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Agartala ( English: Bengali pronunciation: [agorot̪ɔla] (listen) ) is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Tripura, situated on the banks of Hoara River, about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the border with Bangladesh and about 2,499 km (1,52 mi) from the National Capital New Delhi. According to 2022 census, Agartala is the third-most populous city in Northeast India with a population of about 5.7 lakh (0.57 million). It is India's third international internet gateway and being developed under the Smart Cities Mission . | Agartala Introduction | LOC India, LOC Bangladesh, LOC Northeast India, ORG Cities Mission, LOC Agartala, LOC Tripura, LOC New Delhi, LOC Hoara River |
Agartala is a derivative of two words, namely agar, a valuable perfume and incense tree of genus Aquilaria, and the suffix tala, meaning underneath, a reference to the density of agarwood trees in the region. The agar tree is historically referred to in the story of the King Raghu who tied up his elephant's feet to an agar tree on the banks of River Lauhitya. | Agartala Etymology | PER Raghu, LOC River Lauhitya |
One of the earliest kings of Tripura was Patardan B.C. 1900, long before the Manikya Dynasty. According to folklore, Chitrarath, Drikpati, Dharmapha, Loknath Jivandharan were important kings during the time of B.C. in Agartala.In the past, Tripura served as the capital to several Hindu kingdoms. Although a timeline of the rulers has not been found, records reveal that the area has been ruled by as many as 179 Hindu rulers, starting from the mythological King Druhya to the last King of Tripura, Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya. Tripura also came under Mughal rule. The state came under the governance of the British in 1808.Much later the ancient capital of the then princely state 'Swadhin Tripura' was at Rangamati (Udaipur, South Tripura) by the bank of the river Gomati. In 1760 it was shifted by the Maharaja Krishna Chandra Manikya Bahadur (r.1829–1849) of Manikya Dynasty to present old Agartala by the bank of the river Haora/Saidra and was named 'Haveli'. Due to frequent invasion of the Kukis and also to keep easy communication with the British Bengali, the Maharaja Krishna Chandra Manikya started the process of shifting the capital from Old Haveli to New Haveli (present Agartala) in 1849.During the British Raj, Agartala was the capital of the 'Hill Tippera' state; it became a municipality in 1874–75, and in 1901 had a population of 9,513. The princely state always remained as cake piece to the British and many other invaders. For example, when Arakhan soldiers attacked the old capital of the state the king of Tripura responded by defeating the entire troop.
The Agartala Municipality was established during the reign of Maharaja Bir Chandra Manikya (1862–1896) within an area of 3 square miles (8 km2) having a population of only 875 by a royal proclamation in the last part of 1871. A.W.S. Power, the first British political agent for Tipperah was also appointed as the Chairman of the Agartala Municipality in 1872 who held office from 1872 to 1873. The municipality located at the crossing of latitude N 23 –50' and longitude E 91-17' covering 3 km2 area during that period.Bir Bikram Kishore Debbarman is called the founder of the planned city of Agartala. He had gone on a tour to the United Kingdom and was so impressed at the architecture that he started planning similar township in Agartala. During the 1940s the town was re-organised in a planned manner with new roads and a market building.The estimated population of Agartala was 5,22,603 in 2014 after the municipal expansion (189,327 in the 2001 census).From 1901 to 1971 the city did not experience notable progress in infrastructure development with only an 8 km2 of area but 1981 saw Agartala expanding and increasing its connectivity as well as businesses in various fields, the city area expanding to 58.84 km2, greater Agartala is planned as of 2011 with an additional of 92 km2. Agartala had a different type of history from the earlier times of the epic days as it was a princely state and was connected with Bangladesh. Though the East India Company had not arrived in the princely capital of the state but they always remained in a certain in capturing and ruling. The East India Company had set their base of North East India in the Assam province with Shillong as their capital.The Nobel laureate Indian (Bengali) poet Rabindranath Tagore or Robindronath Thakur visited the city multiple times and built a house that still exists. The historical book Rajmala contains incidents and historical stories of Agartala. | Agartala History | PER Dharmapha, LOC Saidra, LOC Udaipur, PER Loknath Jivandharan, PER Druhya, LOC Old Haveli, LOC Agartala Municipality, LOC Arakhan, PER Drikpati, PER B. C, PER Maharaja Krishna Chandra Manikya Bahadur, LOC Tripura, LOC Rangamati, LOC Haora, PER Chitrarath, LOC New Haveli, LOC South Tripura, LOC Tipperah, LOC Gomati, LOC Agartala, PER Patardan B. C. 1900, LOC Hill Tippera, ORG Agartala Municipality, PER Maharaja Bir Chandra Manikya, PER Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya, LOC Swadhin Tripura, PER Maharaja Krishna Chandra Manikya, PER A. W. S. Power, LOC Haveli |
Agartala is situated on a plain land along the Haora River, although the city also extends to the low-lying hills on its northern parts.Agartala has a monsoon influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa) just short of being hot enough to qualify as a borderline tropical savanna (Aw)/tropical monsoon (Am) climate. Large amounts of rain fall all year except during the dry "winter" or "cool" season. The city experiences long, hot and wet summers, lasting from April to October. Average temperatures are around 28 °C or 82.4 °F, fluctuating with rainfall. There is a short, mild winter from mid-November to early March, with mostly dry conditions and average temperatures around 18 °C (64 °F). The best time to visit is from September to February. Summers are long and extremely hot with much sunlight and warm days. Rain is very common in this season and the city can be found flooded. The Haora River flows through the city and remains flooded with water during the time of monsoon. | Agartala Geography and climate | LOC Agartala, LOC Haora River |
As of the 2011 Indian Census, Agartala had a total population of 400,004, of which 200,132 were males and 199,872 were females. The population within the age range of 0 to 6 year is 35,034. The total number of literates in Agartala was 344,711, which constituted 86.18% of the population with male literacy of 87.53% and female literacy of 84.82%. The effective literacy rate of 7+ population of Agartala was 94.5%, of which male literacy rate was 96.2% and female literacy rate was 92.8%. The sex ratio of Agartala is 999 females per 1,000 males. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are 77,663 and 19,767 respectively.
In 1941 Agartala had a population of 17,693. By 1991 the population had risen to 157,358.Bengali, the official state language, is the dominant language in Agartala spoken by 363,363 people, while English is also a popular language in the state; Kokborok is spoken by 16,200 people in the city. According to the 2011 census, 94.09% of the population is Hindu, 4.37% Muslim, 0.99% Christian, and 0.28% Buddhist. The remainder of the population includes Sikhs, Jains, and other religions; 0.27%.
The city mainly consists of Bengalis and Tripuris. Bengali is widely spoken in the city as a result of the erstwhile regal patronage and high influx of Bengalis from Comilla, Sylhet, Noakhali, and Chittagong districts of Bangladesh. Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja are celebrated with great grandeur and ecstatic enthusiasm, which reflect the influence of the culture of the Bengalis. Hence, nearly every festivity attracts participation from citizens of diverse backgrounds.There is also a growing population of Tripuri people in the city. Among the native Tripuri festivals, the most famous are Kharchi, Garia and Ker festivals and Tring, the Tripuri New year celebrations. The major areas where the Tripuri live are in the localities of Abhoynagar, Banamalipur, Krishnanagar, Nandannagar and Kunjaban areas who have started to mass migrate to Agartala from other parts of Tripura.
Agartala has emerged as one of the fastest-growing cities in the northeastern region of India today. The city area under the AMC has seen a consistent expansion in recent times with conglomeration of various industries and businesses shaping up. Poverty and literacy still remains a challenge for the governing bodies. | Agartala Demographics | LOC Kokborok, LOC Abhoynagar, LOC Sylhet, LOC Bangladesh, LOC Noakhali, LOC Durga Puja, LOC Agartala, LOC Nandannagar, LOC Comilla, LOC Tripura, LOC Chittagong, LOC Kunjaban, LOC Saraswati Puja, LOC Krishnanagar, LOC Banamalipur |
Agartala city consists of many paras, which means "locality" in Bengali. Each collection of neighbourhoods or para is usually also a municipal ward or division. There are 49 wards under the municipal corporation jurisdiction.
Banamalipur is an important business centre and a part of urban Agartala, which falls under the Agartala post office. Dhaleswar is a locality in the state close to Banamalipur, under the east police station and Dhaleswar Post Office.Pratapgar, Math Chowmuhani, Kashari Patti, and Ker Chowmuhani are some important places in the city. One of the largest banyan trees is located in Ker Chowmuhani. Under that tree lies the Shiv-Kali temple of Ker Chowmuhani. This is one of the most peaceful temples in Agartala. In local language Chowmuhani is an intersection of three or four roads, i.e., a place where a couple of roads are linked up across a particular point; in pure Bengali Chowmuhani is called "more".Kaman Chowmuhani is the most important place and a part of the heart of the city. The name Kaman Chowmuhani is derived from the Bengali word Kaman meaning "Cannon" in English. It so happened when the king of Tripura Dhanya Manikya defeated the soldiers of Husain Shah in battle and forfeited their cannon which was later set up in this place from where its name is derived. The place along with its object is a unique icon of Agartala.Krishnanagar is one of the most densely populated parts of the city. It encompasses the most visited temples of Agartala like Jagannnatha temple, Laxminarayana temple, Durgabari temple and Alpkhbaba temple. Radha Nagar has a bus stand and it connects buses and other vehicles to the northern part of the state.Shibnagar is another locality which connects the city to Maharaja Bir Bikram College, the oldest college of the state whereas Ramnagar is the most dense locality in Tripura. The rectangular gridiron network of Ramnagar dates from the eras of the Rajas, one of the earliest planned neighbourhood in the city. There are 12 divisions in this area and many clubs which organise Durga puja. Joynagar is another a locality in Agartala which has six lanes. There are four clubs which organise Durga puja. The closest landmark of Joynager is Battala market, one of the important business hubs in the state.Abhoynagar and Arundhutinagar are two residential areas around the city and are densely populated, (Arundhutinagar) being located 5 km away from the city centre confining the railway station of the capital city.Gol Bazar (Maharajganj bazar) is the most important business hub as well as the largest market in the state of Tripura. Products are exported to many Indian cities from this zone. The market was established by the king of Tripura before India's independence.Gurkha Basti is one of the biggest slum areas in the city, a recent campaign has been launched by the state government to make the city slum free and hence relocation of its residents is underway. Kunjaban is a census town in west Tripura district, which mainly includes government buildings and localities. The secretariat and the seat of the state government is located in this area. New Capital Complex is located in Kunjaban and is a planned and modern area. The Secretariat and the State Assembly along with the new Governor House is located here.College Tilla consists of the historic Maharaja Bir Bikram College which was set up by Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya in 1947. It is surrounded by some localities and quarter complexes of many government employees.MBB Club, Indranagar, Bholagiri and Bhati Abhoynagar are some residential places in the city.79 Tilla is another important part of Agartala with major offices such as the BSNL Office, electric office, Geological Survey office and Quarters, and the AG Quarters. It is located 2.5 km approx from the heart of the city.GB Bazar is another important market of this state which is located 2 km from the heart of the city. The Agartala Government Medical College is located here.Amtali, Badhar Ghat, College Tilla, Jagaharimura, Lake Chowmuhani, Advisor Chowmuhani, Ganaraj Chowmuhani, Durjoynagar, Bardowali are some important places in the city.Battala is the commercial area of the city, it is often called Bottala in Bengali and is also known as the electronics market of Agartala. Products are imported from surrounding countries and the cheapest variety of cloths and accessories are found. Battala also has a strong food market and is the second biggest market in Tripura after Gol Bazar.Melarmath is one of the most important parts of the city and also the electronic business hub centre; the city center market as well as other prominent structures are located here. Melarmath Kali Bari temple is one of the widely known temples of Agartala.Khayerpur and Chandrapur are located on the National Highway 8.These areas are subdivided into residential blocks, such as Banamalipur which is divided into North Banamalipur, Madhya Banamlipur, South Banamalipur, etc.From 2004 the Agartala Municipal Council has been further extended, taking 16 villages of Dukli R. D. Block, seven villages of Mohanpur R. D. Block and two villages of Jirania R. D. Block with area of 43 km2 and 178,495 population in addition to the 16 km2 and population of 200,000 in the 2001 census. | Agartala Localities | LOC Alpkhbaba temple, LOC Kaman Chowmuhani, LOC Pratapgar, ORG Maharaja Bir Bikram College, LOC Dhaleswar, LOC Chowmuhani, LOC Krishnanagar, LOC Shibnagar, LOC Tripura, LOC Kaman, LOC Shiv - Kali, LOC Radha Nagar, PER Dhanya Manikya, LOC Ker Chowmuhani, LOC Math Chowmuhani, LOC Agartala, LOC Jagannnatha temple, LOC Joynagar, LOC Ramnagar, ORG Dhaleswar Post Office, PER Husain Shah, LOC Cannon, LOC Laxminarayana temple, ORG Agartala, LOC Kashari Patti, LOC Durgabari temple, LOC Banamalipur |
The city is managed by the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC), which divides the city into 49 municipal wards under four zones: North, South, East and Central zones. Each ward has an elected ward representative or municipal councillor. For postal administration the city is divided into postal zones. The complete list of municipal wards and their locations by municipal zones are shown in the table below. | Agartala City administration | ORG AMC, ORG Agartala Municipal Corporation |
On 1 November 1956, Tripura became a Union Territory and an Advisory Committee was formed to advise the Chief Commissioner. On 15 August 1957, a Territorial Council was formed with 30 elected members and two members nominated by the government of India. On 1 July 1963, the Tripura Territorial Council was dissolved and a Legislative Assembly with the existing members of the Territorial Council was formed. Tripura is governed through a parliamentary system of representative democracy, a feature it shares with other Indian states. Universal suffrage is granted to residents. The Tripura government has three branches: executive, legislature and judiciary. The Tripura Legislative Assembly consists of elected members and special office bearers that are elected by the members. Assembly meetings are presided over by the speaker, or by the deputy speaker in the case of the speaker's absence. The Assembly is unicameral with 60 members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).
Agartala assembly constituency is part of Tripura West. Political clashes between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Indian National Congress have always been common.
After the independence of India in 1947 Tripura was still a princely state. After the death of the last king Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur on 17 May 1947, a Regency Council was formed headed by Maharani Kanchan Prava Devi, for aid of the minor Prince, Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur. The regent signed the merger agreement with the government of India. After the merger Tripura became a Part 'C' state. On reorganisation of the states, effected in November 1956, Tripura became a Union Territory with an Advisory Committee to aid and advise the chief commissioner. Tripura gained its statehood on 21 January 1972 before that but merging with India in 1949 the first chief minister of the state was on 1 July 1963, Sachindra Lal Singh of the Indian National Congress, he was the CM of the state for around 3,046 days. From 5 January 1978 the rule of the Congress came to an end as Nripen Chakraborty became the first communist chief minister of Tripura. Later again the communists fell and the INC rose and was in power till 1992, from 1993 again CPI (M) came to power. Manik Sarkar was the CM of the state from 11 March 1998 to March 2018. In 2018 Tripura Legislative Assembly election BJP 36 out of 59 seats, defeating CPI(M) in the process. BJP's Biplab Kumar Deb was sworn in as the chief minister of Tripura.Agartala is administered by several government agencies. The Agartala Municipal Corporation, or AMC, oversees and manages the civic infrastructure of the city which together encompass 49 wards. Each ward elects a councillor to the AMC. Each borough has a committee of councillors, each of whom is elected to represent a ward. By means of the borough committees, the corporation undertakes urban planning and maintains roads, government-aided schools, hospitals, and municipal markets. | Agartala Politics | ORG Advisory Committee, LOC Tripura West, PER Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur, PER Nripen Chakraborty, ORG Indian National Congress, ORG Assembly, PER Maharani Kanchan Prava Devi, PER Manik Sarkar, ORG CPI, ORG Territorial Council, ORG Congress, LOC Tripura, ORG Tripura Legislative Assembly, LOC Agartala, ORG Communist Party of India, ORG Regency Council, ORG MLA, LOC India, LOC Union Territory, ORG Legislative Assembly, PER Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur, PER Sachindra Lal Singh, ORG Tripura Territorial Council, ORG BJP, ORG INC |
Most of the population is employed in the state and central government, and other government owned enterprises.
The consumption patterns of the residents of Agartala have evolved considerably since the expansion of the city and the corresponding rise in population; previously, major consumption took place once a year, during Durga puja, while during the rest of the year consumption took place largely only for special occasions.The Agartala Book Fair has been held annually, usually in Agartala, since 1981. | Agartala Economy | LOC Agartala |
Like in other Indian states, there is mixed religion in Agartala. Hinduism is the dominant religion and there are many temples across the city. The whole city is nestled with tents catering to a variety of themes. Christianity is a widespread faith as well, with Christmas being a very busy time of the year. Agartala is also known for its tribal festivals like Kharchi, and Garia Puja. | Agartala Culture | LOC Agartala |
Some prominent temples are:
Lakshmi Narayan Temple, the Palace Compound
Agartala Jagannath Mandir | Agartala Temples | LOC Lakshmi Narayan Temple, LOC Palace Compound Agartala Jagannath Mandir |
Union Baptist Church, Arundhutinagar, the oldest church in Agartala
Agartala City Baptist Church, Supari Bagan
St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Church, Durjoynagar | Agartala Churches | LOC Agartala Agartala City Baptist Church, LOC St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, LOC Arundhutinagar, LOC Union Baptist Church, LOC Supari Bagan, LOC Durjoynagar |
Agartala is connected to other cities in India by air via Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport. There are direct flight connections to Kolkata, Imphal, Guwahati, Bangalore and New Delhi. As per AAI report, Agartala airport is the third international airport in northeast India. The airport was built in 1942 by Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Debbarma Bahadur who was the ruler of Tripura State until 1947, and used to be called "Singerbhil Airport"; the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation renamed the airport in 2018. During World War II, US 4th Combat Cargo Group flew Curtiss C-46 from the airport to fly supplies over Burma.
The airport is located in Singerbhil 20 km (12 mi) north of Agartala.
The major airlines are Air India, IndiGo. The airport is under construction to make it an international airport.Plans passed to upgrade the airport building with a new terminal under construction and better facilities and modern equipment along with more apron, expansion of runways, better CAT and navigation system. | Agartala Airport | LOC Guwahati, LOC Singerbhil, LOC India, LOC Imphal, LOC Tripura State, LOC Singerbhil Airport, ORG Air India, LOC Agartala, LOC Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport, ORG AAI, PER Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Debbarma Bahadur, LOC New Delhi, ORG US 4th Combat Cargo Group, ORG IndiGo, LOC Kolkata, LOC Burma, ORG Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation, LOC Bangalore |
National Highway 8 connects Agartala to Assam and the rest of India by road, also known as the lifeline of Tripura. The highways (NH44, NH 44A) connect Agartala with Silchar (317 km), Guwahati (599 km), Shillong (499 km), Dharmanagar (200 km) and Aizawl (443 km). A bus service connects it to Dhaka (150 km).
National Highway 44 (India) – connected to Tripura to Shillong and Mizoram (NH 44A)
National Highway 44A (India) – connected to Tripura to MizoramAgartala is well connected by road to other parts of Tripura state. National Highway 44 has been extended to the south, thus improving the road connectivity between Agartala and south Tripura. Buses, Jeeps, Trekkers and SUVs are the most common public carriers, and cars and vans are usually used for private hire.
The highway passes through hilly terrains, while travelling from the city towards the North one can experience the lavishing and lush green Baramura Hill Range, Atharamura Hills and the Longtharai Hills and while moving towards the South Debatamura Hills can be seen.
The main mode of public transportation within the city consists of a network of cycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws and buses. To ease traffic congestion a 2.26 km long flyover is constructed. | Agartala Roads | LOC National, LOC Assam, LOC Silchar, LOC MizoramAgartala, LOC North, LOC NH, LOC Dhaka, LOC Tripura, LOC Atharamura Hills, LOC Agartala, LOC South Debatamura Hills, LOC Mizoram, LOC Guwahati, LOC Aizawl, LOC Dharmanagar, LOC India, LOC Shillong, LOC Longtharai Hills, LOC Baramura Hill Range |
Since 2008, Agartala has been connected to other cities in India by the Agartala Railway Station situated at Dukli. The foundation stone for the 119-km Kumarghat-Agartala railway project was laid in 1996 by former prime minister H. D. Deve Gowda.
Agartala is the second capital city (after Guwahati, Assam) in the northeast which is connected to the country's railway network. The railway station is located approximately 5.5 km (2.96 nautical miles) from the heart of the city and a lot of modes of transportation are available to reach the city from the station.Broad-gauge conversion work in the Lumding-Silchar segment was completed in March 2015. Gauge conversion work up to Agartala was completed by the end of March 2016, and railway traffic between Agartala and Silchar began. During the laying of rail lines from Kumarghat to Agartala, provisions were kept for swiftly converting it to broad gauge. Presently, local trains from Agartala to Dharmanagar and Silchar are functional. Work on express trains connecting Agartala to Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati and Dibrugarh has started. Local railway traffic between Agartala to Sabroom has become functional.Connecting with Tripura Train Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Janshatabdi, Garib Rath, Duronto, Yuva, AC Trains.
A rail link between Agartala and Akhaura in Bangladesh was approved by the government of India in September 2011. IRCON is constructing this 15 km long track that will directly connect northeast India to Chittagong international sea port. The TripuraSundari Express and Rajdhani Express are two Super Fast weekly trains connecting Agartala to Anand Vihar Terminal, Delhi. Other trains like Deoghar express (weekly), Kanchanjungha Express to Sealdah runs four days a week, Agartala-Habibganj weekly special train and Bengaluru bound Bi-weekly Humsafar Express connects the city to the states of Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. | Agartala Railways | LOC Duronto, LOC Assam, LOC Kanchanjungha, LOC Bangladesh, LOC Silchar, LOC Jharkhand, LOC Delhi, LOC Sealdah, LOC Madhya Pradesh, PER H. D. Deve Gowda, LOC Bihar, LOC Janshatabdi, ORG IRCON, LOC Anand Vihar Terminal, LOC Karnataka, LOC Chittagong, LOC Deoghar, LOC West Bengal, LOC Yuva, LOC Habibganj, LOC Kumarghat, LOC Bengaluru, LOC Dibrugarh, LOC Lumding, LOC Andhra Pradesh, LOC Sabroom, LOC Odisha, LOC Uttar Pradesh, LOC Agartala, LOC Dukli, LOC Tamil Nadu, ORG AC, LOC Agartala Railway Station, LOC Garib Rath, LOC Kolkata, LOC Guwahati, LOC Dharmanagar, LOC India, ORG Tripura, LOC Akhaura, LOC Shatabdi |
AIR
Big FM
Red FM 93.5 | Agartala Radio stations | ORG Red FM, ORG AIR Big FM |
Doordarshan (DD) has a television station in Agartala. Akash Tripura is one of the first television channels in Agartala. It is a full-time Agartala-based news channel. Other full-time based channels are PB 24, Headlines Tripura, Akash Tripura, News Vanguard and Focus Tripura etc.
There are other cable channels such as – Hallabol, Sristi Tripura, Sristi Music, Sristi Bangla, Sristi Cinema, CITI, News All India, and Tripura Pratidin, which are not 24 hours channels and are run by Siti and Sristi Cable networks.There are also KokBorok channels like KokTripura, KhumpuiTV and ChiniKhorangTV Which are currently in service. | Agartala Television | ORG Sristi Cinema, ORG Headlines Tripura, ORG CITI, ORG News Vanguard, ORG KhumpuiTV, ORG PB 24, ORG Hallabol, ORG Sristi Music, ORG Sristi Tripura, ORG Sristi Cable, ORG Tripura Pratidin, ORG ChiniKhorangTV, LOC Agartala, ORG News All India, ORG Akash Tripura, ORG Siti, ORG KokBorok, ORG DD, ORG Doordarshan, ORG KokTripura, ORG Focus Tripura, ORG Sristi Bangla |
Bengali-language media is dominant in the city. Major news publications are:
Dainik Sambad (Bengali)
Syandhan Patrika (Bengali)
Ajker Fariad (Bengali)
Bartaman (Bengali)
Daily Desher Katha (Bengali)
Aajkaal (Bengali)'
Pratibadi Kalam (Bengali)
Kok Tripura (Kokborok)
Hachukni Kok (Kokborok) | Agartala Newspapers | LOC Kokborok, ORG Hachukni Kok, ORG Dainik Sambad, ORG Kok Tripura, ORG Aajkaal, ORG Ajker Fariad, ORG Daily Desher Katha, ORG Syandhan Patrika, ORG ' Pratibadi Kalam, ORG Bartaman |
Tripura University is Agartala's central university, located in a 10 km range from the city of Agartala. Other universities include the ICFAI University, which was established in 2004 and is ranked 2nd in the Engineering Colleges of India. The Maharaja Bir Bikram University is known as the only state university within Tripura. The Sikkim Manipal University has been ranked 13th in India's best medical universities by India Today as well as being in the top 10 emerging colleges of India. | Agartala Universities | ORG Sikkim Manipal University, LOC India, ORG ICFAI University, ORG India Today, LOC Agartala, LOC Tripura, ORG Tripura University, ORG Maharaja Bir Bikram University |
There are currently 15 general colleges within Argatala including the Bir Bikram Memorial College, the Ramthakur College and the Women's College, Agartala which was established in 1965 and is the only existing college for women within the capital city.
Colleges with a specific academic focus within Argatala include the Tripura Government Law College which provides a five year Bachelor of Law Degree for its students. Argatala is also home to numerous technical colleges including the National Institute of Technology, Agartala and the Tripura Institute of Technology. | Agartala Colleges | ORG Tripura Institute of Technology, LOC Argatala, ORG Women ' s College, LOC Agartala, ORG National Institute of Technology, ORG Ramthakur College, ORG Bir Bikram Memorial College, ORG Tripura Government Law College |
The prominent primary and secondary schools of Agartala include the St Paul's School, Agartala which has an aim to teach students who are apart of the Christian Faith. A similar school, the Holy Cross School, was established by the Congregation of Holy Cross. Other prominent schools include the Shishu Bihar H.S. School and the Netaji Subhash Vidyaniketan. | Agartala Prominent schools | ORG Holy Cross School, ORG Netaji Subhash Vidyaniketan, ORG Shishu Bihar H. S. School, LOC Agartala, ORG St Paul ' s School, ORG Congregation of Holy Cross |
Tripura is an important state in the northeast India with regard to sports. Cricket is the most important sport in the state. Football also has an important role. | Agartala Sports | LOC Tripura, LOC India |
Agartala has a large base of football followers. UK mini stadium is an important venue for this game. Tripura Football Association organises a football league known as Agartala League every year to popularise the sport in the state. | Agartala Football | LOC Agartala, LOC UK, ORG Tripura Football Association, ORG Agartala League |
Tripura has a state team which plays under the auspices of the Tripura Cricket Association in the Eastern division of the Ranji Trophy championship, the national first-class cricket competition of India. The most important cricket grounds are Maharaja Bir Bikram College Stadium and Polytechnic Institute Ground, Narsingarh. Some other notable grounds are Astabal ground and the Pragati School cricket ground. Tripura Cricket Association organises cricket tournaments at the U-13, U-15, U-17 and U-19 levels where clubs affiliated to Tripura Cricket Association compete against each other. | Agartala Cricket | LOC Pragati School, LOC Narsingarh, LOC India, LOC Maharaja Bir Bikram College Stadium, LOC Polytechnic Institute Ground, LOC Astabal, LOC Tripura, ORG Tripura Cricket Association |
The following are the stadiums in Agartala:
Maharaja Bir Bikram College Stadium – the premier cricket stadium in the city with a capacity of 30,000 persons.
Polytechnic Institute Ground- the second cricket stadium in the city with capacity of 15,000 persons.
Swami Vivekananda Stadium – another multi-purpose stadium in the capital city of Tripura in Agartala. Located around 2 km away from the city centre, the stadium has a sitting capacity around 8000 including a grand stand and press gallery. The area of the inner ground is 7350 sqm. It is considered the most highly modernised and the best stadium in northeast India. | Agartala Stadiums | LOC India, LOC Maharaja Bir Bikram College Stadium, LOC Polytechnic Institute Ground, LOC Agartala, LOC Tripura, LOC Swami Vivekananda Stadium |
College Tilla – Maharaja Bir Bikram College, Tripura University buildings, football ground, international cricket stadium, picturesque lush landscapes and serene natural lakes. It is also a national bird sanctuary.
Ujjayanta Palace – Palace of the Tripura kings, was converted to state legislative assembly and now into a museum, situated in the area of Palace Compound is one of the eye catching attraction in the state. It is a former royal palace in Agartala, and also served as the meeting place of the Tripura Legislative Assembly until 2011. The area has decoded from the ruling landmark of the kings to the citizens. Tours are conducted by the Tripura Tourism Department. The name Ujjayanta Palace was given by the poet Rabindranath Tagore, who visited the state of Tripura many times. Maharaja Bir Bikram was the last king of Tripura and the last king who stayed in his house in the palace. It has now been transformed into a museum named Ujjayanta Museum and it was inaugurated by Dr.Hamid Ansari, the former vice president of India
Agartala Jagannath Mandir — Hindu temple of the Vaishnava school of thought. | Agartala Places of interest | PER Rabindranath Tagore, ORG Maharaja Bir Bikram College, LOC India, PER Hamid Ansari, LOC Ujjayanta Museum, ORG Vaishnava, LOC Agartala, PER Maharaja Bir Bikram, LOC Tripura, ORG Agartala Jagannath Mandir, ORG Tripura University, ORG Tripura Legislative Assembly, ORG Tripura Tourism Department, LOC Ujjayanta Palace, LOC Palace Compound |
Heritage Park: The most visited of all the parks in the city, the most notable features here are the miniature models of various monuments of the state, the Ayurvedic herb-garden and the fountain.
Rabindra Kanan: A park in the vicinity of the Pushpavanta Palace, former Raj Bhavan of Tripura and the Malancha Nivas, this park annually holds the birth anniversary ceremony of Rabindranath Tagore, after whom the park is named. It is near to Heritage Park.
Vivek Uddyan: Adjacent to Ujjayanta Palace and Children's Park, this park annually holds the birth anniversary ceremony of Swami Vivekananda, after whom the park is named
Nehru Park: A stroll or walking park that is decorated in greenery with rivers (no mechanical themed-machinery), close in driving distance from Heritage Park and Rabindra kanan.
Children's Park
Albert Ekka Park
Lembucherra Park: The latest addition to Agartala's parks | Agartala Parks and playgrounds | PER Swami Vivekananda, PER Rabindranath Tagore, LOC Rabindra Kanan, LOC Raj Bhavan, LOC Agartala, LOC Tripura, LOC Children ' s Park, LOC Malancha Nivas, LOC Albert Ekka Park Lembucherra Park, LOC Nehru Park, LOC Heritage Park, LOC Ujjayanta Palace, LOC Pushpavanta Palace, LOC Vivek Uddyan, LOC Rabindra kanan |
Tripura State Museum, located at the Ujjayanta Palace
Science Museum, located in Sukanta Academy
Haveli Museum, located in Khayerpur | Agartala Museums | LOC Tripura State Museum, LOC Ujjayanta Palace Science Museum, LOC Sukanta Academy Haveli Museum, LOC Khayerpur |
Rupasi Multiplex: One of the established multi-screen cinemas in Agartala is the Rupasi Cinema, ML Plaza, Agartala.
Balaka Cinema: Located in the City Center Agartala. | Agartala Multiplexes | LOC Balaka Cinema, LOC Agartala, LOC ML Plaza, LOC City Center Agartala, LOC Rupasi, LOC Rupasi Cinema, ORG Multiplex |
Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Debbarma Bahadur, King of Tripura State. Often considered the Architect of Modern Tripura
Nanda Kumar Deb Barma, Tripuri language playwright, poet and lyricist.
Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma
S. D. Burman, music director, singer and composer in Bengali and Hindi language films
Biplab Kumar Deb, 10th Chief Minister of Tripura.
N. C. Debbarma, Former AIR Director, politician, current IPFT Chief and Revenue Minister of Tripura.
Sourabhee Debbarma, singer (winner of Indian Idol 4)
Kalpana Debnath, gymnast
Mantu Debnath, gymnast
Reema Debnath, actress in Bollywood
Somdev Devvarman, professional Indian tennis player
Manik Dey, member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), former minister of Power, Urban Development, Rural Development and Transport in Government of Tripura
David Dhawan, Bollywood film director
Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, founder of Bandhan Bank
Dipa Karmakar, gymnast. Represented India at 2016 Summer Olympics
Borkung Hrangkhawl, rapper, singer, songwriter
Naresh Mitra, Bengali actor and director
Manisankar Murasingh, cricketer
Bishweshwar Nandi, gymnast
Jishnu Dev Varma, politician and Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura | Agartala Notable people | PER Jishnu Dev Varma, PER Borkung Hrangkhawl, PER Kalpana Debnath, PER Reema Debnath, PER Manik Dey, LOC Bollywood, PER Mantu Debnath, PER Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, PER Dipa Karmakar, PER Somdev Devvarman, ORG AIR, LOC Tripura State, LOC Tripura, PER Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Debbarma Bahadur, PER Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma S. D. Burman, ORG Bandhan Bank, ORG IPFT, PER Biplab Kumar Deb, PER Sourabhee Debbarma, PER Manisankar Murasingh, ORG Communist Party of India, LOC India, PER Bishweshwar Nandi, PER Nanda Kumar Deb Barma, PER David Dhawan, PER N. C. Debbarma, PER Naresh Mitra |
Agra (, Hindustani: [ˈaːgraː] (listen)) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about 230 kilometres (140 mi) south-east of the national capital New Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is the fourth-most populous city in Uttar Pradesh and twenty-third most populous city in India.Agra's notable historical period began during Sikandar Lodi's reign, but the golden age of the city began with the Mughals. Agra was the foremost city of the Indian subcontinent and the capital of the Mughal Empire under Mughal emperors Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan. Under Mughal rule, Agra became a centre for learning, arts, commerce, and religion, and saw the construction of the Agra Fort, Sikandra and Agra's most prized monument, the Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his favourite empress. With the decline of the Mughal empire in the late 18th century, the city fell successively first to Marathas and later to the East India Company. After Independence, Agra has developed into an industrial town, with a booming tourism industry, along with footwear, leather and other manufacturing. The Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city features mild winters, hot and dry summers and a monsoon season, and is famous for its Mughlai cuisine. Agra is included on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, along with Delhi and Jaipur; and the Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc, a tourist circuit of Uttar Pradesh, along with Lucknow and Varanasi. | Agra Introduction | PER Akbar, LOC Delhi, LOC Varanasi, LOC Taj Mahal, PER Babur, LOC Lucknow, LOC New Delhi, LOC Mughal Empire, LOC Uttar Pradesh, PER Jahangir, ORG East India Company, LOC Golden Triangle, LOC Yamuna, PER Humayun, LOC India, LOC Agra Fort, PER Sikandar Lodi, LOC Sikandra, LOC Jaipur, PER Shah Jahan, LOC Agra |
The name Agra is explained by different derivations, all of which have low verifiability. The most accepted one is that it had its origin from the Hindi word agar meaning salt-pan, a name which was given to it because the soil in the region is brackish and salt used to be made here once by evaporation. Others derive it from Hindu History claiming that the Sanskrit word agra (अग्र) which means the first of the many groves and little forests where Krishna frolicked with the gopis of Vrindavan. The term Agravana hence means grove forest.Agra was also known as Akbarabad in the Mughal era. The name was coined by the emperor Shah Jahan, in honour of his grandfather Akbar. | Agra Name | PER Krishna, LOC Akbarabad, PER Akbar, LOC Vrindavan, PER Shah Jahan, LOC Agra |
Agra has two histories: one of the ancient city on the east, or left, bank of the river Yamuna, going back so far as to be lost in the legends of Krishna and Mahabharata and reestablished by Sikandar Lodhi in 1504–1505; the other of the modern city, founded by Akbar in 1558, on the right bank of the river which is associated with the Mughals, and known throughout the world as the city of the Taj. Of ancient Agra little now remains except few traces of the foundations. It was a place of importance under various Hindu dynasties previous to the Muslim invasions of India, but its history is unclear, and possess little historical interest. The 17th century chronicler named Abdhullah said it was a village before the reign of Sikandar Lodi. The king of Mathura had used the Agra fort as a jail. The degradation in the status of the site was a result of the destruction brought upon it by Mahmud of Ghazni. Masud Sa'd Salman claims to have been there when Mahmud assaulted Agra, claiming the Raja Japal surrendered after seeing a nightmare. Mahmud however proceeds to pillage the city.
Agra's period of historical importance began during Sikandar Lodi's reign. In 1504–1505, Sultan Sikandar Lodi (reigned 1489–1517), the Afghan ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, rebuilt Agra and made it the seat of government. Sikandar Lodhi appointed a commission which inspected and surveyed both sides of the Yamuna from Delhi to Etawah and finally chose a place on the left bank, or the east side of the Yamuna, as the site for the city. Agra on the left bank of the Yamuna grew into a large flourishing town with royal presence, officials, merchants, scholars, theologians and artists. The city became one of the most important centres of Islamic learning in India. The sultan founded the village of Sikandra in the northern suburbs of the city and built there a Baradari of red sandstone in 1495, which was converted into a tomb by Jahangir, and now stands as the Tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani, Akbar's empress.After the Sultan's death in 1517, the city passed on to his son, Sultan Ibrahim Lodi (reigned 1517–26). He ruled his sultanate from Agra until he was defeated and killed by Mughal Emperor Babur in the First battle of Panipat, fought in 1526. | Agra Pre-Mughal era | LOC Mathura, PER Krishna, PER Akbar, LOC Delhi Sultanate, LOC Delhi, PER Mahmud of Ghazni, PER Sikandar Lodhi, LOC - uz -, PER Mahmud, LOC Taj, PER Raja Japal, PER Jahangir, PER Sultan Ibrahim Lodi, PER Mariam, LOC Yamuna, LOC India, PER Masud Sa ' d Salman, PER Sikandar Lodi, LOC Sikandra, PER Abdhullah, LOC Etawah, LOC Tomb of, LOC Baradari, PER Zamani, LOC Agra |
The golden age of the city began with the Mughals. Agra was the foremost city of the subcontinent and the capital of the Mughal Empire until 1658, when Aurangzeb shifted the entire court to Delhi.Babur (reigned 1526–30), the founder of the Mughal dynasty, acquired Agra after defeating the Lodhis and the Tomaras of Gwalior in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526. Babur's connection with Agra began immediately after the battle of Panipat. He sent forward his son Humayun, who occupied the town without opposition. The Raja of Gwalior, slain at Panipat, had left his family and the heads of his clan at Agra. In gratitude to Humayun, who treated them magnanimously, and protected them from plunder, they presented to him a quantity of jewels and precious stones as a token of homage. Among these was the famous diamond Koh-i-nur. Babur went on to lay out the first formal Mughal garden in India, the Aram Bagh (or Garden of Relaxation) on the banks of the river Yamuna. Babur was determined to establish the seat of his government at Agra, but was almost dissuaded by the desolate appearance of the region, as clear from this quote from his memoir Baburnama:
It always appears to me, that one of the chief defects of Hindustan is the want of artificial watercourses. I had intended, wherever I might fix my residence, to construct water-wheels, to produce an artificial stream, and to lay out an elegant and regularly planned pleasure ground. Shortly after coming to Agra I passed the Jumna with this object in view, and examined the country to pitch upon a fit spot for a garden. The whole was so ugly and detestable that I repassed the river quite repulsed and disgusted. In consequence of the want of beauty and of the disagreeable aspect of the country, I gave up my intention of making a charbagh (garden house); but as no better situation presented itself near Agra, I was finally compelled to make the best of this same spot.... In every corner I planted suitable gardens, in every garden I sowed roses and narcissus regularly, and in beds corresponding to each other. We were annoyed by three things in Hindustan; one was its heat, another the strong winds, and the third its dust. Baths were the means of removing all three inconveniences.
Very few vestiges remain of Babur's city, of his fruit and flower gardens, palaces, baths, tanks, wells and watercourses. The remnants of Babur's Charbagh can be seen today at Aram Bagh, on the east side of Yamuna. Babur was followed by his son Humayun (reigned 1530–40 and 1555–56), but he was completely defeated at Kanauj in 1539, just nine years after his ascension, by Sher Shah Suri, an Afghan nobleman, who had submitted to Babur, but revolted against his son. In this brief interruption in Mughal rule between 1540 and 1556, Sher Shah Suri, established the short lived Sur Empire, and the region was eventually reconquered by Akbar in the Second Battle of Panipat in 1556.
Under Akbar (reigned 1556–1605), and followed by his grandson Shahjahan, Agra was immortalised in the history of the world. Akbar built the modern city of Agra on the right bank of Yamuna, where the majority of its part still lies. He converted the city into a great centre of political, cultural and economic importance, connecting it with the various parts of his vast empire. Akbar raised the towering ramparts of the Agra Fort, besides making Agra a centre for learning, arts, commerce, and religion. Akbar also built a new capital city of Fatehpur Sikri, around 35 km from Agra. The new capital city was later abandoned. Before his death, Agra had become probably one of the biggest cities in the east, with huge amounts of trade and commerce happening through its bazaars. The English traveller Ralph Fitch who visited Agra in September 1585 in the life-time of Akbar, writes about the town:
Agra is a very great city, and populous, built with stone, having fair and large streets with a fair river running by it . . . . Agra and Fatehpur Sikri are two very great cities, either of them much greater than London, and very populous. Between Agra and Fatehpur are twelve miles (kos in reality) and all the way is a market of victuals and other things as full as though a man were still in a town, and so many people as if a man were in a market.
These impressions of Fitch are corroborated by another European traveller, William Finch, who remarked about Agra:
It is spacious, large, populous beyond measure, that you can hardly pass the street . . . .
Agra continued to expand and flourish during Akbar's successor Jahangir's reign as he wrote in his autobiography Tuzuk-e-Jahangiri:
The habitable part of Agra extends on both sides of the river. On its west side, which has the greater population, its circumference is seven kos, 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 21⁄2 kos, its length being one kos and its breadth half a kos. But in the number of its buildings it is equal to several cities of Iraq, Khurasan and Trans-Oxiana put together. Many persons have erected buildings of three or four storeys in it. The mass of the people is so great that moving about in the lanes and bazars is difficult.
Akbar's successor Jahangir (reigned 1605–27) had a love of flora and fauna and laid many gardens inside the Red Fort. Akbar's mausoleum at Sikandra was completed during Jahangir's reign. The Jahangiri Mahal in Agra fort and the tomb of Itmad-ud-daulah were also constructed during the reign of Jahangir. Jahangir loved Lahore and Kashmir more than Agra, but the latter continued to be the first city of the realm. It was, however, Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–58) whose building activity raised Agra to the pinnacle of its glory. Shah Jahan, known for his keen interest in architecture, gave Agra its most prized monument, the Taj Mahal. Built in loving memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the mausoleum was completed in 1653. The Jama Masjid and several other notable buildings like the Diwan-i-Am, the Diwan-i-Khas, the Moti Masjid, etc., inside the fort were planned and executed under his orders.Shah Jahan later shifted the capital to Shahjahanabad (now known as Delhi) in the year 1648, followed by his son Aurangzeb (reigned 1658–1707) moving the entire court to Delhi in 1658. With this Agra began rapidly declining. Nevertheless, the cultural and strategic importance of Agra remained unaffected and in official correspondence it continued to be referred to as the second capital of the empire. | Agra Mughal era | LOC Garden of Relaxation, PER Baburnama, LOC Panipat, LOC Yamuna, LOC Hindustan, PER Humayun, LOC India, PER Raja, PER Tomaras, PER Babur, LOC Aram Bagh, LOC Delhi, PER Aurangzeb, LOC Mughal Empire, LOC Gwalior, LOC Agra |
The decline of the Mughal empire caused the emergence of several regional kingdoms, and in the late 18th century the control of the city fell successively to the Jats, the Marathas, the Mughals, the ruler of Gwalior, and finally the British East India Company. The Jats of Bharatpur, waged many wars against the Mughal Delhi and in the 17th and 18th century carried out numerous campaigns in Mughal territories including Agra. After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the city came under the influence of another post-Mughal Empire power, the Marathas, before falling into the hands of the British East India Company in 1803. In the years 1834–1836, Agra was the capital of the short-lived Presidency of Agra, administered by a Governor. It was then the capital of the North-Western Province from 1836 to 1858, governed by a Lieutenant-Governor. Agra was one of the centres of the Indian rebellion of 1857.During the Indian rebellion of 1857, when East India Company rule across many parts of India was threatened, the news of the mutiny at Meerut reached Agra on 14 May. On 30 May some companies of the 44th and 67th Native Infantry sent to Mathura to bring in the treasury mutinied and carried off the treasury to the rebels in Delhi. With the fear of the rebellion spreading to Agra as well, the rest of these native infantry battalions, which were part of the garrison at Agra, were successfully disarmed by the British on 31 May. However, when the Gwalior contingent mutinied on 15 June, all other native units followed. On 2 July the rebel force of the Nimach and Nasirabad contingents reached Fatehpur Sikri. Fearing advance of the mutineers to Agra, some 6000 Europeans and associated people moved into the Agra Fort for safety on 3 July. On 5 July, the British force stationed there attempted to attack an approaching force of Mutineers, but was defeated, and the British retreated back into the fort. The Lieutenant-Governor, J.R. Colvin, died there, and was later buried in front of the Diwan-i-am. The mutineers, however, moved over to Delhi, it being a more important attraction for the rebels. Despite an uprising by a mob and extreme disorder in the city, the British managed to restore partial order by 8 July. Delhi, in turn, fell to the British in September, following which an infantry brigade led by Brigadier Edward Greathed arrived in Agra on 11 October without any opposition from rebels. But shortly after their arrival another force of mutineers attacked the brigade by surprise, but was defeated and routed. This minor victory for the British was named the Battle of Agra. It is to be said that, the uprising in Agra was relatively minor compared to Delhi, Jhansi, Meerut and other major rebellious cities and regions. After this British rule was again secured, and the British Raj ruled the city till the independence of India in 1947. The capital of the North Western Provinces was shifted from Agra to Allahabad in 1858. Gradually, Agra declined to the position of a mere provincial town, and its prosperity declined:
But in the economy of the administration of British India Agra is nothing more than a district town; its size, proportions and manifold activities have come down to its present requirements, and continued life in this city does not come above the average of that monotonous muffasil life in India which has been so often and so vividly described by many gifted Anglo-Indian writers. Agra has become of late years a large railway centre, and its commercial prosperity seems to be reviving.Agra's role in the Indian Independence movement is not well documented. However, in the years between the mutiny and independence Agra was a major centre of Hindi and Urdu journalism. Paliwal park(formerly Hewitt park) in Agra is named after S.K.D Paliwal, who brought out the Hindi daily Sainik. | Agra Later periods | LOC Nimach, LOC Mathura, LOC Meerut, LOC Delhi, PER J. R. Colvin, LOC Bharatpur, ORG Presidency of Agra, LOC North - Western Province, ORG East India Company, ORG British East India Company, LOC Nasirabad, LOC India, LOC Fatehpur Sikri, LOC Agra Fort, LOC Diwan - i - am, ORG Mughal Empire, ORG Marathas, LOC Gwalior, LOC Agra |
Post India's independence, Agra has been a part of Uttar Pradesh and has gradually developed into an industrial city, with a significant contribution to Uttar Pradesh's economy. The city is now a popular tourist destination and hosts tourists from across the world. The Taj Mahal and Agra Fort received UNESCO World Heritage Sites status in 1983. The Taj Mahal witnesses tourists, photographers, historians and archaeologists in massive numbers all around the year. The Taj Mahal has become a symbol of India and its soft power. Post Independence, Taj Mahal has been visited by world leaders like US Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower (1959), Bill Clinton (2000), and Donald Trump (2020). Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom had visited Taj Mahal in 1961 on her India visit. Taj Mahal has also been visited by Russian President Vladimir Putin (1999), Chinese President Hu Jintao (2006), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2018) and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (2018). Agra is the birthplace of the now extinct religion known as Din-i-Ilahi, which was founded by Akbar and also of the Radhaswami Faith, which has around two million followers worldwide. Agra is included on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, along with Delhi and Jaipur; and the Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc, a tourist circuit of Uttar Pradesh, along with Lucknow and Varanasi. | Agra Post Independence and Mughal legacy | PER Hu Jintao, PER Akbar, LOC Agra, PER Benjamin Netanyahu, LOC Delhi, PER Justin Trudeau, LOC United Kingdom, ORG - i - Ilahi, LOC Varanasi, LOC Taj Mahal, LOC US, LOC Lucknow, LOC Uttar Pradesh, PER Din, PER Donald Trump, LOC India, PER Dwight D. Eisenhower, LOC Agra Fort, PER Vladimir Putin, ORG Radhaswami Faith, LOC Jaipur, PER Bill Clinton, PER Elizabeth II |
The region around Agra consists almost entirely of a level plain, with hills in the extreme southwest. The rivers in the region include Yamuna and Chambal. The region is also watered by the Agra Canal. Millet, barley, wheat and cotton are among the crops grown in the surrounding countryside. Both Rabi and Kharif crops are cultivated. The deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri is about 40 km southwest of Agra. The sandstone hills near Fatehpur Sikri and on the south-eastern borders of the district are offshoots from the Vindhya range of Central India. Agra is about 210 km away from the National capital of New Delhi(via Yamuna Expressway), about 336 km from state capital Lucknow(via Agra-Lucknow Expressway), and about 227 km from Kanpur(via Agra-Lucknow Expressway). The city has an average elevation of 170 metres above sea level. | Agra Geography | LOC Vindhya, LOC Yamuna, LOC Yamuna Expressway, LOC Fatehpur Sikri, LOC Kanpur, LOC Agra Canal, LOC Chambal, LOC Lucknow, LOC New Delhi, LOC Central India, LOC Lucknow Expressway, LOC Agra |
Broadly speaking, the climate of Agra is classified as BSh by the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system. This is the tropical and subtropical steppe climate, a major climate type of the Köppen classification that occurs primarily on the periphery of the true deserts in low-latitude regions, forming a transition between the desert climate (BW), and the more humid subtropical and tropical climates.The city features warm winters, sweltering and dry summers and a monsoon season. The Agra district, from its proximity to the sandy Thar Desert to the west, is relatively dry, and has greater extremes of temperature than districts further east. The hot west wind, Loo blows mainly during April, May, and June with great force and can cause fatal heatstrokes. On 29 April 2022 Agra recorded highest ever temperature in April at 47.3 °C (117.1 °F). The monsoon rains usually begin in the first week in July; and generally end in mid-September. However, the monsoons, though substantial in Agra, are not quite as heavy as the monsoon in other parts of India. The weather moderates by the middle of October. The region around Agra, the northwest Indo-Gangetic plain is prone to extreme fog in the winter months, which is caused due to natural factors like low winds, low temperatures, availability of moisture apart from air pollution. This phenomenon often leads to big delays and sometimes cancellation of trains due to poor visibility. Agra has high levels of air pollution and one of the worst AQIs in India. In a study conducted by WHO using data from years 2010–2016, Agra ranked as the 8th most polluted city in India, along with other nearby cities including Delhi, Kanpur and Faridabad. | Agra Climate | LOC Indo - Gangetic, LOC Faridabad, LOC India, LOC Kanpur, ORG WHO, LOC Delhi, LOC Thar Desert, LOC Loo, LOC Agra |
The Taj Mahal has faced significant damage due to air pollution and sewage discharge into the nearby Yamuna river. The white-marble Taj Mahal is turning yellow and green because of filthy air in the world's eighth-most polluted city. The Taj Mahal flanks the garbage-strewn Yamuna river and is often enveloped by dust and smog from smokestacks and vehicles.The Yamuna River is one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Agra is the second largest contributor to River Yamuna's pollution, after Delhi. The river's pollution has caused several problems for the Taj Mahal such as 'Attacks by Bugs and their Green Slime', foul stench and corrosion of Taj Mahal's foundation. The river has as many as 90 nalas or drains opening into it. Though the municipality has claimed to stop 40 of these drains, the bigger ones, Bhairon, Mantola, Balkeshwar nalas continue to discharge huge quantities of untreated waste water without any check. Activists say that the Yamuna river bed between Itmad-ud-Daula and the Taj Mahal has become a dumping ground for pollutants. Polythene, plastic waste, leather cuttings from shoe factories, construction material, are all thrown into the river.Less than 7% of the Agra district is under forest cover. The only major wildlife sanctuary near Agra is Keetham Lake, also known as Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary. The lake has nearly two dozen varieties of migratory and resident birds. Within the Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary is the Agra Bear Rescue Facility, which is India's first sanctuary for 'dancing' bears. Operated by Wildlife SOS, Free the Bears Fund and others, the facility has rehabilitate over 620 sloth bears, which were exploited by a nomadic tribe known as the Kalandars as 'dancing bears', despite the practice being illegal since 1972. | Agra Environment | LOC River Yamuna, LOC Yamuna, LOC Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, ORG Agra Bear Rescue Facility, LOC Taj Mahal, LOC India, LOC Yamuna River, LOC Delhi, ORG Wildlife SOS, ORG Free the Bears Fund, LOC Itmad - ud - Daula, LOC Keetham Lake, LOC Bhairon, LOC Balkeshwar, LOC Mantola, LOC Agra |
With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is the fourth-most populous city in Uttar Pradesh and twenty-third most populous city in India. As per the 2011 Census of India, Agra city has a population of 1,585,704; its metropolitan population is 1,760,285. The sex ratio of Agra city is 875 females per 1000 males, while the child sex ratio is 857 girls per 1000 boys. The average literacy rate of Agra city is 73.11% of which male and female literacy rates are 77.81% and 67.74% respectively.
Hinduism is the most followed religion in Agra city with 80.68% of its population adhering to it. Islam is second most followed religion in the city of Agra with 15.37% of the population following it. These are followed by Jainism, Sikhism, Christianity and Buddhism at 1.04%, 0.62%, 0.42% and 0.19% respectively. Approximately 1.66% stated 'No Particular Religion'. | Agra Demographics | LOC India, LOC Uttar Pradesh, LOC Agra |
Agra district comes under the Agra Police Zone and Agra Police Range, Agra Zone is headed by an additional director general (ADG)-ranked Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, and the Agra Range is headed by a deputy inspector general (DIG)-ranked IPS officer.
The district police is headed by a senior superintendent of police (SSP), who is an IPS officer, and is assisted by six superintendents of police or additional superintendents of police for city, east, west, crime, traffic, and protocol, either from the IPS or the Provincial Police Service. Each of the several police circles is headed by a circle officer in the rank of deputy superintendent of police. | Agra Police administration | ORG Provincial Police Service, ORG IPS, ORG Indian Police Service, LOC Agra Police, LOC Agra Range, LOC Agra Zone, LOC Agra |
Agra Municipal Corporation or Agra Nagar Nigam (AMC or ANN) is the Municipal Corporation responsible for the civic infrastructure and administration of the city of Agra. This civic administrative body administers the city's public services. The mayor and municipal councillors are elected to five-year terms. The Agra Municipal Corporation oversees four zones (Hariparvat, Lohamandi, Tajganj and Chhata) which are further subdivided into 100 wards. The AMC boundary encompasses an area of 121 square km. The Agra Development Authority (ADA), is develops new housing, infrastructure and colonies in the city. | Agra Infrastructure and civic administration | LOC Lohamandi, ORG Agra Municipal Corporation, ORG Municipal Corporation, ORG AMC, LOC Tajganj, LOC Agra, LOC Chhata, ORG ANN, ORG ADA, ORG Agra Development Authority, LOC Hariparvat, ORG Agra Nagar Nigam |
Agra district has two Lok Sabha constituencies, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri, and nine Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha (Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly) constituencies. The MP for Agra constituency is SP Singh Baghel, from Bharatiya Janata Party. Ahead of the election the for 2022 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, it was announced that two more districts, including Agra, could become a police commissionerate before the elections. | Agra Politics | LOC Fatehpur Sikri, ORG Vidhan Sabha, ORG Uttar, PER SP Singh Baghel, LOC Pradesh, ORG Bharatiya Janata Party, ORG Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, LOC Agra |
The electricity power distribution and bill collection in Agra is the sole responsibility of Torrent Power, a private sector company. The control of power distribution in Agra was handed over to Torrent Power from the state-owned UP Power Corporation Ltd in 2010, in an effort to move towards power reforms and cutting the massive distribution losses in the state. This was the first time power distribution was privatised in Uttar Pradesh, except for Noida-Greater Noida falling under the NCR.Agra has three primary sources for municipal water supply: water treatment plants at Sikandra and Jeoni Mandi, and groundwater using tubewells. Since a large portion of the water demand is fulfilled from the Yamuna river, which is a highly polluted river, water quality in Agra is usually poor, with unhealthy levels of chlorine required for purification. The city's groundwater is also unfit for drinking, and is saline and high in fluoride content. Both sources breach CPCB standards. To provide the city with adequate water supply, the Gangajal pipeline project has been initiated. It includes a 130 km long pipeline laid to bring Ganga water from Bulandshahr's Upper Ganga canal to Agra. The project has been launched, but has faced criticism due to frequent pipeline leakages.Though most of the city uses cylinders for cooking gas, piped natural gas is also available in select localities, including Kamla Nagar and others. The service is provided by Green Gas Limited. | Agra Utilities | LOC Yamuna, LOC Ganga, LOC Bulandshahr, ORG NCR, LOC Uttar Pradesh, LOC Sikandra, ORG UP Power Corporation Ltd, LOC Kamla Nagar, ORG Green Gas Limited, LOC Noida, LOC Gangajal, LOC Upper Ganga canal, LOC Jeoni Mandi, ORG Torrent Power, LOC Agra |
Due to the presence of the Taj Mahal and other historic monuments, Agra has a booming tourism industry as well as royal crafts like Pietra Dura, marble inlay and carpets.40% of the population depends largely on agriculture, and others on the leather and footwear business and iron foundries. Agra was the second most self-employed in India in 2007, behind Varanasi, followed by Bhopal, Indore and Patna. According to the National Sample Survey Organization, in 1999–2000, 431 of every 1,000 employed males were self-employed in the city, which grew to 603 per 1,000 in 2004–05.Tourism has a significant role in the economy of Agra, with upwards of 9.5 million tourists visiting Agra and surrounding monuments in 2019. The city is home to Asia's largest spa called Kaya Kalp – The Royal Spa, at the ITC Hotel Mughal in Agra. Other hotels include Taj Hotel and Convention Centre.Sanjay Place is the trade centre of Agra. There are about 12 major and medium scale industries, producing electrical goods, pipes, leather goods etc. There are about 7,200 small scale industrial units. Above 1.5 lakh pairs of shoes per day are manufactured in Agra by the various footwear units. Agra city is also known for its leather goods, the oldest and famous leather firm Taj Leather World is in Sadar bazar. The carpets, handicrafts, zari and zardozi (embroidery work), marble and stone carving and inlay work.Agra amassed a GDP of 40,210 crores as per the data released by UP Government for the year 2018–19, thus the 3rd rank in the state.In the Swachh Survekshan 2020, Agra ranked 16th nation-wide, and 2nd in the state after Lucknow, which was a big jump after 86th in 2019, 102nd in 2018, and 263th in 2017. In the Smart city Rankings, which are pan-India rankings for 100 cities which is released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs based on the progress/completion rate of Smart City projects, Agra ranked 1st, based on the rankings released based on work done by department concerned under the Smart City project from 1 October 2019, to 1 March 2020.As of August 2020, Industrial activity in Agra has been affected as a result of the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has forced people to remain confined to their homes. The sectors worst-hit are the iron foundries, tourism, leather shoe industry in Agra. It is estimated that the loss in the tourism industry due to COVID-19 restrictions is approximately ₹ 2,200 crores. | Agra Economy | LOC Indore, ORG National Sample Survey Organization, LOC Patna, ORG Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, LOC Varanasi, ORG Taj Leather World, LOC Taj Mahal, LOC Lucknow, LOC Sadar, ORG UP Government, LOC ITC Hotel Mughal, LOC Kaya Kalp, LOC Taj Hotel, LOC Bhopal, LOC Royal Spa, LOC India, LOC Sanjay Place, LOC Convention Centre, LOC Asia, LOC Agra |
The Taj Mahal rises above the banks of the river like a solitary tear suspended on the cheek of time.
Taj Mahal is mausoleum complex in Agra, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his wife Mumtaz Mahal ("Chosen One of the Palace"), who died in childbirth in 1631, having been the emperor's inseparable companion since their marriage in 1612. India's most famed building, it is situated in the eastern part of the city on the southern (right) bank of the Yamuna River, about 1.6 km east of the Agra Fort, also on the right bank of the Yamuna. The Taj Mahal is distinguished as the finest example of Mughal architecture, a blend of Indian, Persian, and Islamic styles. Other attractions include twin mosque buildings (placed symmetrically on either side of the mausoleum), pleasant gardens, and a museum. The complex was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983, and is one of the New Seven Wonders of the world. The Taj Mahal is the most visited tourist spot in the India, attracting nearly 6.9 million visitors in 2018–19.The chief architect was probably the Persian architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori. Designed as a unified entity according to the principles of Mughal architecture, the five principal elements of the complex were the main gateway, garden, mosque, jawab (literally 'answer', a building mirroring the mosque), and the mausoleum, with its four minarets. The construction commenced in 1632 with upwards of twenty thousand workers from India, Persia, the Ottoman Empire, and Europe working to complete the mausoleum itself by 1639, the adjunct buildings by 1643, with decoration work continuing until at least 1647. In total, construction of the 42 acre (17 hectare) complex spanned 22 years.It can be observed from Agra Fort from where Emperor Shah Jahan gazed at it for the last eight years of his life, a prisoner of his son Aurangzeb. Verses of the Quran are inscribed on it and at the top of the gate are 22 small domes, signifying the number of years the monument took to build. The Taj Mahal was built on a marble platform that stands above a sandstone one. The most elegant and largest dome of the Taj Mahal has a diameter of 60 feet (18 m), and has a height of 80 feet (24 m); directly under this dome is the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan's tomb was erected next to hers by his son Aurangzeb. The interiors are decorated with fine Pietra dura inlay work, incorporating semi-precious stones.
However, air pollution caused by emissions from foundries and other nearby factories and exhaust from motor vehicles has damaged the Taj, notably its marble facade. A number of measures have been taken to reduce the threat to the monument, among them the closing of some foundries and the installation of pollution-control equipment at others, the creation of a parkland buffer zone around the complex, and the banning of nearby vehicular traffic, and more recently, use of 'mud pack' therapy. Perhaps most importantly, the 10,400 km2 (4,000 sq mi) Taj Trapezium Zone has been created around the Taj Mahal and other nearby monuments where strict pollution restrictions are in place on industries, following a 1996 Supreme Court of India ruling.Some antique views were published in the Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Books, namely Tâj-Mahal, Agra. by Samuel Prout from a mid-distant angle (1832) and Ruins about the Taj Mahal. by S. Austin from those said ruins (1836). Both are accompanied by poetical illustrations by Letitia Elizabeth Landon. | Agra Taj Mahal | PER Aurangzeb, LOC Yamuna, LOC Taj Mahal, LOC India, PER Ustad Ahmad Lahori, LOC Ottoman Empire, LOC Yamuna River, PER Chosen One, LOC Agra Fort, LOC Persia, LOC Europe, PER Mumtaz Mahal, PER Shah Jahan, LOC Agra |
The Agra Fort is a large 16th-century fortress of red sandstone located by the Yamuna River in Agra. It was first established by the Mughal Emperor Akbar and served as the seat of royal government when Agra was the capital of the Mughal empire in addition to being a military base and a royal residence. Built on the site of earlier fortifications by Islam Shah Suri(son of Sher Shah Suri), the Agra Fort lies on the right bank of the Yamuna River and is connected to the Taj Mahal (downstream, around a bend in the Yamuna), by a stretch of parkland. The fort was commissioned by Akbar in 1565, taking around eight years to build. Though much of the structure of the fort was founded by Akbar, both the interior and exterior underwent considerable changes under his son Jahangir and grandson Shah Jahan, who added many new structures, often of marble. The red sandstone walls of the roughly semi-circular structure have a perimeter of about 2.5 km, rise 21 meters high, and are surrounded by a moat. There are two entrances in the walls: the Delhi Gate facing west, the original entrance, situated nearly opposite to the Agra Fort railway station and Jama Masjid, and decorated with intricate marble inlays; and the Amar Singh Gate(also known as Hathi Pol, or Elephant Gate) facing south, presently the only means in or out of the fort complex). The complex of buildings in the fort—reminiscent of Persian and Timurid architecture, with great inspiration from Jain and Hindu architecture—forms a city within a city.Among the major attractions in the fort is Jahangiri Mahal, the largest residence in the complex, built by Akbar as a private palace for his Rajput wives. In the Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience), the emperor would listen to public petitions and meet state officials. The Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) was used for receiving distinguished visitors. The famous Peacock Throne was once kept there, before Aurangzeb took it to Delhi. Near the Diwan-i-Khas stands the Musamman Burj, an octagonal Tower which was the residence of Shah Jahan's favourite empress, Mumtaz Maḥal. The Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque), constructed by Shah Jahan, is a structure made entirely of white marble. The emperor's private residence was the Khas Mahal, whose marble walls were once adorned with flowers depicted by precious gems. Located to its northeast is the Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors), its walls and ceilings inlaid with thousands of small mirrors. Numerous other structures are there in the complex, including the Anguri Bagh, the Mina Bazaar etc.In addition to its other functions, the fort also served as a prison for Shah Jahan when Aurangzeb, his son and successor as emperor, had him confined there from 1658 until his death in 1666. | Agra Agra Fort | LOC Jama Masjid, PER Maḥal, PER Akbar, LOC Yamuna River, LOC Amar Singh Gate, LOC Hall of Public Audience, PER Sher Shah Suri, LOC Delhi, LOC Musamman Burj, LOC Taj Mahal, LOC Jahangiri Mahal, LOC Diwan - i - Am, PER Aurangzeb, LOC Hathi Pol, LOC Hall of Private Audience, LOC Pearl Mosque, LOC Tower, LOC Moti Masjid, PER Jahangir, LOC Mumtaz, LOC Delhi Gate, LOC Yamuna, LOC Elephant Gate, LOC Agra Fort, LOC Peacock Throne, LOC Diwan - i - Khas, PER Islam Shah Suri, PER Shah Jahan, LOC Agra |
Nur Jahan commissioned Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, sometimes called the "Baby Taj", for her father, Mirza Ghiyas Beg, the Chief Minister of the Emperor Jahangir. Located on the left bank of the Yamuna river, the mausoleum is set in a large cruciform garden, crisscrossed by water courses and walkways. The area of the mausoleum itself is about 23 m2 (250 sq ft), and is built on a base that is about 50 m2 (540 sq ft) and about one metre (3.3 feet) high. On each corner are hexagonal towers, about thirteen metres (43 feet) tall. Small in comparison to many other Mughal-era tombs, it is sometimes described as a jewel box. Its garden layout and use of white marble, pietra dura, inlay designs, and latticework presage many elements of the Taj Mahal.
The walls are white marble from Rajasthan encrusted with semi-precious stone decorations – cornelian, jasper, lapis lazuli, onyx, and topaz in images of cypress trees and wine bottles or more elaborate decorations like cut fruit or vases containing bouquets. Light penetrates the interior through delicate Jali screens of intricately carved white marble. | Agra Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb | LOC Yamuna, PER Nur Jahan, LOC Taj Mahal, LOC Rajasthan, PER Mirza Ghiyas Beg, LOC Baby Taj, LOC Tomb, PER Jahangir, LOC Itmad - Ud - Daulah |
Sikandra, the last resting place of the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great, is on the Delhi-Agra Highway, about 13 kilometres (8.1 miles) from the Agra Fort. The four-storied tomb combines both marble and sandstone in its exterior. The construction of Sikandra was commenced in Akbar's reign and was completed by his heir and son Jahangir in 1613. The tomb with is set amidst a large garden and is enclosed by four battlemented walls, each with a large gateway. The 99 names of Allah have been inscribed on the tomb. The tomb has seen some damage to its minarets and other aspects, which was inflicted by the Jats of Bharatpur. The vast gardens around Sikandra are inhabited by several Blackbucks, which are in the process of being shifted to the Etawah Safari Park. Next to Akbar's tomb, stands the Tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani, the favorite wife of Akbar. | Agra Akbar's Tomb, Sikandra | PER Allah, PER Akbar, LOC Etawah Safari Park, LOC Agra Fort, LOC Delhi - Agra Highway, LOC Sikandra, PER Mariam - uz - Zamani, LOC Bharatpur, PER Jahangir, PER Akbar the Great |
Agra also has several other places of interest, most of them from its Mughal past. They include the Jama Masjid, Chini Ka Rauza, Aram Bagh, Mariam's Tomb, and Mehtab Bagh among others. The Jama Masjid is a large mosque attributed to Shah Jahan's daughter Jahanara Begum, built-in 1648, notable for its unusual dome and absence of minarets. The Chini Ka Rauza, notable for its Persian influenced dome of blue glazed tiles, is dedicated to the prime minister of Shah Jahan, Afzal Khan. The Aram Bagh, commonly known as Ram Bagh today, is one of the oldest Mughal garden in India, and was built by the Mughal emperor Babur in 1528 on the bank of the Yamuna. It lies about 2.3 km (1 mi) north of the Taj Mahal. The original name of the gardens was Aram Bagh, or 'Garden of Relaxation', and this was where Babur used to spend his leisure time. Tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani, is the tomb of Mariam, the favorite wife of Emperor Akbar. The tomb is within the compound of the Christian Missionary Society. The Mehtab Bagh, or 'Moonlight Garden', is on the opposite bank of the River Yamuna from the Taj Mahal. Agra also has a nearby bird sanctuary, Keetham Lake. Also known as Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, it is situated within the Surdas Reserved Forest. The lake has nearly two dozen varieties of migratory and resident birds. | Agra Other places of Interest | LOC Jama Masjid, LOC River Yamuna, PER Akbar, LOC Aram Bagh, LOC Ram Bagh, LOC Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, LOC Mariam, LOC Taj Mahal, LOC Surdas Reserved Forest, PER Babur, PER Mariam - uz - Zamani, LOC Tomb, LOC Chini Ka Rauza, LOC Keetham Lake, PER Jahanara Begum, LOC Garden of Relaxation, LOC Mehtab Bagh, LOC Yamuna, PER Mariam, ORG Christian Missionary Society, LOC India, PER Afzal Khan, PER Shah Jahan, LOC Agra |
Agra's cuisine is derived from its Mughal past. Mughlai cuisine mainly consists of meat enriched with creamy, boldly flavoured curries, with lots of dried fruits and spices. Vegetarian dishes, using paneer instead of meat are equally loved. Mughal cuisine is available in restaurants all around the city. Petha, a sweet made using ash gourd, is one of the famous dishes of Agra, and is available in many varieties. Another dish that is endemic to Agra is Dalmoth, which is a dry snack made with spicy fried dal (lentils), nuts and raisins. The breakfast specialties include Bedai, which is a puffy kachori (made with all purpose flour, which is deep fried) with spicy filling inside and is generally served with spicy aloo sabzi and dahi.(Curd) Equally popular as a snack is Chaat, a collective term which includes snacks like Dahi-bhalla, Raj kachori, samosas, and gol gappas, among others. Paratha, a pan fried flat wheat bread which is stuffed with potatoes, cauliflower, carrots or paneer, is also popular, and eaten accompanied with curd, pickle and chutney. | Agra Cuisine | LOC Agra |
Taj Mahotsav is a cultural festival and craft fair that was started in the year 1992 and has grown since then. The year 2019 was the 28th year of this Mahotsav. The fair is held in a big field in Shilpgram, near the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal. This festival also figures in the calendar of events of the Department of Tourism, Government of India. A large number of Indian and foreign tourists coming to Agra join this festivity. One of the objectives of this craft fair is to provide encouragement to the artisans. It also makes available works of art and craft at reasonable prices that are not inflated by high maintenance cost. The Mahotsav is hosted from 18 to 27 February every year. The theme for the 2020 Taj Mahotsav was Sanskriti ke Rang, Taj ke Sang. For the first time since 1992, Taj Mahotsav 2021 has been cancelled, because of tourism restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. | Agra Taj Mahotsav | LOC Taj Mahal, LOC Shilpgram, ORG Government of India, ORG Department of Tourism, LOC Agra |
As of April 2021, Indigo operates regular flights between Agra airport and Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bhopal and Bengaluru. The Agra Airport at Kheria is controlled by the Indian Air Force. | Agra Air | LOC Bengaluru, LOC Kheria, LOC Bhopal, ORG Indigo, LOC Ahmedabad, ORG Indian Air Force, LOC Mumbai, LOC Agra |
The city of Agra is served by 7 Railway stations viz. Agra Cant.(major station for Delhi - Mumbai line), Raja-Ki-Mandi, Agra Fort(Major station for Jodhpur- Hawrah Line), Idgah, Agra City, Jamuna Bridge and Billochpura. Agra City comes under the jurisdiction of Agra Division of North Central Railways Zone of the Indian Railways. Agra is served by multiple mail/express trains, as well as Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Gatiman express. The Gatiman express is India's first semi-high train speed service, which cut travel time between Agra and Delhi to 100 minutes. Being a major tourist destination, Agra is also served by the luxury train Maharajas' Express. | Agra Rail | LOC Mandi, LOC Idgah, LOC India, LOC Billochpura, LOC Agra Fort, LOC North Central Railways, LOC Jodhpur, LOC Delhi, LOC Agra City, LOC Raja - Ki, LOC Agra Cant, LOC Jamuna Bridge, ORG Agra Division, LOC Hawrah, ORG Indian Railways, LOC Mumbai, LOC Agra |
Inter-State Bus Terminal (I.S.B.T.), Idgah Bus Stand, Taj Depot and Fort Depot are the major bus stands in Agra, connecting Agra to most of the bigger cities in northern India. It is a major junction of highways with three national highways and two expressways (Yamuna Expressway & Agra Lucknow Expressway) originating from Agra.
From Delhi: NH 19 (old number: NH 2), a modern divided highway, connects the 200 km (124 mi) distance from Delhi to Agra.
From Delhi / Noida: Yamuna Expressway, a modern access controlled highway connects the 200 km (124 mi) distance from Delhi to Agra.
Yamuna Expressway (formerly Taj Expressway) is a six lane, 165 km (103 mi) long, controlled-access expressway, that connects New Delhi with Agra via Greater Noida and Mathura in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
NH 509 (old number: NH 93) connects Agra to Moradabad via Aligarh.
Section of NH 44 (old number: NH 3 Agra Mumbai national highway) connects Agra to Gwalior via Dholpur.
NH 21 (old number: NH 11 Agra Jaipur Highway) connects Jaipur to Bareilly via Agra.
Agra Lucknow Expressway is a six lane, 302 km (188 mi) long, controlled-access expressway, that connects Lucknow with Agra via Kannauj and Etawah in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.Bus services are run by the UPSRTC([1] Other para-transit modes include rickshaws. Polluting vehicles are not allowed near the Taj Mahal. Within the city, Mahatma Gandhi Marg is the main artery. | Agra Road | LOC Dholpur, LOC Mathura, LOC Moradabad, ORG UPSRTC, LOC Delhi, LOC Kannauj, LOC NH 19, LOC Mumbai, LOC Agra Jaipur Highway, LOC Bareilly, LOC Agra Lucknow Expressway, LOC Yamuna Expressway, LOC Taj Mahal, LOC NH 44, LOC NH, LOC Lucknow, LOC New Delhi, ORG I. S. B. T, LOC NH 93, LOC Fort Depot, LOC Uttar Pradesh, LOC Idgah Bus, LOC Mahatma Gandhi Marg, LOC India, LOC NH 21, LOC Aligarh, LOC Etawah, LOC NH 3, LOC Greater Noida, LOC Taj Depot, LOC Noida, LOC Jaipur, LOC Taj Expressway, LOC Gwalior, LOC Agra |
Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) had proposed 30 stations, 11 underground and 19 elevated, for two corridors of the Metro Rail in the city. The two lines are Sikandra to the Taj Mahal's east gate via Agra Fort and Agra Cantt to Kalindi Vihar. On 24 March 2017, State Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath approved the project. In December 2017, the cabinet of the UP Government approved the DPR as per New Metro Policy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Agra Metro on 8 March 2019. | Agra Agra Metro | ORG UP, PER Narendra Modi, PER Yogi Aditya Nath, LOC Taj Mahal, ORG Rail India Technical and Economic Service, ORG DPR, ORG RITES, LOC Agra Fort, LOC Sikandra, ORG Agra Metro, LOC Agra Cantt, ORG Metro Rail, LOC Kalindi Vihar |
It was during the advent of the Mughal era that Agra grew as a centre of Islamic education. In the year 1823, Agra College, one of the oldest colleges in India was formed out of a Sanskrit school established by the Scindia rulers.
In the British era, Agra became a great centre of Hindi literature with people like Babu Gulab Rai at the helm. | Agra Education | LOC India, ORG Agra College, PER Babu Gulab Rai, LOC Scindia, LOC Agra |
Agra University was established on 1 July 1927 and catered to colleges spread across the United Provinces, the Rajputana, the Central Provinces and almost to entire northern India. There are 10 institutes comprising various departments and around 700 Colleges are affiliated to this university. The historic Agra University was later rechristened as Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University by the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati.
The Institute of Mental Health and Hospital, formerly known as Agra Lunatic Asylum, was established in September 1859 governed by the State of Uttar Pradesh. It is spread over an extensive and beautiful ground of 172.8 acres (69.9 ha) land and is well-known centre for the treatment, training, and research on mental disorders in Northern India. The institute was renamed as Mental Hospital, Agra in 1925. Presently all admissions and discharges are being done under the provisions of Mental Health Act, 1987.
Central Institute of Hindi, (also known as Kendriya Hindi Sansthan) is an autonomous institute under Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India engaged in teaching Hindi as a foreign and second language. Apart from running residential Hindi language courses for foreign students, the institute also conducts regular training programmes for teachers of Hindi belonging to non-Hindi states of India. The institute is situated at an 11 acres (4.5 ha) campus on the outskirts of Agra city. Headquartered in Agra the institute has eight regional centres in Delhi, Hyderabad, Mysore, Shillong, Dimapur, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Bhubneshwar. The institute is the only government-run institution in India established solely for research and teaching of Hindi as a foreign and second language.
Sarojini Naidu Medical College, is one of the three oldest medical colleges of India. It is located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh state. It is named after the first lady Governess of Uttar Pradesh, poet and freedom fighter, Bharat Kokila Smt. Sarojini Naidu.
Agra College, is one of the oldest institutions in India. Pandit Gangadhar Shastri, a noted Sanskrit scholar founded the college in 1823. Till 1883 the institute was a government college and after that, a board of trustees and a Committee of Management managed the college. Agra College produced the first graduate in Uttar Pradesh and the first Law graduate to Northern India.
St. John's College, Agra, is a college established in 1850, now part of the Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar University, earlier known as Agra University. It is amongst the oldest and one of the most beautiful Christian colleges in India. The college runs a study centre of Indira Gandhi National Open University, a central university.
Raja Balwant Singh College, Established in 1885 owes its existence to Raja Balwant Singh Ji of Awagarh who enabled the institution to grow as one of the oldest and biggest colleges of Uttar Pradesh. Raja Balwant Singh College is located at Bichpuri, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. The college is affiliated to Uttar Pradesh Technical University, Lucknow, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Agra.
Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Radha Soami Satsang Sabha, started the Radhasoami Educational Institute, as a co-educational Middle School, open to all, on 1 January 1917. It became a Degree College in 1947, affiliated to Agra University. In 1975, it formulated a programme of undergraduate studies which received approbation from the Government of Uttar Pradesh and the University Grants Commission, as a result of which in 1981 the Ministry of Education, Government of India, conferred the status of an institution deemed to be a University on the Dayalbagh Educational Institute, to implement the new scheme. | Agra Universities and colleges | LOC Northern India, PER Pandit Gangadhar Shastri, ORG Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University, ORG of India, ORG Agra Lunatic Asylum, LOC Delhi, ORG Institute of Mental Health and Hospital, LOC Dimapur, LOC Rajputana, LOC Government, PER Mayawati, ORG Kendriya Hindi Sansthan, LOC Pradesh, ORG Agra University, LOC Hyderabad, PER Bharat Kokila Smt. Sarojini Naidu, LOC Mysore, ORG Ministry of Human Resource Development, LOC Central Provinces, ORG Agra College, ORG Sarojini Naidu Medical College, LOC Uttar Pradesh, LOC Bhubneshwar, ORG St. John ' s College, LOC Guwahati, ORG State of Uttar, LOC India, ORG Committee of Management, ORG Mental Hospital, Agra, LOC Shillong, ORG Central Institute of Hindi, LOC Ahmedabad, LOC United Provinces, LOC Agra |
St. Clare's Senior Secondary School, Agra was established in 1957 by the Archbishop of Agra Dominic Athaide primarily to cater for the educational needs of children. It is a convent school and is managed by catholic archdiocese of Agra. It is affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and runs classes from I to XII.
St. George's College, Agra is one of the oldest convent schools in India. It is a Minority Anglo-Indian Christian Institution granted Minority Rights under Article 30 of the Indian Constitution. It is located near Mall Road and near to Targhar.
St. Paul's College, Agra was established on 25 January 1980 by the Church of North India and is affiliated to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations board of schools.
St. Peter's College, Agra, founded in the year 1846, it is one of the oldest convent schools in India. It is a Roman Catholic Institution granted Minority Rights under Article 30 of the Indian Constitution | Agra Schools | PER Dominic Athaide, ORG CBSE, LOC Targhar, LOC India, ORG St. Paul ' s College, LOC Mall Road, ORG Church of North India, ORG Central Board of Secondary Education, ORG Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, ORG Agra, ORG St. George ' s College, ORG St. Clare ' s Senior Secondary School, ORG St. Peter ' s College, ORG Minority Anglo - Indian Christian Institution, LOC Agra |
Agra is home to the Dainik Jagran newspaper, the most read Hindi newspaper in India. Other widely read papers include Amar Ujala, Rajasthan Patrika, Aaj, Hindustan, The Sea Express, "daily Amar Bharti", Deepsheel Bharat, DLA. The English dailies published are The Times of India, Hindustan Times, Economic Times, and The Pioneer. The Urdy dailies published are Prabhanjan Sanket, and Inksaaf. There is also the Hindi and English mixed newspaper tabloid I-Next.
State-owned All India Radio has a local station in Agra which transmits various programs of mass interest. There are four private FM radio stations, 92.7 BIG FM (Reliance Broadcast Network Limited), 93.7 Fever FM, 94.5 Tadka FM and Radio City 91.9 FM. There is a community Radio Station 90.4 FM. | Agra Media | ORG Reliance Broadcast Network Limited, ORG Hindustan, LOC Agra, ORG Economic Times, ORG The Pioneer, ORG All India Radio, ORG I - Next, ORG Dainik Jagran, ORG Amar, ORG Station, ORG Inksaaf, ORG Aaj, ORG The Times of India, ORG Prabhanjan Sanket, ORG Rajasthan Patrika, ORG Radio City, ORG FM, LOC India, ORG Hindustan Times, ORG Deepsheel Bharat, ORG DLA, ORG The Sea Express |
Agra is twinned with:
Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Petra, Jordan
Tempe, Arizona
Samarkand | Agra Sister cities | LOC Petra, LOC Chengdu, LOC Jordan Tempe, LOC Sichuan, LOC China, LOC Arizona Samarkand, LOC Agra |
Ahmedabad ( AH-mə-də-ba(h)d; Gujarati: Amdavad [ˈəmdɑːʋɑːd] (listen)) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per the 2011 population census) makes it the fifth-most populous city in India, and the encompassing urban agglomeration population estimated at 6,357,693 is the seventh-most populous in India. Ahmedabad is located near the banks of the Sabarmati River, 25 km (16 mi) from the capital of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, also known as its twin city.Ahmedabad has emerged as an important economic and industrial hub in India. It is the second-largest producer of cotton in India, due to which it was known as the 'Manchester of India' along with Kanpur. Ahmedabad's stock exchange (before it was shut down in 2018) was the country's second oldest. Cricket is a popular sport in Ahmedabad; a newly built stadium, called Narendra Modi Stadium, at Motera can accommodate 132,000 spectators, making it the largest stadium in the world. The world-class Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave is currently under construction and once complete, it will be one of the biggest sports centers (Sports City) in India. The effects of the liberalisation of the Indian economy have energised the city's economy towards tertiary sector activities such as commerce, communication and construction. Ahmedabad's increasing population has resulted in an increase in the construction and housing industries, resulting in the development of skyscrapers.In 2010, Ahmedabad was ranked third in Forbes's list of fastest growing cities of the decade. In 2012, The Times of India chose Ahmedabad as India's best city to live in. The gross domestic product of Ahmedabad metro was estimated at $80 billion in 2020. In 2020, Ahmedabad was ranked as the third-best city in India to live by the Ease of Living Index. In July 2022, Time magazine included Ahmedabad in its list of world's 50 greatest places of 2022.Ahmedabad has been selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under the Government of India's flagship Smart Cities Mission. In July 2017, the historic city of Ahmedabad, or Old Ahmedabad, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage City. The city is home to the world's first Swaminarayan Mandir, located in Kalupur area of Old Ahmedabad. | Ahmedabad Introduction | LOC AH, ORG Forbes, LOC Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, LOC Kanpur, ORG Cities, ORG The Times of India, LOC Sabarmati River, LOC Amdavad, LOC Narendra Modi Stadium, ORG Time, LOC Gandhinagar, LOC Gujarat, LOC Motera, LOC India, ORG Government of India, ORG Gujarat High Court, LOC Manchester, LOC Sports City, LOC Ahmedabad |
The area around Ahmedabad has been inhabited since the 11th century, when it was known as Ashaval. At that time, Karna, the Chaulukya (Solanki) ruler of Anhilwara (modern Patan), waged a successful war against the Bhil king of Ashaval, and established a city called Karnavati on the banks of the Sabarmati. Solanki rule lasted until the 13th century, when Gujarat came under the control of the Vaghela dynasty of Dholka. Gujarat subsequently came under the control of the Delhi Sultanate in the 14th century. However, by the earlier 15th century, the local Muslim governor Zafar Khan Muzaffar established his independence from the Delhi Sultanate and crowned himself Sultan of Gujarat as Muzaffar Shah I, thereby founding the Muzaffarid dynasty. In 1411, this area came under the control of his grandson, Sultan Ahmed Shah, who selected the forested area along the banks of the Sabarmati river for a new capital city. He laid the foundation of a new walled city near Karnavati and named it Ahmedabad after himself. According to other versions, he named the city after four Muslim saints in the area who all had the name Ahmed. Ahmed Shah I laid the foundation of the city on 26 February 1411 (at 1.20 pm, Thursday, the second day of Dhu al-Qi'dah, Hijri year 813) at Manek Burj. Manek Burj is named after the legendary 15th-century Hindu saint, Maneknath, who intervened to help Ahmed Shah I build Bhadra Fort in 1411.
He chose it as the new capital on 4 March 1411.
Chandan and Rajesh Nath, 13th generation descendants of Saint Maneknath, perform puja and hoist the flag on Manek Burj on Ahmedabad's foundation day and for the Vijayadashami festival every year.
In 1487, Mahmud Begada, the grandson of Ahmed Shah, fortified the city with an outer wall 10 km (6.2 mi) in circumference and consisting of twelve gates, 189 bastions and over 6,000 battlements. In 1535 Humayun briefly occupied Ahmedabad after capturing Champaner when the ruler of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah, fled to Diu. Ahmedabad was then reoccupied by the Muzaffarid dynasty until 1573 when Gujarat was conquered by the Mughal emperor Akbar. During the Mughal reign, Ahmedabad became one of the Empire's thriving centres of trade, mainly in textiles, which were exported as far as Europe. The Mughal ruler Shahjahan spent the prime of his life in the city, sponsoring the construction of the Moti Shahi Mahal in Shahibaug. The Deccan Famine of 1630–32 affected the city, as did famines in 1650 and 1686. Ahmedabad remained the provincial headquarters of the Mughals until 1758, when they surrendered the city to the Marathas.During the period of Maratha Empire governance, the city became the centre of a conflict between the Peshwa of Poona and the Gaekwad of Baroda. In 1780, during the First Anglo-Maratha War, a British force under James Hartley stormed and captured Ahmedabad, but it was handed back to the Marathas at the end of the war. The British East India Company took over the city in 1818 during the Third Anglo-Maratha War. A military cantonment was established in 1824 and a municipal government in 1858. Incorporated into the Bombay Presidency during British rule, Ahmedabad became one of the most important cities in the Gujarat region. In 1864, a railway link between Ahmedabad and Mumbai (then Bombay) was established by the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway (BB&CI), enabling traffic and trade between northern and southern India via the city. Over time, the city established itself as the home of a developing textile industry, which earned it the nickname "Manchester of the East".
The Indian independence movement developed roots in the city when Mahatma Gandhi established two ashrams – the Kochrab Ashram near Paldi in 1915 and the Satyagraha Ashram (now Sabarmati Ashram) on the banks of the Sabarmati in 1917 – which would become centres of nationalist activities. During the mass protests against the Rowlatt Act in 1919, textile workers burned down 51 government buildings across the city in protest at a British attempt to extend wartime regulations after the First World War. In the 1920s, textile workers and teachers went on strike, demanding civil rights and better pay and working conditions. In 1930, Gandhi initiated the Salt Satyagraha from Ahmedabad by embarking from his ashram on the Dandi Salt March. The city's administration and economic institutions were rendered inoperative in the early 1930s by the large numbers of people who took to the streets in peaceful protests, and again in 1942 during the Quit India Movement. Following independence and the partition of India in 1947, the city was scarred by the intense communal violence that broke out between Hindus and Muslims in 1947, Ahmedabad was the focus of settlement by Hindu migrants from Pakistan, who expanded the city's population and transformed its demographics and economy.
By 1960, Ahmedabad had become a metropolis with a population of slightly under half a million people, with classical and colonial European-style buildings lining the city's thoroughfares. It was chosen as the capital of Gujarat state after the partition of the State of Bombay on 1 May 1960. During this period, a large number of educational and research institutions were founded in the city, making it a centre for higher education, science and technology. Ahmedabad's economic base became more diverse with the establishment of heavy and chemical industry during the same period. Many countries sought to emulate India's economic planning strategy and one of them, South Korea, copied the city's second "Five-Year Plan".
In the late 1970s, the capital shifted to the newly built city of Gandhinagar. This marked the start of a long period of decline in the city, marked by a lack of development.
The 1974 Nav Nirman agitation – a protest against a 20% hike in the hostel food fees at the L.D. College of Engineering in Ahmedabad – snowballed into a movement to remove Chimanbhai Patel, then chief minister of Gujarat. In the 1980s, a reservation policy was introduced in the country, which led to anti-reservation protests in 1981 and 1985. The protests witnessed violent clashes between people belonging to various castes. The city was considerably impacted by the 2001 Gujarat earthquake; up to 50 multi-storey buildings collapsed, killing 752 people and causing much damage. The following year, a three-day period of violence between Hindus and Muslims in the western Indian state of Gujarat, known as the 2002 Gujarat riots, spread to Ahmedabad; in eastern Chamanpura, 69 people were killed in the Gulbarg Society massacre on 28 February 2002. Refugee camps were set up around the city, housing 50,000 Muslims, as well as some small Hindu camps.The 2008 Ahmedabad bombings, a series of seventeen bomb blasts, killed and injured several people. Militant group Harkat-ul-Jihad claimed responsibility for the attacks.Other than New Delhi, Ahmedabad is a rare city in India to have hosted premiers of major economies like the US, China and Canada. On 24 February 2020, President Trump became the first president of the US to visit the city as part of Namaste Trump. Earlier, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the city. | Ahmedabad History | LOC Manek Burj, PER Muzaffarid, LOC Delhi Sultanate, PER Bahadur Shah, PER Rajesh Nath, LOC Champaner, LOC Patan, PER Ashaval, PER Zafar Khan Muzaffar, PER Ahmed, PER Mahmud Begada, LOC Diu, PER Solanki, PER Ahmed Shah, PER Chandan, LOC Karnavati, PER Dhu al - Qi ' dah, PER Ahmed Shah I, LOC Ashaval, PER Muzaffar Shah I, LOC Bhadra Fort, LOC Gujarat, LOC Dholka, PER Vaghela, LOC Sabarmati, PER Maneknath, PER Humayun, PER Chaulukya, PER Anhilwara, LOC Ahmedabad, LOC Karna, LOC Bhil |
At the 2011 Census of India Ahmedabad had a population of 5,633,927, making it the fifth most populous city in India. The urban agglomeration centred upon Ahmedabad, then having a population of 6,357,693, now estimated at 7,650,000, is the seventh most populous urban agglomeration in India. The city had a literacy rate of 88.29%; 92.30% of the men and 83.85% of the women were literate. Ahmedabad's sex ratio in 2011 was 897 women per 1000 men. According to the census for the Ninth Plan, there are 30,737 rural families living in Ahmedabad. Of those, 5.41% (1663 families) live below the poverty line. Approximately 440,000 people live in slums within the city.
In 2008, there were 2273 registered non-resident Indians living in Ahmedabad.
In 2010, Forbes magazine rated Ahmedabad as the fastest-growing city in India, and listed it as third fastest-growing in the world after the Chinese cities of Chengdu and Chongqing. In 2011, it was rated India's best megacity to live in by leading market research firm IMRB. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report of 2003, Ahmedabad has the lowest crime rate of the 35 Indian cities with a population of more than one million. In December 2011, market research firm IMRB declared Ahmedabad the best megacity to live in when compared to India's other megacities. Slightly less than half of all real estate in Ahmedabad is owned by "community organisations" (i.e. cooperatives), and according to Vrajlal Sapovadia, professor of the B.K. School of Business Management, "the spatial growth of the city is to [an] extent [a] contribution of these organisations". Ahmedabad Cantonment provides residential zones for Indian Army officials. Ahmedabad's 2020 population is now estimated at 8,059,441. In 1950, the population of Ahmedabad was 854,959. Ahmedabad has grown by 950,155 since 2015, which represents a 2.54% annual change. According to the UN World Population Prospects, the population might increase to 8,854,444 by 2025. It is also predicted to have a massive rise to 11,062,112 as early as 2035. | Ahmedabad Population | LOC Chengdu, ORG Ahmedabad Cantonment, ORG Indian Army, ORG IMRB, LOC India, PER Vrajlal Sapovadia, ORG Forbes magazine, ORG B. K. School of Business Management, ORG NCRB, LOC Chongqing, LOC Ahmedabad, ORG National Crime Records Bureau |
In the mid-1970s and early 1980s, the textile mills that were responsible for much of Ahmedabad's wealth faced competition from automation and domestic specialty looms. Several mills closed down, leaving between 40,000 and 50,000 people without a source of income, and many moved into informal settlements in the city centre. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), the governing and administrative body of the city, simultaneously lost much of its tax base and saw an increased demand for services. In the 1990s, newly emerging pharmaceutical, chemical, and automobile manufacturing industries required skilled labor, so many migrants seeking work ended up in the informal sector and settled in slums.Ahmedabad has made efforts to reduce poverty and improve the living conditions of poor residents. The urban poverty rate has declined from 28% in 1993–1994 to 10% in 2011–2012. This is partly due to the strengthening of the AMC and its partnership with several civil society organizations (CSOs) representing poor residents. Through projects and programs, the AMC has provided utilities and basic services to slums. However, some challenges remain, and there are still many residents who lack access to sanitation, improved water, and electricity. Riots, often rooted in religious tensions, threaten the stability of neighborhoods and have caused spatial segregation across religious and caste lines. Finally, the conception of pro-poor, inclusive development is being overshadowed by a national initiative promoting the creation of 'global cities' of capital investment and technological innovation. This has shifted priorities towards constructing new housing and attracting private development rather than servicing the urban poor. | Ahmedabad Poverty | LOC Ahmedabad, ORG AMC, ORG Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation |
As of 2011, about 66% of the population lives in formal housing. The other 34% lives in slums or chawls, which are tenements for industrial workers. There are approximately 700 slum settlements in Ahmedabad, and 11% of the total housing stock is public housing. The population of Ahmedabad has increased while the housing stock has remained generally constant, and this has led to a rise in density of both formal and informal housing and a more economical usage of existing space. The Indian census estimates that the Ahmedabad slum population was 25.6% of the total population in 1991 and had decreased to 4.5% in 2011, but these numbers are contested and local entities maintain that the census underestimates informal populations. There is a consensus that there has been a reduction in the percentage of the population that lives in slum settlements, and that there has also been a general improvement in living conditions for slum residents. | Ahmedabad Informal housing and slums | LOC Ahmedabad |
In the 1990s, the AMC faced increased slum populations. They found that residents were willing and able to pay for legal connections to water, sewage, and electricity, but because of tenure issues, they were paying higher prices for low-quality, informal connections. To address this, beginning in 1995, the AMC partnered with civil society organizations to create the Slum Networking Project (SNP) to improve basic services in 60 slums, benefitting approximately 13,000 households. This project, also known as Parivartan (Change), involved participatory planning in which slum residents were partners alongside AMC, private institutions, microfinance lenders, and local NGOs. The goal of the program was to provide both physical infrastructure (including water supply, sewers, individual toilets, paved roads, storm drainage, and tree planting) and community development (i.e. the formation of resident associations, women's groups, community health interventions, and vocational training). In addition, participating households were granted a minimum de facto tenure of ten years. The project cost a total of ₹4,350 million. Community members and the private sector each contributed ₹600 million, NGOs provided ₹90 million, and the AMC paid for the rest of the project. Each slum household was responsible for no more than 12% of the cost of upgrading their home.This project has generally been regarded as a success. Having access to basic services increased the residents' working hours, since most work out of their homes. It also reduced the incidence of illness, particularly water-borne illness, and increased children's rates of school attendance. The SNP received the 2006 UNHABITAT Dubai International Award for Best Practice to Improve the Living Environment. However, concerns remain about the community's responsibility and capacity for the maintenance of the new infrastructure. Additionally, trust was weakened when the AMC demolished two of slums that were upgraded as part of SNP to create recreational parks. | Ahmedabad Slum Networking Project | ORG Slum Networking Project, ORG AMC, ORG SNP |
According to the 2011 census, Hindus are the predominant religious community in the city comprising 81.56% of the population followed by Muslims (13.51%), Jains (3.62%), Christians (0.85%) and Sikhs (0.24%). Buddhists, people following other religions and those who didn't state any religion make up the remainder.
Its (Marian) cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ahmedabad (Latin Rite; established 1949), a suffragan of the Metropolitan of Gandhinagar.
Most of the residents of Ahmedabad are native Gujaratis. The city is home to some 2000 Parsis (Zoroastrians) and some 125 members of the Bene Israel Jewish community. There is also one synagogue in the city. Atheism is also on the rise in Ahmedabad. | Ahmedabad Religion and ethnicity | ORG Latin Rite, ORG Diocese of Ahmedabad, LOC Gandhinagar, ORG Bene Israel, LOC Ahmedabad, LOC Our Lady of Mount Carmel, ORG Metropolitan of, ORG Roman |
Ahmedabad lies at 23.03°N 72.58°E / 23.03; 72.58 in western India at 53 metres (174 ft) above sea level on the banks of the Sabarmati river, in north-central Gujarat. It covers an area of 505 km2 (195 sq mi). The Sabarmati frequently dried up in the summer, leaving only a small stream of water, and the city is in a sandy and dry area. However, with the execution of the Sabarmati River Front Project and Embankment, the waters from the Narmada river have been diverted to the Sabarmati to keep the river flowing throughout the year, thereby eliminating Ahmedabad's water problems. The steady expansion of the Rann of Kutch threatened to increase desertification around the city area and much of the state; however, the Narmada Canal network is expected to alleviate this problem. Except for the small hills of Thaltej-Jodhpur Tekra, the city is almost flat. Three lakes lie within the city's limits—Kankaria, Vastrapur and Chandola. Kankaria, in the neighbourhood of Maninagar, is an artificial lake developed by the Sultan of Gujarat, Qutb-ud-din, in 1451.According to the Bureau of Indian Standards, the town falls under seismic zone 3, in a scale of 2 to 5 (in order of increasing vulnerability to earthquakes).Ahmedabad is divided by the Sabarmati into two physically distinct eastern and western regions. The eastern bank of the river houses the old city, which includes the central town of Bhadra. This part of Ahmedabad is characterised by packed bazaars, the pol system of closely clustered buildings, and numerous places of worship. A Pol (pronounced as pole) is a housing cluster which comprises many families of a particular group, linked by caste, profession, or religion. This is a list of Pols in the old walled city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India. Heritage of these Pols has helped Ahmedabad gain a place in UNESCO's Tentative Lists, in selection criteria II, III and IV. The secretary-general of EuroIndia Centre quoted that if 12000 homes of Ahmedabad are restored they could be very helpful in promoting heritage tourism and its allied businesses. The Art Reverie in Moto Sutharvado is Res Artis center.
The first pol in Ahmedabad was named Mahurat Pol. Old city also houses the main railway station, the main post office, and some buildings of the Muzaffarid and British eras. The colonial period saw the expansion of the city to the western side of Sabarmati, facilitated by the construction of Ellis Bridge in 1875 and later the relatively modern Nehru Bridge. The western part of the city houses educational institutions, modern buildings, residential areas, shopping malls, multiplexes and new business districts centred around roads such as Ashram Road, C. G. Road and Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway.
Sabarmati Riverfront is a waterfront being developed along the banks of the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad, India. Proposed in the 1960s, its construction began in 2005, opened in 2012. | Ahmedabad Geography | LOC Narmada, ORG Art Reverie, LOC Kankaria, LOC Rann, LOC Moto Sutharvado, ORG Bureau of Indian Standards, PER Qutb - ud - din, ORG EuroIndia Centre, LOC Maninagar, LOC Vastrapur, PER Sultan, ORG UNESCO, LOC Gujarat, LOC Chandola, LOC Sabarmati, LOC Narmada Canal, LOC Bhadra, LOC India, LOC Thaltej - Jodhpur Tekra, LOC Ahmedabad, LOC Kutch |
Ahmedabad has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSh), with marginally less rain than required for a tropical savanna climate. There are three main seasons: summer, monsoon and winter. Aside from the monsoon season, the climate is extremely dry. The weather is hot from March to June; the average summer maximum is 43 °C (109 °F), and the average minimum is 24 °C (75 °F). From November to February, the average maximum temperature is 30 °C (86 °F), and the average minimum is 13 °C (55 °F). Cold winds from the north are responsible for a mild chill in January. The southwest monsoon brings a humid climate from mid-June to mid-September. The average annual rainfall is about 800 millimetres (31 in), but infrequent heavy torrential rains cause local rivers to flood and it is not uncommon for droughts to occur when the monsoon does not extend as far west as usual. The highest temperature in the city was recorded on 20 May 2016, with it reaching 48 °C (118 °F).
Following a heat wave in May 2010 reaching 46.8 °C (116.2 °F) and claiming hundreds of lives, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), in partnership with an international coalition of health and academic groups and with support from the Climate & Development Knowledge Network, developed the Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan. Aimed at increasing awareness, sharing information and coordinating responses to reduce the health effects of heat on vulnerable populations, the action plan is the first comprehensive plan in Asia to address the threat of adverse heat on health. It also focuses on community participation, building public awareness of the risks of extreme heat, training medical and community workers to respond to and help prevent heat-related illnesses, and coordinating an interagency emergency response effort when heat waves hit. | Ahmedabad Climate | ORG AMC, ORG Climate & Development Knowledge Network, ORG Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, LOC Ahmedabad, LOC Asia |
Early in Ahmedabad's history, under Ahmed Shah, builders fused Hindu craftsmanship with Persian architecture, giving rise to the Indo-Saracenic style. Many mosques in the city were built in this fashion. Sidi Saiyyed Mosque was built in the last year of the Sultanate of Gujarat. It is entirely arched and has ten stone latticework windows or jali on the side and rear arches. Private mansions or haveli from this era have carvings. A Pol is a typical housing cluster of Old Ahmedabad.
After independence, modern buildings appeared in Ahmedabad. Architects given commissions in the city included Louis Kahn, who designed the IIM-A; Le Corbusier, who designed the Shodhan and Sarabhai Villas, the Sanskar Kendra and the Mill Owners' Association Building, and Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed the administrative building of Calico Mills and the Calico Dome. B. V. Doshi came to the city from Paris to supervise Le Corbusier's works and later set up the School of Architecture (now CEPT). His local works include Sangath, Amdavad ni Gufa, Tagore Memorial Hall and the School of Architecture. Charles Correa, who became a partner of Doshi's, designed the Gandhi Ashram and Achyut Kanvinde, and the Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association complex. Christopher Charles Benninger's first work, the Alliance Française, is located in the Ellis Bridge area. Anant Raje designed major additions to Louis Kahn's IIM-A campus, namely the Ravi Mathai Auditorium and KLMD.Some of the most visited gardens in the city include Law Garden, Victoria Garden and Bal Vatika. Law Garden was named after the College of Law situated close to it. Victoria Garden is located at the southern edge of the Bhadra Fort and contains a statue of Queen Victoria. Bal Vatika is a children's park situated on the grounds of Kankaria Lake and also houses an amusement park. Other gardens in the city include Parimal Garden, Usmanpura Garden, Prahlad Nagar Garden and Lal Darwaja Garden.
Ahmedabad's Kamla Nehru Zoological Park houses a number of endangered species including flamingoes, caracals, Asiatic wolves and chinkara.The Kankaria Lake, built in 1451 AD, is one of the biggest lakes in Ahmedabad. In earlier days, it was known by the name Qutub Hoj or Hauj-e-Kutub. Lal Bahadur Shastri lake in Bapunagar is almost 136,000 square metres. In 2010, another 34 lakes were planned in and around Ahmedabad of which five lakes will be developed by AMC; the other 29 will be developed by the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA). Vastrapur lake is a small artificial lake located in the western part of Ahmedabad. Beautified by local authorities in 2002, it is surrounded by greenery and paved walkways and has become a popular leisure spot for the citizens. Chandola Lake covers an area of 1200 hectares. It is home to cormorants, painted storks and spoonbills. During the evening time, many people visit this place and take a leisurely stroll. There is a recently developed lake in Naroda, and there is also the world's largest collection of antique cars in Kathwada at IB farm (Dastan Farm). AMC has also developed the Sabarmati Riverfront.Looking at the health of traffic police staff deployed near the Pirana dump site, the Ahmedabad City Police is going to install outdoor air purifiers at traffic points so that the deployed staff can breathe fresh air. | Ahmedabad Cityscape | ORG IIM, LOC Sanskar Kendra, PER Charles Correa, LOC Calico Dome, ORG Achyut, PER Louis Kahn, LOC Usmanpura Garden, ORG Ahmedabad Textile Industry, ORG Research Association, LOC Ravi Mathai Auditorium, LOC Sultanate of Gujarat, LOC Law Garden, ORG Alliance Française, LOC Kamla Nehru Zoological Park, LOC Amdavad ni Gufa, LOC Ellis Bridge, LOC Gandhi Ashram, PER Ahmed Shah, LOC Kankaria Lake, LOC Sarabhai Villas, PER Frank Lloyd Wright, LOC Lal Darwaja Garden, LOC Kanvinde, PER Le Corbusier, PER Christopher Charles Benninger, LOC Prahlad Nagar Garden, LOC Sangath, LOC Bhadra Fort, PER Doshi, PER B. V. Doshi, ORG Calico Mills, LOC Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, ORG CEPT, LOC Paris, PER Victoria, ORG Mill Owners ' Association Building, LOC Tagore Memorial Hall, LOC Shodhan, LOC Parimal Garden, PER Anant Raje, LOC Bal Vatika, ORG College of Law, LOC Victoria Garden, LOC Ahmedabad, ORG School of Architecture, LOC KLMD |
Ahmedabad is the administrative headquarters of Ahmedabad district, administered by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). The AMC was established in July 1950 under the Bombay Provincial Corporation Act of 1949. The AMC commissioner is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer appointed by the state government who reserves the administrative executive powers, whereas the corporation is headed by the mayor of Ahmedabad. The city residents elect the 192 municipal councillors by popular vote, and the elected councillors select the deputy mayor and mayor of the city. The mayor, Bijal Patel, was appointed on 14 June 2018. The administrative responsibilities of the AMC are: water and sewerage services, primary education, health services, fire services, public transport and the city's infrastructure. AMC was ranked 9th out of 21 cities for "the best governance & administrative practices in India in 2014. It scored 3.4 out of 10 compared to the national average of 3.3." Ahmedabad registers two accidents per hour.The city is divided into seven zones constituting 48 wards. The city's urban and suburban areas are administered by the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA).
The city is represented by two elected members of parliament in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Indian Parliament) and 21 members of the Legislative Assembly at the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha.
The Gujarat High Court is located in Ahmedabad, making the city the judicial capital of Gujarat. Law enforcement and public safety is maintained by the Ahmedabad City Police, headed by the Police Commissioner, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. | Ahmedabad Civic administration | ORG IPS, ORG AMC, ORG AUDA, ORG Indian Administrative Service, ORG Indian Police Service, ORG Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority, ORG IAS, PER Bijal Patel, ORG Gujarat Vidhan Sabha, LOC Gujarat, ORG Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, ORG Indian Parliament, ORG Ahmedabad City Police, LOC India, ORG Bombay Provincial Corporation, ORG Gujarat High Court, ORG Legislative Assembly, LOC Ahmedabad, ORG Lok Sabha |
Health services are primarily provided at Ahmedabad civil hospital, the largest civil hospital in Asia.
Electricity in the city is generated and distributed by Torrent Power Limited, owned and operated by the Ahmedabad Electricity Company, which was previously a state-run corporation.Ahmedabad is one of the few cities in India where the power sector is privatised. | Ahmedabad Public services | LOC India, ORG Ahmedabad Electricity Company, ORG Torrent Power Limited, LOC Ahmedabad, LOC Asia |
Ahmedabad observes a range of festivals. Celebrations and observances include Uttarayan, an annual kite-flying day on 14 and 15 January. Nine nights of Navratri are celebrated with people performing Garba, the most popular folk dance of Gujarat, at venues across the city. The festival of lights, Deepavali, is celebrated with the lighting of lamps in every house, decorating the floors with rangoli, and the lighting of firecrackers. The annual Rath Yatra procession on the Ashadh-sud-bij date of the Hindu calendar at the Jagannath Temple, the festival of colours Holi, celebrated on the last full moon day in the end of the winter and based on the lunisolar Hindu calendar, and the procession of Tajia during the Muslim holy month of Muharram are important events.One of the most popular dishes in Ahmedabad is a Gujarati thali, which was first served commercially by Chandvilas Hotel in 1900. It consists of roti (Chapati), dal, rice and shaak (cooked vegetables, sometimes with curry), with accompaniments of pickles and roasted papads. Sweet dishes include laddoo, mango, and vedhmi. Dhoklas, theplas and dhebras are also very popular dishes in Ahmedabad. Beverages include buttermilk and tea. Drinking alcohol is forbidden in Ahmedabad.There are many restaurants, which serve Indian and international cuisines. Most of the food outlets serve only vegetarian food, as a strong tradition of vegetarianism is maintained by the city's Jain and Hindu communities. The first all-vegetarian Pizza Hut in the world opened in Ahmedabad. KFC has a separate staff uniform for serving vegetarian items and prepares vegetarian food in a separate kitchen, as does McDonald's. Ahmedabad has a quite a few restaurants serving typical Mughlai non-vegetarian food in older areas like Bhatiyar Gali, Kalupur and Jamalpur.Manek Chowk is an open square near the centre of the city that functions as a vegetable market in the morning and a jewellery market in the afternoon. However, it is better known for its food stalls in the evening, which sell local street food. It is named after the Hindu saint Baba Maneknath. Parts of Ahmedabad are known for their folk art. The artisans of Rangeela pol make tie-dyed bandhinis, while the cobbler shops of Madhupura sell traditional mojdi (also known as mojri) footwear. Idols of Ganesha and other religious icons are made in huge numbers in the Gulbai Tekra area. In 2019, there was a swing in the trend and people are adopting a more eco-friendly version of the Ganesha statue. The shops at the Law Garden sell mirrorwork handicrafts.
Three main literary institutions were established in Ahmedabad for the promotion of Gujarati literature: Gujarat Vidhya Sabha, Gujarati Sahitya Parishad and Gujarat Sahitya Sabha. Saptak School of Music festival is held in the first week of the new year. This event was inaugurated by Ravi Shankar.The Sanskar Kendra, one of the several buildings in Ahmedabad designed by Le Corbusier, is a city museum depicting its history, art, culture and architecture. The Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya and the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial have permanent displays of photographs, documents and other articles relating to Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel. The Calico Museum of Textiles has a large collection of Indian and international fabrics, garments and textiles. The Hazrat Pir Mohammad Shah Library has a collection of rare original manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Sindhi and Turkish. There is the Vechaar Utensils Museum which has stainless steel, glass, brass, copper, bronze, zinc and German silver tools. The Conflictorium is an interactive installation space that explores conflict in society through art.Shreyas Foundation has four museums on the same campus. Shreyas Folk Museum (Lokayatan Museum) has art forms and artefacts from the communities of Gujarat. Kalpana Mangaldas Children's Museum has a collection of toys, puppets, dance and drama costumes, coins and a repository of recorded music from traditional shows from all over the world. Kahani houses photographs of fairs and festivals of Gujarat. Sangeeta Vadyakhand is a gallery of musical instruments from India and other countries.L D Institute of Indology houses 76,000 hand-written Jain manuscripts with 500 illustrated versions and 45,000 printed books, making it the largest collection of Jain scripts, Indian sculptures, terracottas, miniature paintings, cloth paintings, painted scrolls, bronzes, woodwork, Indian coins, textiles and decorative art, paintings of Rabindranath Tagore and art of Nepal and Tibet. N C Mehta Gallery of Miniature Paintings has a collection of ornate miniature paintings and manuscripts from all over India.In 1949 Darpana Academy of Performing Arts was established by the scientist Dr. Vikram Sarabhai and Bharat Natyam dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai, and thus Ahmemedabad city became the centre of Indian classical dance. | Ahmedabad Culture | LOC Chandvilas Hotel, ORG KFC, LOC Kalupur, LOC Bhatiyar Gali, PER Baba Maneknath, LOC Jagannath Temple, LOC Gujarat, ORG McDonald ' s, LOC Ahmedabad, LOC Jamalpur, LOC Manek Chowk |
Ahmedabad had a literacy rate of 79.89% in 2001 which rose to 89.62 percent in 2011. As of 2011, the literacy rate among males and females were 93.96 and 84.81 percent, respectively.
Among the several universities in Ahmedabad, Gujarat University is the largest and claims to be the oldest; although the Gujarat Vidyapith was established in 1920 by Mahatma Gandhi – it received no charter from the British Raj, becoming a deemed university only in 1963. A large number of colleges in the city are affiliated with Gujarat University.
Gujarat Technological University, CEPT University, Nirma University, Institute of Infrastructure Technology Research and Management (IITRAM) and Ahmedabad University all date from this century. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University has over 100,000 students enrolled on its distance learning courses.Ahmedabad is home to the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, which was ranked first among management institutes in the country by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in 2018.Established in 1947 by the scientist Vikram Sarabhai, the oldest of the research institutes in Ahmedabad, the Physical Research Laboratory is active in space science, astronomy, high-energy physics and other areas of research.
The Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, established in 1949 by Mrinalini Sarabhai, was listed by UNESCO as an institution active in the "Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage".Schools in Ahmedabad are either run publicly by the municipal corporation, or privately by entities, trusts and corporations. The majority of schools are affiliated with the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board, although some are affiliated with the Central Board for Secondary Education, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, International Baccalaureate and National Institute of Open School. | Ahmedabad Education | ORG International Baccalaureate, ORG Gujarat Technological University, ORG Central Board for Secondary Education, ORG Gujarat Vidyapith, PER Vikram Sarabhai, ORG National Institute of Open School, PER Mrinalini Sarabhai, ORG Gujarat University, PER Babasaheb Ambedkar, PER Mahatma Gandhi, ORG Institute of Infrastructure Technology Research and Management, ORG Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, ORG Ministry of Human Resource Development, ORG Open University, ORG CEPT University, ORG Nirma University, ORG UNESCO, ORG Ahmedabad University, ORG IITRAM, ORG Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, ORG Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board, LOC Ahmedabad, ORG Physical Research Laboratory, ORG Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations |
Newspapers in Ahmedabad include English dailies such as The Times of India, Indian Express, DNA, The Economic Times, The Financial Express, Ahmedabad Mirror and Metro. Newspapers in other languages include Divya Bhaskar, Gujarat Samachar, Sandesh, Rajasthan Patrika, Sambhaav, and Aankhodekhi. The city is home to the historic Navajivan Publishing House, which was founded in 1919 by Mahatma Gandhi.The state-owned All India Radio Ahmedabad is broadcast both on medium wave bands and FM bands (96.7 MHz) in the city. It competes with five private local FM stations: Radio City (91.1 MHz), Red FM (93.5 MHz), My FM (94.3 MHz), Radio One (95.0 MHz), Radio Mirchi (98.3 MHz) and Mirchi Love (104 MHz). Gyan Vani (104.5 MHz) is an educational FM radio station run under the media co-operation model. In March 2012, Gujarat University started a campus radio service on 90.8 MHz, which was the first of its kind in the state and the fifth in India.The state-owned television broadcaster Doordarshan provides free terrestrial channels, while three multi system operators—InCablenet, Siti Cable and GTPL—provide a mix of Gujarati, Hindi, English, and other regional channels via cable. Telephone services are provided by landline and mobile operators such as Jio, BSNL Mobile, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea. | Ahmedabad Media | ORG InCablenet, ORG Ahmedabad Mirror, ORG My FM, ORG Navajivan Publishing House, ORG Airtel, ORG DNA, ORG Vodafone Idea, ORG Gyan Vani, ORG Aankhodekhi, ORG Gujarat University, ORG BSNL Mobile, ORG Metro, ORG Sambhaav, ORG The Times of India, ORG Red FM, PER Mahatma Gandhi, ORG Sandesh, ORG Jio, ORG Indian Express, ORG Radio Mirchi, ORG All India Radio Ahmedabad, ORG The Financial Express, ORG Gujarat Samachar, ORG Mirchi Love, ORG Rajasthan Patrika, ORG The Economic Times, ORG Radio One, ORG Radio City, ORG Siti Cable, ORG GTPL, LOC India, ORG Doordarshan, ORG Divya Bhaskar, LOC Ahmedabad |
The gross domestic product of Ahmedabad was estimated at US$80 billion in 2014. The RBI ranked Ahmedabad as the seventh largest deposit centre and seventh largest credit centre nationwide as of June 2012. In the 19th century, the textile and garments industry received strong capital investment. On 30 May 1861 Ranchhodlal Chhotalal founded the first Indian textile mill, the Ahmedabad Spinning and Weaving Company Limited, followed by the establishment of a series of textile mills such as Calico Mills, Bagicha Mills and Arvind Mills. By 1905 there were about 33 textile mills in the city. The textile industry expanded further at a rapid rate during the First World War, and benefited from the influence of Mahatma Gandhi's Swadeshi movement, which promoted the purchase of Indian-made goods. Ahmedabad was known as the "Manchester of the East" for its textile industry. The city is the largest supplier of denim and one of the largest exporters of gemstones and jewellery in India. The automobile industry is also important to the city; after Tata's Nano project, Ford and Suzuki are planning to establish plants near Ahmedabad while the Groundbreaking ceremony for Peugeot has already been performed.The Ahmedabad Stock Exchange, located in the Ambavadi area of the city, is India's second oldest stock exchange. Two of the biggest pharmaceutical companies of India — Zydus Cadila and Torrent Pharmaceuticals – are based in the city. The Nirma group of industries, which runs detergent and chemical industrial units, has its corporate headquarters in the city. The city houses the corporate headquarters of the Adani Group, a multinational trading and infrastructure development company. The Sardar Sarovar Project of dams and canals has improved the supply of potable water and electricity for the city. The information technology industry has developed significantly in Ahmedabad, with companies such as Tata Consultancy Services opening offices in the city. A NASSCOM survey in 2002 on the "Super Nine Indian Destinations" for IT-enabled services ranked Ahmedabad fifth among the top nine most competitive cities in the country. The city's educational and industrial institutions have attracted students and young skilled workers from the rest of India.
Ahmedabad houses other major Indian corporates such as Cadila Healthcare, Rasna, Wagh Bakri, Nirma, Cadila Pharmaceuticals, and Intas Biopharmaceuticals. Ahmedabad is the second largest cotton textile centre in India after Mumbai and the largest in Gujarat. Many cotton manufacturing units operate in and around Ahmedabad. Textiles are one of the major industries of the city. Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation has acquired land in Sanand taluka of Ahmedabad to set up three new industrial estates. | Ahmedabad Economy | ORG Tata Consultancy Services, ORG Adani Group, ORG Ranchhodlal Chhotalal, LOC Manchester of the East, ORG Arvind Mills, ORG Nirma, ORG Ahmedabad Spinning and Weaving Company Limited, ORG Torrent Pharmaceuticals, ORG Bagicha Mills, ORG Cadila Pharmaceuticals, ORG Suzuki, ORG Ford, ORG Ahmedabad Stock Exchange, ORG Sardar Sarovar, PER Mahatma Gandhi, LOC Ambavadi, ORG Zydus Cadila, ORG Intas Biopharmaceuticals, ORG RBI, ORG Rasna, ORG Calico Mills, ORG Peugeot, LOC India, ORG Cadila Healthcare, ORG Tata, ORG NASSCOM, ORG Wagh Bakri, LOC Ahmedabad, LOC Ahmed |
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, 15 km (9.3 mi) from the city centre, provides domestic and international flights for Ahmedabad and the capital Gandhinagar. It is the busiest airport in Gujarat and the seventh-busiest in India in terms of passenger traffic. The Ahmedabad airport was earlier managed by Airports Authority of India and was leased to the city-based Adani Group in November 2020 for operations and maintenance. The Dholera International Airport is proposed to be built near Fedara. It will be the largest airport in India with a total area of 7,500 hectares. | Ahmedabad Air | LOC Fedara, LOC India, ORG Adani Group, LOC Dholera International Airport, LOC Gandhinagar, ORG Airports Authority of India, LOC Gujarat, LOC Ahmedabad, LOC Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport |
The first seaplane service in India started between Ahmedabad and the Statue of Unity, Kevadia, on 31 October 2020. The 19-seater plane makes four trips daily between the two destinations. | Ahmedabad Seaplane | LOC Ahmedabad, LOC Statue of Unity, LOC Kevadia, LOC India |
Ahmedabad is one of six operating divisions in the Western Railway zone. Ahmedabad railway station, locally known as Kalupur station, is the main terminus to differentiate it from other suburban railway stations. It is the centre point for railway stations in Gujarat and the Western Railway zone, so many lines begin from here, connecting the city to elsewhere in Gujarat and India. Other main stations are also present, which connect to different cities, such as Sabarmati Junction, Maninagar,
Gandhigram,
Asarva,
Chandlodiya, etc. | Ahmedabad Rail | LOC India, LOC Asarva, LOC Sabarmati Junction, LOC Chandlodiya, LOC Kalupur, LOC Gujarat, LOC Ahmedabad, LOC Gandhigram, LOC Maninagar |
Ahmedabad Metro has been under construction since March 2015. The first phase of the Ahmedabad metro is 40 km long; 6.5 km is underground and the remaining stretch is elevated. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first section between Vastral Gam and Apparel Park on 4 March 2019 and was opened to public on 6 March 2019. The rest of the Phase-1 was inaugurated on 30 September 2022. The construction of the Phase-2 was started in 2021 connecting Gandhinagar. | Ahmedabad Ahmedabad Metro | PER Narendra Modi, LOC Ahmedabad Metro, LOC Vastral Gam, LOC Gandhinagar, LOC Ahmedabad, LOC Apparel Park |
National Highway 48 passes through Ahmedabad and connects it with New Delhi and Mumbai. The National Highway 147 also links Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar. It is connected to Vadodara through National Expressway 1, a 94 km (58 mi)-long expressway with two exits. This expressway is part of the Golden Quadrilateral project.In 2001, Ahmedabad was ranked as the most-polluted city in India out of 85 cities by the Central Pollution Control Board. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board gave auto rickshaw drivers an incentive of ₹10,000 to convert the fuel of all 37,733 auto rickshaws in Ahmedabad to cleaner-burning compressed natural gas to reduce pollution. As a result, in 2008, Ahmedabad was ranked as 50th most-polluted city in India. | Ahmedabad Road | LOC Vadodara, LOC National Highway 48, LOC National Highway, LOC India, LOC Gandhinagar, ORG Gujarat Pollution Control Board, ORG Central Pollution Control Board, LOC New Delhi, LOC Ahmedabad, LOC Mumbai |
Ahmedabad BRTS is a bus rapid transit system in the city. It is operated by Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited, a subsidiary of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and others. Inaugurated in October 2009, the network expanded to 89 kilometres (55 mi) by December 2015 with daily ridership of 132,000 passengers. The Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS), maintained by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, runs the public bus service in the city. More than 750 AMTS buses serve the city. Ahmedabad BRTS also runs 50 electric buses apart from CNG and diesel busses. | Ahmedabad Ahmedabad BRTS | ORG Ahmedabad BRTS, ORG AMTS, ORG Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited, ORG Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, LOC Ahmedabad, ORG Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service |
Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service is a public bus service launched on 1 April 1947 and solely operated by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. It has a fleet of more than 900 buses as of 2018 covering almost every part of the city. | Ahmedabad AMTS | ORG Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service, ORG Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation |
A bicycle renting and sharing service was started in Ahmedabad in 2013 by MYBYK. The project started with 200 bicycles and aimed to provide bicycles for commuting from one BRTS station to another. As of 2021, it had 150 bicycle hubs with a fleet of 6,000 bicycles, making Ahmedabad India's largest public bicycle share (PBS) city. | Ahmedabad Bike | ORG PBS, LOC India, ORG MYBYK, LOC Ahmedabad, ORG BRTS |
Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the city. Narendra Modi Stadium, also known as Motera Stadium, originally Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium built in 1982, hosts both one day internationals and test matches. It is the largest stadium in the world by capacity, with a seating capacity of 132,000 spectators. It hosted the 1987, 1996 and 2011 Cricket World Cups. This is the home ground of first-class team Gujarat cricket team, which competes in domestic tournaments. Ahmedabad has a second cricket stadium at the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's Sports Club of Gujarat.Other popular sports include field hockey, badminton,
tennis, squash and golf. Ahmedabad has nine golf courses. Mithakhali Multi Sports Complex is being developed by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to promote various indoor sports. Ahmedabad has also hosted national level games for roller skating and table tennis. Kart racing is gaining popularity in the city, with the introduction of a 380 metre long track based on Formula One design concepts.
Sabarmati Marathon has been organized every year December–January since 2011; it has categories like a full and half-marathon, a 7 km dream run, a 5 km run for the visually disabled, and a 5 km wheelchair run. In 2007, Ahmedabad hosted the 51st national level shooting games.
The 2016 Kabaddi World Cup was held in Ahmedabad at The Arena by Transtadia (a renovated Kankaria football ground).
Geet Sethi, a five-time winner of the World Professional Billiards Championship and a recipient of India's highest sporting award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, was raised in Ahmedabad.The Adani Ahmedabad Marathon has been organized by the Adani Group every year since 2017; it attracted 8,000 participants in its first edition and also hosted its first virtual marathon in 2020 in compliance with COVID-19 guidelines. | Ahmedabad Sports | LOC Narendra Modi Stadium, PER Geet Sethi, LOC India, ORG Adani Group, LOC Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium, LOC Transtadia, LOC Arena, LOC Gujarat, ORG Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, LOC Ahmedabad, LOC Mithakhali Multi Sports Complex, LOC Motera Stadium, ORG Sports Club of Gujarat, LOC Kankaria |
Gates of Ahmedabad
Pols in Ahmedabad
Bhadra Fort
Teen Darwaza
Manek Burj | Ahmedabad Heritage | LOC Ahmedabad, LOC Darwaza Manek Burj, LOC Ahmedabad Bhadra Fort |
Sidi Bashir Mosque-Shaking Minarets
Sidi Saiyyed Mosque
Sarkhej Roza
Ahmed Shah's Mosque
Haibat Khan's Mosque
Jama Mosque
Ahmad Shah's Tomb
Rani no Hajiro
Qutbuddin Mosque
Saiyad Usman Mosque
Dastur Khan's Mosque
Miya Khan Chishti's Mosque
Achut Bibi's Mosque
Dariya Khan's Tomb
Azam and Muazzam Khan's Tomb
Qutub-e-Alam's Mosque
Shah-e-Alam's Roza
Muhafiz Khan Mosque
Rani Rupamati's Mosque
Rani Sipri's Mosque
Malik Isan's Mosque
Mohammed Ghous Mosque
Baba Lului's Mosque
Wajihuddin's Tomb
Sardar Khan's Roza | Ahmedabad Mosques and tombs | LOC Qutub - e - Alam, LOC Jama Mosque, PER Sardar Khan, LOC Usman, PER Rani Rupamati, PER Miya, PER Muazzam Khan, PER Malik Isan, LOC - e - Alam, LOC Khan Chishti, PER Saiyad, PER Dariya Khan, LOC Roza, PER Haibat, PER Mohammed, LOC Rani no Hajiro Qutbuddin Mosque, PER Sarkhej Roza Ahmed Shah, PER Ahmad Shah, LOC Rani Sipri, LOC Baba Lului, PER Wajihuddin, LOC Khan, LOC Roza Muhafiz Khan, PER Shah, PER Azam, LOC Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, PER Dastur Khan, LOC Ghous, LOC Sidi Bashir, LOC Achut Bibi |
Calico Museum of Textiles
Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Museum
Gujarat Science City
Auto World Vintage Car Museum | Ahmedabad Museums | LOC Calico Museum of Textiles Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Museum, LOC Gujarat |
Mata Bhavani's Stepwell
Dada Harir Stepwell
Adalaj Stepwell
Amritavarshini Vav | Ahmedabad Stepwells | PER Harir Stepwell, PER Adalaj Stepwell, PER Amritavarshini Vav, PER Dada, PER Stepwell, PER Mata Bhavani |
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir - Shahibaug Road
Someshwar Mahadev Temple - Ashram Road
Hutheesing Jain Temple
Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kalupur - Kalupur
Vaishno Devi Mandir - SG Highway
Shree Jagannath Mandir - Jamalpur
Bhadrakali temple - Teen Darwaja
Isckon Temple - SG Highway | Ahmedabad Temples | LOC Ashram Road Hutheesing Jain Temple, LOC Teen Darwaja Isckon Temple, LOC Shree Jagannath Mandir, LOC Kalupur Vaishno Devi Mandir, LOC Kalupur, LOC BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, ORG Swaminarayan, LOC SG Highway, LOC Jamalpur Bhadrakali temple, LOC Shahibaug Road Someshwar Mahadev Temple |
Shahibaug
Sabarmati Ashram
Sabarmati Riverfront
Kankaria Lake
Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary
Indroda Dinosaur and Fossil Park
Mercado Ravivar (Gujari) | Ahmedabad Others | LOC Shahibaug Sabarmati Ashram Sabarmati, LOC Gujari, LOC Mercado Ravivar, LOC Kankaria Lake Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary Indroda Dinosaur, LOC Park |
Gautam Adani (born 1962), chairman and founder of the Adani Group
Ali Sher Bengali (died 1570s), Islamic scholar and author
Jasprit Bumrah (born 1993), cricketer
Narhari Parikh (born 1891, died 1957), writer, activist, and social reformer
Mallika Sarabhai (born 1953), dancer, actor, and activist
Vikram Sarabhai (born 1919, died 1971), physicist and astronomer | Ahmedabad Notable people | PER Jasprit Bumrah, ORG Adani Group, PER Ali Sher Bengali, PER Gautam Adani, PER Narhari Parikh, PER Vikram Sarabhai, PER Mallika Sarabhai |
Sister cities Astrakhan, Astrakhan Oblast, Russia
Columbus, Ohio, United States (2008)
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (September 2014)
Jersey City, New Jersey, United States (1994)
Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan (2019)
Valladolid, Castile and León, Spain (2019) | Ahmedabad International relations | LOC Guangzhou, LOC Guangdong, LOC Russia, LOC Ohio, LOC Columbus, LOC Valladolid, LOC Hyōgo Prefecture, LOC Kobe, LOC New Jersey, LOC Spain, LOC China, LOC Japan, LOC Jersey City, LOC Castile and León, LOC Astrakhan, LOC Astrakhan Oblast, LOC United States |
Aizawl (English: ; Mizo: [ˈʌɪ̯.ˈzɔːl] (listen)) is the capital of the state of Mizoram in India. Aizawl was officially established on 25 February 1890. With a population of 293,416, it is the largest city in the state. It is also the centre of administration containing all the important government offices, state assembly house and civil secretariat. The population of Aizawl strongly reflects the different communities of the ethnic Mizo people. | Aizawl Introduction | LOC Aizawl, LOC India, LOC Mizoram |
In 1871–72, the disorderly conduct of Khalkom, a Mizo chief, compelled the British to establish an outpost that later became the Aizawl village.
The post had been established by Suakpuilala, the Chief of Reiek and it was only 14 kilometres from Sairang from where one could travel by flat bottomed boat. In 1890, officer Dally of the Assam Police and his 400 men arrived at Aizawl to support Colonel Skinner's troops during a British military operation against the Mizo tribals. On Dally's recommendation, Aizawl was selected as the site of a fortified post that Colonel Skinner had been ordered to construct. The troops constructed stockades and buildings at the site. In 1892-95 Aizawl became accessible from Silchar by fair weather road under the supervision of Major Loch.The Indian Air Force carried out air strikes on the town during the March 1966 Mizo National Front uprising, following which the MNF withdrew to Lunglei. Until 1966, Aizawl was a large village but the regrouping of Mizo villages after the uprising made it become a larger town and then a city. Aizawl has become the centre of road network in Mizoram connecting the north and south, east and west. More than 25% of the Mizoram population reside in Aizawl. | Aizawl History | PER Loch, LOC Aizawl, ORG MNF, PER Khalkom, LOC Lunglei, ORG Assam Police, LOC Reiek, LOC Silchar, ORG Indian Air Force, PER Dally, LOC Mizo, LOC Sairang, LOC Mizoram, ORG Mizo National Front, PER Suakpuilala, PER Skinner |
Aizawl is located in north of the Tropic of Cancer in the northern part of Mizoram. It is situated on a ridge 1,132 metres (3715 ft) above sea level, with the Tlawng river valley to its west and the Tuirial river valley to its east. | Aizawl Geography | LOC Tlawng, LOC Aizawl, LOC Tuirial, LOC Tropic of Cancer, LOC Mizoram |
The Aizawl Municipal Council is the authority of civic administration of Aizawl city. It was formed in 2010 with 19 Members when the Congress-ZNP party coalition was voted to power in the state legislative assembly. The AMC office is being administered by one council Chairman, Vice-Chairman and three executive members. It consists of 19 elected members representing 19 wards of the city and others appointed by the Governor of Mizoram. One-third of the total membership is reserved for women, these six seats shall be rotated after every five years. The tenure of the council is five years. There is a Ward Committee in every ward that consists of a Chairman, who is an elected councillor from that ward, and two members each from all the local council within the ward. There are 78 local councils having a term of five years. | Aizawl Civic Administration | LOC Aizawl, ORG Congress - ZNP, ORG AMC, ORG Ward Committee, LOC Mizoram, ORG Aizawl Municipal Council |
As of 1910, there were 777 army personnel in Aizawl from different parts of North India as well as Nepal. The Gurkha's among the soldiers eventually settled in Aizawl.As of the 2011 Census of India, Aizawl had a population of 293,416. Females constitute 50.61% of the population and males made up the remaining 49.39%. Mizos from various tribes make up the majority of the population. Christianity forms majority of the city population about 93.63%. Other minority religions are Hinduism 4.14, Islam 1.52, Buddhism 0.45, Others 0.09%, Sikhism 0.03% and Jainism 0.02%. 0.11% peoples did not state their religion. Presbyterians make up the majority of the population. However, there are also significant numbers of the Salvation Army, Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, United Pentecostal Church and Roman Catholics in the city. There are also some cultural based Christian sects. Hinduism and Islam are also represented in very small numbers in the city population. | Aizawl Demographics | LOC Aizawl, ORG Baptists, ORG United Pentecostal Church, LOC North India, ORG Seventh - day Adventists, ORG Salvation Army, LOC Nepal |
Aizawl has a mild, sub-tropical climate due to its location and elevation. Under the Köppen climate classification, Aizawl features a humid subtropical climate (Cwa). In summer, temperatures are moderately warm, averaging around 20–30 °C (68–86 °F). In winter, daytime temperatures are cooler in comparison to the rest of the year, averaging around 11–21 °C (52–70 °F). Rainfall is mostly concentrated between April and October, with the heaviest rainfall occurring in May, July, August and September. The remainder of the year is notably drier. | Aizawl Climate | LOC Aizawl |
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