Delhi – Agra

India Gate, is a war memorial located astride the Rajpath, on the eastern edge of the “ceremonial axis” of New Delhi, formerly called Kingsway. It stands as a memorial to 70,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who died in between 1914 and 1921 in the First World War, in France, Flanders, Mesopotamia, Persia, East Africa, Gallipoli and elsewhere in the Near and the Far East, and the third Anglo-Afghan War. 13,300 servicemen’s names, including some soldiers and officers from the United Kingdom, are inscribed on the gate. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the gate evokes the architectural style of the triumphal arch such as the Arch of Constantine, in Rome, and is often compared to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Birla Mandir refers to different Hindu temples or Mandirs built by the Birla family, designed to be lofty and spacious, suitable for congregational worship or discourses. Although built using modern technology, it very loosely conformed to the Nagara style. Teen Murti Bhavan (Teen Murti House) is the former residence in New Delhi, India of the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. He stayed there for 16 years until his own death on 27 May 1964. It was designed by Robert Tor Russell, the British architect of Connaught Place and of the Eastern and Western Courts on Janpath during the British Raj. Teen Murti Bhavan was built in 1930 as part of the new imperial capital of India, New Delhi as the residence of the Commander-in-Chief of the British Indian Army. Red fort, is a historic fort in the city of Delhi (in Old Delhi) in India that served as the main residence of the Mughal Emperors. Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned construction of the Red Fort on 12 May 1638, when he decided to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi. Originally red and white, its design is credited to architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori, who also constructed the Taj Mahal. It was constructed between May 1639 and April 1648. On 15 August 1947, the first prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, raised the Indian national flag above the Lahori Gate. Every year on India’s Independence Day (15 August), the prime ministers hoists the Indian tricolour flag at the fort’s main gate and delivers a nationally broadcast speech from its ramparts. Raj Ghat, is a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. It’s located not far from the river Yamuna and was originally the name of a historic ghat. The memorial was designed by Vanu G. Bhuta, who intended it to reflect the simplicity of the Mahatma’s life. It is uncovered, with an eternal flame that burns continuously at one end. There was the ‘Raj Ghat Gate’ of the walled city, opening at Raj Ghat on the Yamuna. Eventually, the memorial area was also called Raj Ghat. It was here where Mahatma Gandhi’s last rites were performed on January 31, 1948, a day after his death. Rastrapati Bhawan, Parliament House, Go for shopping, take some casual strolls, and relish some local street foods in the night

Have breakfast at the hotel and drive to Agra. On the way to Agra, stop at deserted capital of the Mughal empire – Fatehpur Sikri. Then we will visit Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the southern bank of the river Yamuna in the city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (reigned from 1628 to 1658) to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The construction project employed some 20,000 artisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by the court architect to the emperor, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being “the jewel of Mughal architecture, symbol of India’s rich history and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage”. The Taj Mahal attracts 7–8 million visitors per year, it was declared a winner of the New 7 Wonders of the World (2000–2007) initiative. Then we will move to see Agra Fort. This powerful fortress of red sandstone is the imperial city of the Mughal rulers. There are a number of exquisite buildings like Moti Masjid - a white marble mosque. Diwan-E-Am, Diwan-E-Khaas, Musamman Burj - where Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan died, Jahangir’s Palace, Khaas Mahal and Sheesh Mahal. Agra Fort, an excellent example of Mughal architecture, is one of the few UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. The tour ends here and get dropped back to the airport/ railway station/ bus stand for the return journey.