Agra Excursion

 Buland Darwaza :

The Buland Darwaja or the gate of victory, was built by Akbar in 1601 in commemoration of his victory over Khandesh and Ahmednagar in Southern India. Marble and sanstone have been freely used in the construction of this structure Various other buildings situated here are all worth a visit not only for their historical importance, but also for the fine architectural work of the Mughal period.

 Salim Chisti's Tomb :

The tomb was built over the exact spot where the holy man Sheikh Salim Chisti sat in meditation during his lifetime. It is ornamented with latticed screens and serpentine brackets. Shahjahan added exquiatie pieta dura work later as a mark of respect for the saint.

 Iskon Temple :

One of the most impressive temples is another new construction, the ISKON temple, which was built with funds coming from devotees overseas. Here, the marble buildings almost glow with a light of their own and there is evidence of intricate carving. It owes its existence to Swami Prabhupada, a Hindu devotee born in Bengal in 1896. Today, ISKON is a worldwide movement with followers from many different ethnic backgrounds.

Sikandra

Vrindavan

 Bankey Bihari Temple :

One of the most important and vibrant temples is the Bankey Bihari, reached down an alleyway where one can expect to see devotees engaged in simple acts of worship such as ecstatically clashing small cymbals together as they move in time to ancient rhythms. The Bankey Bihari Temple houses a sacred image of Krishna known as Thakur Ji, which shows Krishna with an almost blackened body. Brahmins move back and forth in front of the icon, occasionally drawing across the curtain to shroud the object of devotion for a moment. The curtain is then drawn back and a great cry of Thakur Ji ! issue forth from the crowd.