Chapter -1

INTRODUCTION:
HISTORY AND CULTURAL
PROFILE OF AGRA REGION
 Chapter -1
Introduction
History and Cultural profile of Agra region

Agra is well known for the World Heritage Monument Taj Mahal besides many
other monuments of Mughal period. The present district of Agra in state of Uttar Pradesh
lies between 20 44' and 27 24' N Lat. and 77 28' and 78 54' E Long. The district is
strategically located bordering the states of Rajasthan in the west and Madhya Pradesh in
the south. The most important drainage system district is the river Yamuna with its
tributaries, the Chambal and Utangan and many other rivulets. The district may be
divided into four physical divisions which are formed by its major rivers the Yamuna, the
Chambal and the Utangan. The district has continental sub-tropical climate, with long,
hot summers from April to September when temperatures can reach as high as 48C
(113F). During summers dry winds (loo) blow in this region. The monsoon months
from July to September see about 67 cm (27 inches) of rainfall annually.

The people of the region

According to Census 1991, the area of Agra district is 4027.00 sqr. Km of which
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 (www.agra.nic.in). There are 941 villages in addition to the Municipal
area. It is quite interesting that 24 villages are named prefixing or suffixing Khera, 40
villages are suffixed or prefixed with nagla, 14 villages are related with word Khurd and
14 villages with the word nagar.
The people of the region are hard working in nature having fair complexion. The
traditional economy of the people was mainly agro - pastoral in nature. Now, it is
influenced by development of tourism and industrial activities. However, in rural area
the people are still following the agro-pastoral economy.
The people of the region have deep faith in Krishna cult followed by Shaiva,
Sakta, Jainism, Neo-Buddhism. Persons following Muhammadan faith are in
considerable number in the district. Traditional fairs like Ram leela, Kans Mela, Mata

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HISTORY AND CULTURAL PROFILE OF AGRA REGION

Fig. 1/1: District Map of Agra (after Nevill, 1905)

 HISTORY AND CULTURAL PROFILE OF AGRA REGION

mela, Dusshera fair, Urs etc. are celebrated in different villages. In Agra city itself,
popular religious fair related to 04 Shiva temples (Rajeswar mela, Balkeswar mela,
Prithivinath mela and Kailash mela are held every year in the month of Sravan ( Table
1/1).
The early history of the Agra district is to some extent fragmentary in nature.
Although for the most part conjectural, some of these theories indicate that the beginning
of the history of this city and region lie in the dim past, a fact supported by a number of
popular legends and traditions. During 1874, the main source of writing the history of
Agra previous to the first Muhammadan occupation was based on traditions and writings
of former or older Anglo-Indian Archaeologists (Carlleyle 1874:93).

The city of Agra as such does not find mention in any literary or epigraphical
record prior to the twelfth century A.D. But the evidence of ancient coins and of other
antiquities discovered here shows that some earlier town on the same site existed long
before the advent of the Muslims in India (Atkinson and Fishers 1884:577) and, it is said,
that the city was once known by the name of Yamabharata (Atkinson and Fisher
1884:715). However, some of the writers identify Agra region with Agravana of the
Mahabharata (Agra and Fatehpur Sikri . ,. The word ' Agravana' means an advance
post or Vana of the Vraja Mandala. Agra forms a part of the ancient Braja region
(Srivastava1958:1). However, Sikri located in Agra district has been identified with
'Saik', mentioned in the Mahabharata in connection with Sahadeva's southern conquest
on the eve of Pandava's Rajasuya yajna. Lexicons define 'Saik' as a region surrounded by
water (Sharma 2008:2).

The region never correspond to any kingdom and it was only on a few occasions
that the whole of it formed part of a single realm, very often being divided among several
bordering states. The Agra region originally formed a part of Surasena Empire with
Mathura as its capital. Prior to the sixteenth century no place in Agra district became the
seat or capital of any mighty empire or even of a big kingdom. In Traditions

Several traditions prevalent in the region regarding origin of Agra has been
interpreted by various scholars. The word 'Agra' might have been derived from

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 HISTORY AND CULTURAL PROFILE OF AGRA REGION

Table 1/1: Traditional Fairs in Agra Region

S.No. Name of Village Tehsil Fair Occasion

1. Lashkarpur Agra Tajiye 10th of Moharram

Every Year

2. Lashkarpur Agra Urs Thursday of Sawan

Month

3. Bodla Agra Urs 11th and 12th Raul

Avval

4. Swadeshahar Agra Ramlila Quar Sudidish to

Traudashi

5. Malpura Agra Dev-Chhat Bhado chhati and

Addhyan Bhudinomi

6. Malpura Agra Phou-dul Chait badi Taj

7. Midakur Agra Devi ji Chait & Bhado saptami

&Astami

8. Etora Agra Devi Ji Bhado & Chet Sudi

Astami

9. Khalua Agra Devi Ji Last Chait Puranmasi

10. Gailana Agra Chhadiya Sawan Sudi Panchami

11. Basra Agra Urs Sudvat Baishakh, First & Second

Thursday
12. Etmadpur Iitmadpur Ramlila Quar Sadi Dasmi &
Dwadasi
13. Semera Ittmadpur Ramlila Amavas to Puranmasi

14. Kirawali Kiraoli Kans-Lila & Chait Month every year

Pul-Dul
15. Rajpur Agra Rajeswar mela Sawan month 1st
Monday
16. Balkeswar Agra Balkeswar mela Sawan month 2nd
Monday
17. Prithivinath Agra Prithivinath mela Sawan month 3rd
Monday
18. Kailash (Sikandara)Agra Prithivinath mela Sawan month 4th
Monday

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HISTORY AND CULTURAL PROFILE OF AGRA REGION

Fig. 1/2: Map of India (600 B.C) showing Mahajanapadas.

 HISTORY AND CULTURAL PROFILE OF AGRA REGION

'Ugrasena ' the maternal grandfather of Lord Krishna and a Yadav ruler. Ugrasena, was
imprisoned by his son Kansa, the latter was killed by lord Krishna and restored
Ugrasena to the throne of Mathura. Later chronicles also supports the above tradition. In
his Tarikh-i-Daudi the chronicler Abdullah associates Agra with Kamsa, the tyrant who
overthrown by his sister's son, Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu. The Hindus, he writes,
assert that Agra was a stronghold in
the days of Raja Kans, the ruler of
Mathura; and who confined everyone
who displeased him in the prison
located in fort at Agra. In course of
time, the latter became the established
state prison at Agra. (Atkinson &
Fisher 1884:577). This large prison
house might have had numerous heavy
bars (argalas) for holding fast its
massive gates, which might have led to
the city being called Argalapura. A
structure in the Gokulpura locality of
the city is still known as Kans darwaza
(Kamsa's gate) (Fig 1/3). Agra of the Fig. 1/3: Kans Darwaza, Gokulpur, Agra

Hindu period was originally settled by, and named after, the 'Agarwal' race, a leading
community of the region. It can also be presumed that the word Agra is derived from "
Angira' a sage of the Mahabharata time.

Singna village located near Runukta is traditionally believed to be the place

associated with sage Shringi.

Several other derivations have also been prepared regarding the origin of the
name Agra: it is derived from agar (fire), from agwara (enclosure of fire), from Sanskrit
word agar which signifies a house or habitation, from argala (bar for keeping a door
closed), from Agravana (one of the twelve forests of Braja-mandala), from Agrawal (a

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 HISTORY AND CULTURAL PROFILE OF AGRA REGION

Fig. 1/4: Map of Agra region locating places associated with traditions.

sub-caste of the Vaishyas) and from age-rah (the site that is ahead on the way) (Atkinson
& Fisher, Carllyle 1884; Nevill 1905, Latif 1896). According to Latif, Agra is believed
to derive from the Hindi word 'agur' meaning 'salt pan' as the soil of the region being
blackish, it once used to be a place for making salt by evaporation (Latif 1896, Reprint
2003:1; Keens 1899:1). Mr. Carllyle is the first person to point out that such conjectures
have no solid foundation. According to him, if Aggrames was connected with Agra at all,
then this name must have been Ag-gramesa, for Ag-gram-eswar, that is the lord of the
town of fire, and the name of his capital would be Ag-gram (fire town). This
interpretation lead us to consider whether the Ag-raj of the Puranas might not have been
a sovereign of what now called Agra and perhaps the same as the Aggrames of Quintus
of Curtius. Ag-raj would be very likely founder of place called Agra or Ag-raj simply
signifies fire-king or king of fire. Certain Rajpur tribes are fabled to descended from the
sun or others from moon. The existence of four Agnikula tribes of Rajpur is well known
or else a king who was a chief of fire-worshipers, or a king of a place called Ag or Agr. Ag
is the modern contraction of the Sanskrit word Agni and therefore Ag-raj would be a
nearly synonymous with Agnimitra . But Ag-raj may also have been the original name
of Agra (Carllyle 1874: 94-95). The name of the old pre-Muslim fort of Agra is said to
have been Badalagarh ( ASCR Vol.IV:98) and in certain medieval books written here the
city has been mentioned by the name of Argalpura (Jaina-Sandesh-Shodhanka,

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 HISTORY AND CULTURAL PROFILE OF AGRA REGION

No.5:182-193).
A tradition associates the foundation of the city of Agra to an ancient king,
Yamaraja (or to his son), who gave it the name of Yamaprastha (Atkinson and Fisher
1884:715). Some writers say that he was the son of Raja Vena of Bayana. In Hindu
mythology Yama or Yamaraja, the lord of death, is the brother of Yamuna, the
personification of the river on the banks of which the city of Agra is situated. Another
tradition suggests that Raja Agrasena of the Solar race (who is said to have been the
progenitor of the Agrawals) founded this city and made it his capital(Crooke:15). The
old fort at Badalgarh, which once stood on or near the site of Akbar's fort, is also said to
have belonged to the age of the Mahabharata war (Dharma Bhanu 1957:1-2). In addition
to Agra, other places in Agra district also ascribed in local traditions regarding their
origin. Pinahat (in tehsil Bah) is believed to derive its name (originally Pandavahata)
from the Pandavas and the river Banaganga (also known as Utangan) to have sprung
from the jet of water which rose from the hole made in the ground by Arjuna's arrow
(Nevill 1905:137). Similarly, different traditions ascribe the foundation of the ancient
city of Shauripur, the ruins of which are spread over an area of several kilometres to the
north and north-east of the town of Bateshwar in tehsil Bah, to different persons of the
name of Shurasena-one, the son of king Kartavirya Arjun, and, the grandfather of
Krishna (Carllylle 1874: 221-222).Tod also identified Raja Suryasena with Krishna's
grandfather Sura. Cunningham suggests that the first builder of Suryapura was
Surasena, the nephew of Rama ( son of Shatrughna) (Atkinson & Fisher 1884:575). It is
believed that it is to one of these kings that the Agra-Mathura region owes the origin of its
ancient name Shurasena. (Carllyele 1874:221-222).According to the tradition of the
Jains, Shauripur was the birthplace of the 22nd tirthankara, Neminatha (Arishtanemi),
the son of Queen Shivadevi and Samudravijaya, king of Shauripur (who was a grandson
of King Sura- the founder of this city) and elder brother of Vasudeva (Krishna's father).
It is for this reason that it is a sacred place for the Jainas for whom it has been a place of a
pilgrimage since very early times and but for whom the name Shauripur would have
been lost in oblivion. (Carllyle 1874:221-222). Many local legends, too, are prevailed
about the site. Gold, silver and precious stones are found in the ground here. Once 'rained
gold and silver and gems from heaven' here many ages ago .and that in ancient times a

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 HISTORY AND CULTURAL PROFILE OF AGRA REGION

Hindu rani who happened to pass that way caused the Jain buildings of the town to be
destroyed. (Carlleyle 1874:221-222). Chandwar is associated with Krishna's father
Vasudeva, the south Yamuna tehsils of the district being usually deemed to be part of
Brajamandala, 'that circle of 84 kos' which is traditionally associated with the early life
of Krishna. (Growse:68,74, 75). In some medieval books Brajamandala is actually
described as extending east as far as Janhu-vana or the village of Shurasena, both places
being identified with modern Bateshwar (ancient Shauripur). Bateshwar derives its
name from its principal deity, Vateshvaranatha Mahadeva, whose shrines is believed to
have originally stood here under a vata (banyan) tree. (Atkinson and Fisher 1884:718,
Carllyle 1874:222-224). The place is also said to have been the hermitage of two
mythical women ascetics, Anusuya and Shabari (Agra, Ek Sanskritik Parichaya, p.10).
The village Runakta located on Agra-Delhi road is associated with Renuka, the wife of
rishi Jamadagni and mother of the Brahmana Champion Parashurama, an incarnation of
Vishnu. Parashurama is said to have killed his mother and brothers here at the bidding of
his father. (Agra, Ek Sanskritik Parichaya, 1958:8; Atkinson & Fisher 1884:577). A
pond in the village Birthala in Kheragah tehsil is associated with the mythical kunda at
which Indra celebrated by festivities his victory over the demon Vritrasura (Atkinson
and Fisher: 577,720). A place on the right bank of Yamuna beyond Tajganj is associated
with the legendary Raja Bhoja ( Carllyle 1874 :96-97) and village Luhenta (on the bank
of river Khari, near Iradatnagar in tehsil Kheragah is associated with legendary
Banaphar heroes, Alha and Udala (Agra, Ek Sanskritik Parichaya 1958:3).

Numismatic Evidence
After the discovery of some two thousand silver coins dug up from Agra by
Colonel Tod in 1869 provided material culture for early history of Agra. Prior to it the
history was based on literature or local traditions. Those coins bear an inscription in
ancient western form of Sanskrit which Carllyele reads as Guhila Sri or Sri Guhila.
Cunningham relates to those coins to Narwar coin with the name Sri Guhila Pati. The
style of these coins except four coins were different from the coins found from Agra. The
style of the four coins were remarkably similar type and style of Pasupati (who ruled
between A.D. 285 to 310 A.D.), the son of Toramana (ruled between 260-285 A.D.), on

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 HISTORY AND CULTURAL PROFILE OF AGRA REGION

whose basis Cunningham conjectured that the coins of Guhila Pati belongs to the same
family. Carllyele advocated that Raja Bhoj who built the garden palace at Agra may be
the Bhoja, the successor of Guhila Sri, or Sri Gohadit of the Gehlot dynasty of Mewar.

Other Archaeological evidence

The explorations and excavations in the region have revealed pre-historic and
proto historic and historic remains from different places of Agra region. The research
conducted so far has not revealed any evidence of early stone age culture from proper
Agra District region. Lower palaeolithic artifacts were found from Govardhan hill
adjoining Agra district (IAR 1974-75:48). However, microliths were discovered from
Khera village situated near Fatehpur Sikri, which included blades, points etc. made of
carnelian, agate and other varieties of quartz. (IAR 1958-59:74). The Archaeological
Survey of India discovered 12 rock shelters in the hillock of Rasulpur, situated 4 km from
Fatehpur Sikri. Rock paintings were found in some of these shelters. Microlithic tools
were also reported from this site (IAR 1976-77:48.) Microliths (lunate of chalcedony),
flakes etc. are again reported in 1999-2000 from a site situated near the foothills of the
largest rock-shelter at Rasulpur (Prabhakar et al. 2001). The upper Vindhyan ranges red
sandstone formations have formed a cup shaped valley between two outcrops running
south-west to north-east near Fatehpur Sikri which formed a vast natural lake. The entire
area is a pre-historic site, with abundant water, forest and raw material, it was ideal for
primitive man's habitation (Sharma 2008:5). The rock shelters are located on the
periphery of the natural lake, in the hillocks of upper Vindhyan ragnes at Bandrauli,
Jajauli, Patsal, Madanpura and Rasulpur. Rock paintings were discovered at places like
Bandrauli, Jajauli, Patsal and Rasulpur in 1963-64 (IAR 1963-64:91). Two rock shelters
with paintings at Jharauthi in tehsil Kiraoli was discovered in 1965-66 (IAR 1965-66,
:76). The ASI, Northern Circle explored three rock shelters at Bandrauli and two at
Madanpura in 1976-77 . The paintings found in these rock shelters are assigned to
different periods. The earliest paintings executed in dark chocolate pigment, consist of
linier human figures and elongated bull like animals reminiscent of those on the
chalcolithic pottery of Navdatoli. The later paintings include hunting scenes, with boar,
stags, bull, horse-riders, sword and shield bearing human figures and Ramayana themes.

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 HISTORY AND CULTURAL PROFILE OF AGRA REGION

A stray microlithic flake was also reported from one of the rock shelter. (IAR 1976-77:
48.) The discovery of microliths with fluted cores and potsherds akin to OCP pottery at
Patsal suggest that antiquity of this region goes back to pre-historic period (Kumar and
Sharma 1993:27).

Proto historic & early historic

Proto-historic cultural remains were found in the form of Painted Grey ware
pottery from surface explorations at number of sites like Poiya Ghat, Runukta,
Bateshwar, Sadhwara, Khalaua, Hada Mahal at Fatehpur Sikri etc. conducted from time
to time(IAR 1955-56:71; 1965-66: 41; 1982-83: 90 & 1987-88:105, 1988-89:81-82 ).
The surface findings have been corroborated by the results of excavations at Sadhwara
and Hada Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri which has revealed Ochre Colour Pottery, Black- and -
Red ware and PGW cultures. The excavation at Hada Mahal has also yielded remains of
early historical cultures belonging to Sunga-Kushana, Gupta and Medieval period. The
details findings from these will be dealt in separate chapters. The same sites have also
yielded remains of Northern Black Polished Pottery, Sunga, Kushana, Gupta and
historical period cultural remains (IAR 1987-88:105, 1988-89:81-82). Mauryan bricks
have been discovered from Agra itself. Excavations at Bir Chhabili Tila, Fatehur Sikri
has further added a cultural sequence ranging from post Gupta period to the Medieval
period. The excavation has revealed a temple plan of 10-11th Cent. A.D. belonging to the
Jaina sect. 35 Jaina sculptures have been recovered from the excavation which include
the Sruti Devi Jaina Saraswati representing art of classical age (IAR 1999:157-169;
Sharma et.al 2001:55-73; Sharma 2008 ).

The invasion of Mahmud of Ghazni, though Muslim invasions, were merely

transient episodes in the history of Hindu rule. It was until his ninth expedition, in 1017,
that Mahmud penetrated beyond the Punjab; and that during this ninth expedition he
sacked Mathura, Mahaban and other places adjoining the Agra district. During his tenth
expedition in 1022, Mahmud visited Kalinjar and Kannauj, being opposed at the outset
of his operations by Jaipal-II, king of Lahore (Atkinson, 1884). He had never attacked
Agra. Some historian doubts about the attack on Agra by Mahmud of Ghazni. The
Chandwar fort lies on the bank of Jumna in tehsil Firozabad (which was part of former

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 HISTORY AND CULTURAL PROFILE OF AGRA REGION

Agra district). It is possible and even likely that Mahmud attacked this also. After the
sack of Mathura he invaded the stronghold of Chandpal, which Chandrapal, its
possessor managed to escape. Now a raja Chandrapal or Chandpal was second in
descent from that Chandrasen the Chauhan who founded Chandwar. The Bhadauriya
traditions assert that it was Chandrapal who founded the Chandwar fort, while
Chandrasen founded the town. Chandpal may very well have been a contemporary of
Mahmud. The Chauhan took up strong position around Chandwar.

The word Agra has been mentioned in the literary works of 11th century A.D. by
Khwajah Mas'ud bin Sa'd bin Salman in his diwan (anthology of poems) written in praise
of the Ghaznavide sovereigns, e.g. Ma'sud, Ibrahim, and Bairam Shah, inform that
Abu'l Muzaffar Sultan Ibrahim, the ruler of Ghazni, a descendent of more famous
Mahmud of Ghazni (who was the first successful Turkish invader of our country from
the north-west), appointed Mahmud Shah the governor of Hind around A.H. 469/ 1075-
76 A.D. Mahmud Shah invaded the fort of Agra in 1080/81 A.D. in which the poet was
personally present at Agra. The poet observed: The fort of Agra is built amdist the sand,
like a hill, and the battlements of it are like hillocks. No calamity had ever befallen its
fortifications, nor had deceitful time dealt treacherously dealt with it. After tough fight
with the Hindu ruler of the region, the fort was seized by Ghavnavide army.

During the period of the reigns of Slave dynasty of Delhi Sultanate, Khiljis and
Tughluqs, Agra has not been specifically mentioned. Many local dynasties took
possession of different places in the Agra region, as practically there was no control of
the region by the Delhi sultans. The Panwars established in the Khairagarh , the Moris
who came from Chittor occupied Kiraoli , the Sikarwars took possession of Sikri. The
Chauhans came from Chandwar in the end of the 14th Century and established a
principality at Hatkant by defeating the Meos from Bah and Pinahat. The Chauhans of
Chandawar after establishment at Hatkant were later called Bhadauriyas. During the
reign of Sayyid' Alau'd- Din (1445- 51 A.D.), Agra has been specifically mentioned as a
dependency of Bayana . In the year 1478 A.D. Bahlol Lodi (1451-88 ) , the father of
Sikandar Lodi defeated the Sharqis of Jaunpur , but failed to annex Gwalior . Sikandar

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Lodi ascended the throne of Delhi in 1489 A.D. It was at this time Sultan Asraf, the
Governor of Bayana rebelled against the Lodi. Haibat Khan, the Governor of Agra
(Agra was a Pargana of Bayana) also followed the way of the Governor of Bayana and
rebelled . To suppress the rebellion Sikandar Lodi sent a strong force seize Agra and he
himself went to Bayana. Agra and Bayana were recovered in A.H 897 / 1492 A.D.
Sikandar Lodi appointed Khan-I- Khanan Farmauli as the governor of Bayana and
Safdar Khan as the governor of Agra.

The beginning of the 16th century marked a turning point in the history of Agra.
Sikandar Lodi (1489-1517 A.D.), the second ruler of the Lodi dynasty of Delhi was keen
to establish a permanent headquarter in a strategic location to conquer Dholpur, Gwalior
and Malwa. Agra occupied the central position for all these states. In 1504 A.D. He chose
Agra to be the capital of his extensive empire (Latif 1896:5). After 1504 A.D. onwards
for half a century Agra remained the first city of the Empire. Sikandar Lodi died in the
Agra Fort in 1517 A.D. and was succeeded by his son and successor Ibrahim Lodi who
held the empire for nine years. In the first battle of Panipat in 1526 A.D. Babur defeated
Ibrahim Lodi. The Sultanate dynasty of Delhi came to an end with the defeat of last Lodi
ruler and beginning of Mughal rule in India began.

Mughal dynasty was founded by Babur, the first Mughal who belonged to
Central Asia. Immediately after the battle of Panipat, Babur sent his eldest son Humayun
to Agra to seize the treasury. He himself reached Agra with the main army in May and
dismounted the mansion of Sulaiman Farmuli , the Lodi Governor of Agra . The family
of Bikramjit, the king of Gwalior was imprisoned in the fort of Agra. Later on, they
surrendered to Humayun and a vast treasure was seized by the Mughals, which include
the gem, which was later named Koh-i-Noor. Babur distributed the sized treasure from
Agra to the people.

Even in the time of Mughals Agra retained its status as the capital of Northern
India. The town steadily gained in importance and soon become the first city of India
under Akbar and his two immediate successors. With the unerring instinct of a strategist,
Babar, (1525-1530 A.D.) selected Agra for his residence after defeating the last Lodi

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Sultan, Ibrahim, at the first battle of Panipat in April 1526. The founder of the Mughal
Empire in India built an unpretentious palace and a few baths, and laid out a beautiful
garden known as Hasht Bihisht or Nur-I-Afshan garden or Gulafshan, in Persian called
Charbagh (Latif 1896:11). Its ruins can be seen even today on the other side of the river
Yamuna, popularly known as Ram Bagh. The successor of Babur, Humayun ( 1540-45
A.D.) followed the example. But it was in the time of Akbar that this city attained world-
wide fame. Akbar the Great (1556-1605 A.D.) demolished Sikandar Lodi's brick fort and
erected a new and more stately edifice at the same site on the western bank of Yamuna,
and added many magnificent buildings, including residential palaces, audience halls,
offices and gardens. The Mughal city of Agra, therefore, lay on the western or right bank
of the river, whereas that of the time of the Lodis was situated on the east or left bank.
"Agra is a large city," writes Akbar's court historian Abul Fazal, "and possesses a healthy
climate. Akbar's son, Jahangir, gives as graphic picture of the fort and the city in his well
known autobiography, Tuzuk-I-Jahangiri. Such a fort, according to him did not exist
anywhere in the world. Early European travelers such as Ralph Fitch, John Hawkins,
Edward Terry and others corroborate Jahangir's description. "Agra is very great city and
populous," writes Ralph Fitch who visited the place in September 1585, "built with
stone, having faire and large streets with a faire river running by it, which fallen into the
gulf of Bengala. It hath ? a faire castle and strong, with a very faire ditch .......Agra and
fatepore are two very great cities either of these is much greater than London and very
populous .... Hither is great resource of merchants from Persia and out of India, and very
much merchandise of silk and cloth and of precious stones both rubies and diamonds and
pearls" (Foster 1921:17-18). Another traveler William Finch, visited Agra in the first
decade of the 17th century A.D. He writes " it is spacious, large, populous beyond
measure, that you can hardly pass in the streets which are for the most part dirty and
narrow, save only the great bazaar and some few others, which are large an fair (Nath
1990:62).
During the reigns of Jahangir (1605-1627 A.D.) and Shahjahan
(1628-1657 A.D.) Agra continued to grow in population wealth and magnificence. " The
habitable part of Agra". Writes Jahangir in his autobiography, "extends to both sides of
the river. And on its west side, which has a greater population, its circumference is 7 kos

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 HISTORY AND CULTURAL PROFILE OF AGRA REGION

and its breadth is one kos. The circumference of the inhabited part on the other side of the
river, the side towards the east is 2.5 kos. But in the number of its buildings it is equal to
several cities of Iraq Khurasan and Trans-Qxina put together. Many persons have
erected buildings of 3 lanes and bazaars". Although Shahajahan built a new city at Delhi
and named it Shahjahanabad, Agra was in fact the city of his heart, He spent most of his
time at Agra and immortalized it by erecting the famous Taj Mahal wherein the mortal
remains of his favorite queen as also his own are interred. He pulled down many red
sandstone palaces of his grand-father in the Agra fort and replaced them by beautiful
white marble edifices. During his reign Agra become the centre of new culture in the
East.
With the accession of Aurangzeb (1658-1707 A.D.) Agra fell from high imperial
favour. Aurangzeb transferred the court back to Delhi. But its "cultural and strategic
importance remained unaffected and in official correspondence it continued to be
referred to as the second capital of the Empire.
Agra was not only the capital of the Mughal Empire but it was also the head
quarters of the province known as the Agra Subah and remained so until 1803 before it
was conquered by the British. Agra became part of the North-western province of Agra
and Oudh. The size of the district reduced from time to time.
The history of Agra region from Mughal period onward is well established on the
basis of various written documents. The pre-Mughal cultural history of the region is
fragmentary in nature and require more attention to through more light.
The present dissertation Cultural Study of Agra Region in the perspective of
Archaeological Excavations and Explorations aims at understanding the roots and
development of the early cultural history of Agra region by means of proper scientific
study of the explored and excavated sites.
The research methodology like study of the available literature and reference,
visiting library and archives for collection of published data and unpublished data, study
of the excavated materials and reserved collection of antiquities kept with the agency
like ASI, and field work in the form of exploratory survey in order to recheck the already
explored sites and locate more archaeological site and remains in Agra region has been
adopted, analytical study for drawing conclusion is followed.

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 HISTORY AND CULTURAL PROFILE OF AGRA REGION

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Sharma, D.V., et al., 2001.Excavation at Bir Chhabili tila, Sikri in Puratattva No.31:55 -73
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