Agra

Agra is a district in the State of Uttar Pradesh in India. The district is located at 27°11' Latitude North and 78°0' to 78°2' degree Longitute East. Its Altitude is 169 meters above sea level. It is bounded in the North by Mathura District, in the South by Dhaulpur District, in the East by Firozabad District and in the West by Bharatpur.

Area of Agra district is 4027.00 sq km. Population of the district as per census 2001 was 2053993.

The 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.

History

Agra has a rich historical background. Mahabharata, the epic, referred Agra as Agravana. In the sources prior to the Mahabharata, Agra has been referred as Arya Griha or the abode of the Aryans. The first person who referred Agra by its modern name was Ptolemy.

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.

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 Agra Fort.

Modern Agra was founded by Sikandar Lodhi (Lodhi dynasty; Delhi Sultanate) in the 16th century. Emperor Akbar built the Agra fort and Fatehpur Sikri near Agra. Fatehpur Sikri remained his capital for around fifteen years after which the city was left isolated in mysterious circumstances. Jahangir beautified Agra with palaces and gardens despite spending most of his time in Kashmir with which he was passionately attached.

Agra came to its own when Shahjahan ascended to the throne of Mughal Empire. He marked the zenith of Mughal architecture, when he built the Taj in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. In his later years, Shahjahan shifted his capital to the new city of Shahjahanabad in Delhi and ruled from there. Shahjahan was dethroned in 1658 by his son, Aurangzeb who imprisoned him in the Agra Fort. Aurangzeb shifted the capital back to Agra and ruled from here till his death.

The post-Mughal era of Agra saw the rule of the Jats, Marathas and finally the British taking over the city.

Politics

Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) constituencies and their areas after delimitation order of 2008

86 Etmadpur Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 3-Etmadpur Tehsil; Ward Nos. 12, 17, 19, 28, 59, 61 & 73 in Agra (M Corp.) of 4-Agra Tehsil.

87 Agra Cantt. Vidhan Sabha Constituency (SC) - Agra CB & Ward Nos. 2, 3, 6, 7, 13, 14, 16, 20, 21, 24, 34, 40, 46, 47, 50, 52, 53, 54, 60, 65 & 68 in Agra (M Corp.) of 4-Agra Tehsil.

88 Agra South Vidhan Sabha Constituency - Ward Nos. 4, 8 to 11, 15, 18, 23, 25, 29, 30, 36 to 39, 41, 44, 49, 56, 57, 58, 63, 64, 67, 69, 71, 72, 74 to 77 & 80 in Agra (M Corp.) of 4-Agra Tehsil.

89 Agra North Vidhan Sabha Constituency - Dayalbagh NP, Swamibagh NP, Ward Nos. 1, 5, 22, 26, 27, 31, 32, 33, 35, 42, 43, 45, 48, 51, 55, 62, 66, 70, 78 & 79 in Agra (M Corp.) of 4-Agra Tehsil.

90 Agra Rural Vidhan Sabha Constituency (SC) - KCs 1-Bichpuri, 2-Akola, 3-Baroliahir, Azizpur (CT), Dhanauli (CT) & Nainana Jat (CT) of 4-Agra Tehsil.

91 Fatehpur Sikri Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 6-Kiraoli Tehsil.

92 Kheragarh Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 5-Kheragarh Tehsil.

93 Fatehabad Vidhan Sabha Constituency in Uttar Pradesh - 2-Fatehabad Tehsil.

94 Bah Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 1-Bah Tehsil.

Places of interest
Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Sikandra, Itmad ud Daula, Soor Sarovar, Chausath Khamba, Roman Catholic Cemetery, Agra, Chini ka Rauza, Mariam's Tomb, Chhatri of Raja Jaswant Singh, Dayal Bagh, Chambal Safari, Kailash Temple, Sikandra, Mankameshwar Temple at Rawatpara, Balkeshwar Temple, Guru ka Taal