (New Delhi to Trivendrum), Ujjani Express (Dehradoon to
Ujjain) and Hyderabad Express (New Delhi to Hyderabad).
BY ROAD
Agra, on cross roads of national highways
2, 3 and 11, is excellently connected to all parts of the country.
Some important road distances from Agra are: Bharatpur-54 km., Delhi-204
km., Gwalior-119 km., Jaipur-232 km., Khajuraho-400 km., Lucknow-369
km., Mathura-450 km., Nainital-353 km., Varanasi-605 km. and Mussorie-417
km.
Tourist Places
TAJ MAHAL
Completed in 1653 A.D., The Taj Mahal built by the Mughal Emperor
Shah Jahan as the final resting place for his favourite Queen, Mumtaz.
Finished in by Marvel, it is perhaps India most fascinating and
beautiful monument. This perfectly symmetrical monuments took 22
years (1630-1652) of hard labour and 20,000 workers, Masons and
Jewellers to built and is set amidst landscaped gardens. Built by
the Persian architect, Ustad Isa, The Taj Mahal the bank of the
Yamuna river. It can be observed like a Mirage from the Agra Fort
from where Emperor Shah Jahan stared at it, for the last eight years
his life as a prisoner of his son Aurangzeb. It is a masterpiece
of symmetry, Seeming to be floating in the air from a distance,
and each revealed as an illusion experienced as one enters through
the main gate. The verses of Holy Koran as inscribed on it and at
the top of gate 22 small domes, signifying the number of years the
monument took to built. The Taj Mahal has been built on a Marvel
Plateform that stands above a standstone one. The most elegant dome
of the Taj, with diameter of 60 feets, rises 80 feets, over the
building and directly under the dome is the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal.
Shah Jahan's tomb has been irected next to her's by his son Aurangzeb.
Fantastic Inley works using semi-precious stones decorate and interiors.
Open Time : 6 A.M. to 7.30 P.M. (Friday is closed)
AGRA FORT
The great Mughal Emperor Akbar commissioned the construction
of the Agra Fort in 1565 A.D., although additions were made till
the time of his grandson Shah Jahan. The forbidding exteriors of
this fort hight an inner pardise. The fort is crescent shaped, flattended
on the east with a long, nearly straight wall facing the river.
It has a total perimeter of 2.4 k.m., and is ringed by double castellated
ramparts of red sandstone punctuated at regular intervals by bastions.
A 9 mt. wide and 10 mt. deep moat surround the outer wall.
There are number of exquisite building like the
Moti Masjid-a white marvel mosque akin to a perfect pearl, Diwan-e-Am,
Diwan-e-Khaas, Jehangir's Palace, Khaas Mahal, Shish Mahal and Musamman
or Samman Burj-where Shahjahan was held captive in 1666 A.D. Open
Time : Sunrise to Sunset.
SIKANDRA
The mausolumn of emperor Akbar represent his philosphy and secular
outlook, combining the best of Hindu and Muslim architectures in
a superlative region. Completed in 1613 A.D. by his son Jahangir,
it is one of the well preserved monuments. This is the last resting
place of the Mughal Empror Akbar. Open Time : Sunrise to Sunset.
ITMAD-UD-DAULAH
Itmad-ud-Daulah is the tomb of Mirza Ghyas Beg, a persian who
had obtained service in Akbar Court. The Marvel tomb was made by
Emperor Jehangir's Queen, Noorjahan, for his father Mirza Ghyas
Beg during 1622-1628 A.D..
The Craftmanship at Itmad-ud-Daulah foreshadows
that of the Taj Mahal. It was here that. "Pietra Dura"-the inlay
work on marble-so characteristic of the Taj-was first used. Open
Time : Sun rise to Sunset.
FATEHPUR SIKRI
Fatehpur Sikri is an epic in red sandstone. A city of yeasteryear,
today lost in the mists of time. Fatehpur Sikri was built by the
Mughal Emperor Akbar during 1564 A.D.. Mughal Emperor Akbar had
no heir. He visited holy men to enlist their prayers for his son.
When he visited Sheikh Salim Chishti who was living at the village
of Sikri the saint foretold the emperor that he would be blessed
with a son. When is son was born, he is gratitude, constructed his
capital city and named it Fatehpur Sikri. Later, due to sortage
of water and unrest in North-West, Akbar has to abandon this city.
The beautiful marvel tomb of Sheikh Salim Chishti still attract
thousands who seek blessings of the revered saint. Other renowned
places are Dewane-e-Am, Dewane-e-Khaas, Buland Darwaja, Panch Mahal,
Jodha Bai Palace and Birbal Bhawan. Fatehpur Sikri is about 39 K.M.
from Agra. Open Time : Sunrise to Sunset.
RADHA SWAMI SAMADHI
This is the head quarter of Radhaswami religion, here the holy
ashes of the founder of the faith have been preserved. On the sprawing
lawns here, is a beautiful marvel temple with beautiful carving
of fruits, flowers, leavesand plants which have been reduced into
stone true to nature, and are distinctive speciments of the plastic
arts. This is under construction for almost 100 years.
Open Time : 9 A.M. to 5.30 P.M.
TAJ MAHOTSAV (SHILPGRAM)
Come February, and it's springtime. The time of the year when
nature dawns all its colourful splendour and Agra bursts into colourful
celebrations. For 10 days there is sheer celebration of U.P.'s rich
heritage of arts, crafts, culture, cuisine, dance and music. Yes,
it is Taj Mahotsav time again. There are festivities all around
and Agra truly puts on the colours of joy and gets transformed into
one non-stop carnival. Organised by U.P. Tourism and held as an
annual event at Shilpgram, literally next door to the Taj Mahal,
the Taj Mahotsav is indeed a fitting tribute to the legendary skills
of mastercraftsman and other exponents of art, music and cuisine.
Not only this, it is also a gentle peep into the rich heritage and
extraordinary legacies of this wounderful land. The festivities
commence with a spectacular procession inspired by mughal splendour.
Bedecked elephanbts and camels, drum beaters, folk artistes and
mastercraftsmen... all help recreate a visual delight reminiscent
of the golden era of the Mughal Darbars.
18-27 FEBRUARY
OTHER PLACES
CHINNI KA ROJA This was constructed by Afzal Khan, A high
official in the court of Shah Jahan. Decorated by glazed tiles on
the facade, the structrure clearly depicts the Persian influence
in architecture.
Open : Sunrise to Sunset
MARIYAM'S TOMB This uniqe tomb in red sandstone
was built in 1611 A.D. a memory of Emperor Akbar's Goan christian
wife Mariyam. The tomb has some exceptional carvings.
Open : Sunrise to Sunset
JAMA MASJID This building, with a rectangular
open forecourt was constructed in 1648 A.D., by Shah Jahan's daughter,
Jehanera Begum in memory of the famous Shiekh Salim Chistti and
his grand son Islam Khan. Of perticular importants is its wounderful
assimilation of Iranian architecture.
RELIGIOUS PLACES
KAILASH TEMPLE
MANKAMESHWAR TEMPLE
BALKESHWAR TEMPLE
PRITHVINATH TEMPLE
RAJESHWAR TEMPLE
GURU KA TAL GURUDWARA
BAPTIST CHURCH
CATHOLIC CHURCH
DIGAMBAR JAIN MANDIR
OTHER TOURIST PLACES NEAR AGRA
BATESHWAR (ABOUT 65 K.M.)
KEETHAM LAKE (ABOUT 23 K.M.)
MATHURA (ABOUT 53 K.M.)
VIRNDAWAN (ABOUT 65 K.M.)
KEOLADEO NATIONAL PARK (GHANA BIRD SANCTUARY) BHARATPUR (ABOUT 65
K.M.)
PATNA BIRD SANCTUARY (ABOUT 54 K.M.)
CHAMBAL SAFARI (ABOUT 80 K.M.)
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