India Travel Agent

Diwan-i-Khas’ the 'Hall of Distinguished’ was the place where the Emperor Shahjahan would address eminent court guests sitting on his remarkable ‘Peacock Throne'. He positioned it over the Nahr-i-Bahisht (the stream of paradise), adjacent to his private apartments in the Red Fort, Delhi. It was erected as a pavilion of the 'garden of paradise' that was permeated with blooming golden flowers and heavenly sky filled with golden stars.
Diwan-i-khas, Red Fort, New Delhi, 17th C.
Caption by ILF Expert: Vandana Sinha




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‘No book can do what a great guide does’: why you need a tour guide The best guides take you off the beaten track, find the best photo spots and give insights into the local culture

The Making of Amritsar The story of the city of Amritsar and the famous Golden Temple is deeply intertwined with the history of Sikhs

Mughal Emperors (16-18th cent.AD) built like giants and finished like jewellers.

Agra Fort.

That makes niches for 89 earthen lamps. What lovely lighting that must offer ... particularly with the windows screened with sheers to keep out the mosquitoes.

Agra Fort.

Who says marble's only meant for floors ? At the Agra Fort, marble is used for columns, walls, steps, lamp niches ... and oh yes, floors. Now that's 'de luxe' !

Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan's view of the resting place of his beloved Mumtaz Mahal, from the chambers where he was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb during the last years of his life. While he pined for her his entire life, in death, he found peace for he was buried next to her.

A mosaic tiled dome at Sikandra, the tomb of 3rd Mughal Emperor Akbar The Great. Being the independent-minded sort he was, he designed and built his tomb before he died. If you want things done well, do them yourself! And the pity of it all ? Rumour has it that his mortal remains were floated down the Yamuna river by grave robbers.

Jaalis (filigree) at Sikandra in marble & red sandstone - the Mughals' favourite building materials.

Filigree at Sikandra. Art is just as much about the material you're carving (sandstone, marble) as about the white spaces.

Restoration work inside Sikandra, the tomb of the 3rd Mughal Emperor, Jalal-ud-din Mohammad Akbar, better known as Akbar the Great. Some say his remains were floated down the river by grave robbers. But the monument still merits a visit in its own right.