154-745: Agra ( / ˈ ɑː ɡ r ə / AH -grə ; Hindi: [ˈaːɡɾaː] ) 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 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
308-518: A jihad and a raid on India every year. In 1005 Mahmud conducted a series of campaigns during which the Ismailis of Multan were massacred. Following his quest for Jihad in India, Mahmud Ghazni not only ruined the Somnath temple and plundered its treasures but also killed every devotee present in the town. He did the same with women devotees, either killing them or kidnapped them to be later sold in
462-473: 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. The highest temperature ever registered in Agra was 48.6 °C, on 28 May 2024. The monsoon rains usually begin in
616-536: A "great and magnificent temple" in Mathura. According to Firishta , writing a "History of Hindustan" in the 16th-17th century, the city of Mathura was the richest in India, and was consecrated to Vāsudeva-Krishna . When it was attacked by Mahmud of Ghazni, "all the idols" were burnt and destroyed during a period of twenty days, gold and silver was smelted for booty, and the city was burnt down. The Art of Mathura fell into decline thereafter. In 1021 Mahmud supported
770-410: 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 many localities, including Kamla Nagar , Sikandra and others. The service is provided by Green Gas Limited. Due to
924-528: A GDP of 40.21 billions / 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 263rd in 2017. In the Smart city Rankings , which are pan-India rankings for 100 cities which is released by
1078-598: A Holy War against the infidels of Hindustan". During the seventh year of his reign, Mahmud mintage from Lahore styled him as " Mahmud but-shikan " (Mahmud the breaker of idols). By the end of his reign, the Ghaznavid Empire extended from Ray in the west to Samarkand in the north-east, and from the Caspian Sea to the Yamuna . Although his raids carried his forces across the Indian subcontinent , only
1232-612: A Turkic rebel, with the command given to a Hindu named Tilak according to Baihaki . Indian historian Mohammad Habib states that there was no imposition of Jizya on "non-Muslims" during the reign of Mahmud of Ghazni nor any mention of "forced conversions": [H]is (Mahmud's) expeditions against India were not motivated by religion but by love of plunder. A. V. Williams Jackson, Professor of Indo-Iranian Languages in Columbia University has written in his book History of India , "Mahmud vowed that every year he would wage
1386-686: A daily removal of 41,200 kg (90,800 lb) of organic pollutants as well as 61,600 kg (135,800 lb) of solids. In August 2009, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) initiated its plan for resuscitating the Yamuna's 22-kilometre (14 mi) stretch in Delhi by constructing interceptor sewers, at the cost of about ₹ 1,800 crore (18 billion rupees). On 25 April 2014, the National Green Tribunal Act (NGA) recommended
1540-482: 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
1694-570: A large portion of the upper catchment area and holds more water than the main stream. It rises from the Hari-ki-dun valley and merges after Kalsi near Dehradun . The drainage system of the river stretches between Giri- Sutlej catchment in Himachal and Yamuna- Bhilangna catchment in Garhwal , also draining the ridge of Shimla . Kalanag (6,387 metres [20,955 ft]) is the highest point of
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#17327655010531848-506: 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
2002-545: 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 . Post India's independence, Agra has been
2156-476: 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
2310-539: 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
2464-482: 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
2618-422: 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
2772-604: A policy of destroying Hindu temples and monuments to crush any move by the Hindus to attack the Empire; Nagarkot , Thanesar , Mathura , Kannauj , Kalinjar (1023) and Somnath all submitted or were raided. It is estimated Mahmud's invasions killed over 2 million people. In 1025 Mahmud raided Gujarat , plundering the Somnath temple and breaking its jyotirlinga . He took away booty of 2 million dinars. The conquest of Somnath
2926-406: 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
3080-567: A portion of the Punjab and of Sindh in modern-day Pakistan came under his semi-permanent rule; Kashmir , the Doab , Rajasthan , and Gujarat remained under the control of the local Hindu dynasties. The booty brought back to Ghazni was enormous, and contemporary historians (e.g. Abolfazl Beyhaghi , Ferdowsi ) give descriptions of the magnificence of the capital, as well as of the conqueror's munificent support of literature. He transformed Ghazni,
3234-540: 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
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#17327655010533388-599: A state owned entity of UPPCL. 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
3542-636: A tributary of the Ganges. While some have argued that this was due to a tectonic event, and may have led to the Sarasvati River drying up, the end of many Harappan civilisation settlements, and creation of the Thar desert , recent geological research suggests that the diversion of the Yamuna to the Ganges may have occurred during the Pleistocene , and thus could not be connected to the decline of
3696-702: A trickling sewage-bearing drain before joining the Chambal at Pachnada in the Etawah District of Uttar Pradesh. The water quality in Upper Yamuna, as the 375-kilometre (233 mi) long stretch of Yamuna is called from its origin at Yamunotri to Okhla barrage , is of "reasonably good quality" until the Wazirabad barrage in Delhi. Below this, the discharge of wastewater in Delhi through 15 drains between Wazirabad barrage and Okhla barrage renders
3850-533: A video went viral in which women were depicted bathing in foam that had emerged in the river. Although it appeared similar to that resulting from cosmetic products such as soap or shampoo, experts determined that the foam was caused by heavy pollution, and was therefore hazardous. Local authorities instructed residents not to bathe in the river for health concerns. The Wazirabad barrage to the New Okhla Barrage segment, "22 km stretch of Yamuna in Delhi,
4004-437: 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. The electricity power distribution and bill collection in Agra is the responsibility of Torrent Power , a private sector company as well as DVVNL (Dakshinanchal Vidhyut Vitran Nigam Limited),
4158-482: 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 district comes under
4312-416: Is a habitat for fish for approximately 1,400 km (870 mi) stretch and supports a rich diversity of species. Fish from the family Cyprinidae dominate the variety of fish species found in the river. This includes Indian carp and also invasive species from the family. In a study, 93 species of fish were found in the river including catfish . Species of non-native Tilapia have become established in
4466-404: Is also known as Yami. The Agni Purana describes Yamuna as having a dark complexion, mounted on a turtle, and holding a pot in her hand. Yamuna, as a river and goddess, has a close association with Krishna . The Puranas narrate many stories about Krishna in relation to the river and its surroundings. One such story is of Kaliya Daman , the subduing of Kaliya , a Nāga which had inhabited
4620-579: Is develops new housing, infrastructure and colonies in the city. Vote share of Parties in 2019 Agra Lok Sabha. Incumbent MP Satyapal Singh Baghel of BJP won the Agra Lok Sabha constituency with a margin of 2,11,546 votes by defeating Manoj Kumar Soni of BSP. Satyapal Singh Baghel secured 6,46,875 votes. 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
4774-461: 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
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4928-462: Is known, other than that he was a school-mate and foster brother of Ahmad Maymandi , a Persian native of Zabulistan. Mahmud married the daughter of Abu'l Haret Ahmad , and they had twin sons, Mohammad and Ma'sud , who succeeded him one after the other; his grandson by Mas'ud, Maw'dud Ghaznavi , also later became ruler of the empire. According to Mirat-i-Masudi ("Mirror of Masud"), a Persian-language hagiography written by Abdur Rahman Chishti in
5082-646: Is less than 2% of Yamuna's total length but accounts for nearly 80% of the total pollution in the river", 22 out of 35 sewage treatment plants in Delhi do not meet the wastewater standards prescribed by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), thus untreated wastewater and poor quality of water discharged from the wastewater treatment plants are the major reasons. As of 2019, the river receives 800 million litres of largely untreated sewage and additional 44 million litres of industrial effluents each day, of which only 35 percent of
5236-423: 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
5390-507: 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
5544-648: 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 . The region around Agra consists almost entirely of
5698-717: Is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India . Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about 4,500 m (14,800 ft) on the southwestern slopes of Bandarpunch peaks of the Lower Himalaya in Uttarakhand, it travels 1,376 kilometres (855 mi) and has a drainage system of 366,223 square kilometres (141,399 sq mi), 40.2% of
5852-574: 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
6006-401: Is where the worship of the Yamuna and its pollution is most pronounced. However, more and more Hindus no longer ritually bathe in the Yamuna, drink its water, or use its water for worship. In Vrindavan's holy shrines, bottled water is used instead. In her human form, Yamuna is the daughter of Surya , the sun god, and his wife Saranyu . She is the twin sister of Yama , the god of death, and
6160-541: 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
6314-877: The Battle of Dandanaqan , they decisively defeated Mahmud's son, Mas'ud I , resulting in Mas'ud abandoning most of his western territories to the Seljuks. On 30 April 1030 Sultan Mahmud died in Ghazni at the age of 58. Sultan Mahmud had contracted malaria during his last invasion. The medical complication from malaria had caused lethal tuberculosis. His mausoleum is located in Ghazni , Afghanistan . Ghor and Muhammad ibn Suri are then captured by Mahmud, made prisoner along with Muhammad ibn Suri's son, and taken to Ghazni, where Muhammad ibn Suri dies. Appoints Sewakpal to administer
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6468-575: The Dakpathar Barrage and pauses at the Asan and Hathnikund Barrages before continuing south. The Western Yamuna Canal (WYC) was built in 1335 CE by Firuz Shah Tughlaq . Excessive silting caused it to stop flowing c. 1750 , when the British Raj undertook a three-year renovation in 1817 by Bengal Engineer Group . The Tajewala Barrage dam was built in 1832–33 to regulate
6622-677: 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
6776-517: The Ganges , which flows to the east coast of the subcontinent, with points west (via Pakistan). When completed, the SYL will allow shipping from India's east coast to the west coast and the Arabian Sea , shortening important commercial links for north-central India's large population. The canal starts near Delhi, and is designed to transfer Haryana's share of 4.3 km (3,500,000 acre⋅ft) from
6930-688: The Hathni Kund Barrage , its waters are diverted into two large canals: the Western Yamuna Canal flowing towards Haryana, and the Eastern Yamuna Canal flowing towards Uttar Pradesh. Beyond that point the Yamuna is joined by the Somb , a seasonal rivulet from Haryana, and by the highly polluted Hindon River near Noida , by Najafgarh drain near Wazirabad and by various other drains, so that it continues only as
7084-488: The Hindu Shahi ruler Jayapala , who had moved his capital to Peshawar (modern Pakistan). Jayapala killed himself and was succeeded by his son Anandapala . In 1005 Mahmud of Ghazni invaded Bhatia (probably Bhera), and in 1006 he invaded Multan , at which time Anandapala's army attacked him. The following year Mahmud of Ghazni attacked and crushed Sukhapala, ruler of Bathinda (who had become ruler by rebelling against
7238-770: The Hindu Shahis against the Ghaznavids, and Mahmud wanted retribution. Antagonized by Sangramaraja's having helped Trilochanapala, Mahmud invaded Kashmir. He advanced along the Tohi river valley, planning to enter Kashmir through the Tosamaidan pass. However, his advanced was checked by the strong fort of Loharkot. After having besieged the fort for a month, Mahmud abandoned the siege and retreated, losing many of his troops on his way and almost losing his own life as well. In 1021, Mahmud again attempted to invade Kashmir, but
7392-540: The Indian subcontinent , Khwarazm in Transoxiana , and Makran . Highly Persianized , Mahmud continued the bureaucratic, political, and cultural customs of his predecessors, the Samanids . He established the ground for a future Persianate state in Punjab , particularly centered on Lahore , a city he conquered. His capital of Ghazni evolved into a significant cultural, commercial, and intellectual centre in
7546-706: The Indus Basin. Yamuna is one of the National Waterways of India , designated as NW110 in Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Some of its sections are being developed for navigation: Like the Ganges, the Yamuna River is highly venerated in Hinduism in the form of a river and as the goddess Yamuna. The Yamuna is considered a river of heaven. The Rig Veda includes the Yamuna River as one of
7700-477: The Kailash rock-cut Temple at Ellora , shows the Ganges flanked by the Yamuna and Saraswati. The stretch of the river from its origin at Yamunotri to Okhla barrage in Delhi is called "Upper Yamuna". A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed amongst the five basin states (Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi) on 12 May 1994 for sharing of its waters. This led to
7854-619: The Kandahar region followed by Bost ( Lashkar Gah ), which he transformed to a militarised city. Mahmud initiated the first of numerous invasions of North India . On 28 November 1001, his army fought and defeated the army of Raja Jayapala of the Kabul Shahis at the Battle of Peshawar . In 1002 Mahmud invaded Sistan and dethroned Khalaf ibn Ahmad , ending the Saffarid dynasty . From there he decided to focus on Hindustan to
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#17327655010538008-500: The Kannauj king against Chandela Ganda, who was defeated. That same year Shahi Trilochanapala was killed at Rahib and his son Bhimapala succeeded him. Lahore (modern Pakistan) was annexed by Mahmud. Mahmud besieged Gwalior , in 1023, where he was given tribute. Mahmud attacked Somnath in 1025, and its ruler Bhima I fled. The next year, he captured Somnath and marched to Kachch against Bhima I. That same year Mahmud also attacked
8162-684: The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) under the Yamuna Action Plan (YAP) which has been implemented since 1993 by the MoEF's National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD). The present Sarsuti river which originates in the Shivalik hills in Himachal and Haryana border and merges with Ghaggar River near Pehowa is the palaeochannel of Yamuna. Yamuna changed its course to
8316-485: 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. Yamuna Uttar Pradesh : Kairana and Baghpat Delhi : New Delhi The Yamuna ( pronounced [jəmʊnɑː] ; IAST : Yamunā )
8470-718: The Rigveda , the story of the Yamuna describes her "excessive love" for her twin, Yama , who in turn asks her to find a suitable match for herself, which she does in Krishna . Yamuna is mentioned as Iomanes ( Ioames ) in the surveys of Seleucus I Nicator , an officer of Alexander the Great and one of the Diadochi , who visited India in 305 BCE. Greek traveller and geographer Megasthenes visited India sometime before 288 BCE (the date of Chandragupta 's death) and mentioned
8624-422: The Sanskrit word "yama", meaning 'twin', and it may have been applied to the river because it runs parallel to the Ganges. The earliest mention of Yamuna is found at many places in the Rig Veda (c. 1500–1000 BCE), which was composed during the Vedic period c. 1700–1100 BCE, and also in the later Atharvaveda , and the Brahmanas including Aitareya Brahmana and Shatapatha Brahmana . In
8778-452: The Shahnameh to him. There are various stories in medieval texts describing the lack of interest shown by Mahmud to Ferdowsi and his life's work. According to historians, Mahmud had promised Ferdowsi a dinar for every distich written in the Shahnameh (which would have been 60,000 dinars), but later retracted his promise and presented him with dirhams (20,000 dirhams), at that time the equivalent of only 200 dinars. His expedition across
8932-512: The Shivalik Hills Range. Morainic deposits are found along the steep Upper Yamuna, highlighted with geomorphic features such as interlocking spurs , steep rock benches , gorges and stream terraces . Large terraces formed over a long period of time can be seen in the lower course of the river, such as those near Naugoan. An important part of its early catchment area , totalling 2,320 square kilometres (900 sq mi), lies in Himachal Pradesh . The Tons , Yamuna's largest tributary, drains
9086-428: The Taj Mahal , constructed between 1632 and 1648 by Shah Jahan in remembrance of his wife Mumtaz Mahal . 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
9240-425: 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
9394-448: The Yamuna Action Plan (YAP) which has been implemented since 1993 by the MoEF's National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD). The Japan Bank for International Cooperation is participating in the YAP in 15 of the towns (excluding 6 towns of Haryana included later on the direction of the Supreme Court of India ) with soft loan assistance of 17.773 billion Japanese yen (equivalent to about ₹ 700 crore [7 billion rupees]) while
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#17327655010539548-427: The base flows available in the river during the non-monsoon months by these pump houses is exacerbating river pollution from Mathura to Prayagraj in the absence of adequate fresh water to dilute the polluted drainage from habitations and industries. To address river pollution, measures have been taken by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in 12 towns of Haryana, 8 towns of Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi, under
9702-442: The 1620s, Mahmud's sister, Sitr-e-Mu'alla, was purportedly married to Dawood bin Ataullah Alavi, also known as Gazi Saiyyed Salar Sahu , whose son was Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud . Mahmud's companion was a Georgian slave, Malik Ayaz , about whom poems and stories have been told. In 994 Mahmud joined his father Sabuktigin in the capture of Khorasan from the rebel Fa'iq in aid of the Samanid Emir , Nuh II . During this period,
9856-482: 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
10010-482: 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 . The name Agra is explained by different derivations, all of which have low verifiability. The most accepted one
10164-498: 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
10318-506: The Assan River joins the Yamuna at the Asan Barrage , which hosts a bird sanctuary. After passing the Sikh pilgrimage town of Paonta Sahib , the Yamuna reaches Tajewala in Yamuna Nagar district (named after the river) of Haryana . A dam built here in 1873 is the origin of two important canals, the Western and Eastern Yamuna Canals , which irrigate the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The Western Yamuna Canal (WYC) crosses Yamuna Nagar , Karnal , Panipat and Sonipat before reaching
10472-436: 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
10626-504: The Gangetic plains in 1017 inspired Al-Biruni to compose his Tarikh Al-Hind in order to understand the Indians and their beliefs. During Mahmud's rule, universities were founded to study various subjects such as mathematics, religion, the humanities, and medicine. The Ghaznavid Empire was ruled by his successors for 157 years. The expanding Seljuk empire absorbed most of the Ghaznavid west. The Ghorids captured Ghazni in 1150, and Mu'izz al-Din (also known as Muhammad of Ghori) captured
10780-441: The Haiderpur treatment plant, which contributes to Delhi's municipal water supply. The Yamuna receives wastewater from Yamuna Nagar and Panipat cities; beyond this it is replenished by seasonal streams and groundwater accrual . During the dry season, the Yamuna remains dry in many stretches between the Tajewala dam and Delhi, where it enters near the Palla barrage after traversing 224 kilometres (139 mi). The Yamuna defines
10934-536: The Harappan civilisation in the region. Most of the great empires which ruled over a majority of India were based in the highly fertile Ganges–Yamuna basin, including the Magadha ( c. 600 BCE ), Maurya Empire (321–185 BCE), Shunga Empire (185–73 BCE), Kushan Empire (1st–3rd centuries CE), and Gupta Empire (280–550 CE), and many had their capitals here, in cities like Pataliputra or Mathura . These rivers were revered throughout these kingdoms that flourished on their banks; since
11088-902: 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 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),
11242-455: The Islamic world, almost rivalling the important city of Baghdad . The capital appealed to many prominent figures, such as al-Biruni and Ferdowsi . Mahmud ascended the throne at the age of 27 upon his father's death, albeit after a brief war of succession with his brother Ismail . He was the first ruler to hold the title Sultan ("authority"), signifying the extent of his power while at
11396-818: The Jats of Jud and defeated them. Mahmud's desecration of the Somnath temple in Gujarat in 1024 CE motivated Rajput king Bhoja to lead an army against him, however after Somnath raid, Mahmud Gazhnavi chose a more dangerous route via Sindh, to avoid facing the invading powerful armies of Bhoja, he passed through a desert, where the scarcity of food and water killed a large number of his soldiers and animals, Kitabh Zainu'l Akhbar ( c. 1048 CE ) by 'Abd al-Hayy Gardizi, Tabaqat-i-Akbari by Nizamuddin Ahmad and Firishta's writings also mention this incident. Christoph Baumer notes that in 1026 CE, Jats "inflicted heavy losses" on
11550-399: The Jats' fleet. The Indian kingdoms of Nagarkot , Thanesar , Kannauj , and Gwalior were all conquered and left in the hands of Hindu, Jain , and Buddhist kings as vassal states and he was pragmatic enough not to neglect making alliances and enlisting local peoples into his armies at all ranks. Since Mahmud never kept a permanent presence in the northwestern subcontinent, he engaged in
11704-482: The Kalinda Mountain, and describes her as the daughter of Kalinda, giving her the name Kalindi , the backdrop of Krishna Leela. The text also talks about her water being the colour of Lord Krishna, which is dark (Shyam). The river is referred to as Asita in some historical texts. Numerous Hindu texts have shlokas (hymns) on Yamuna as follows: The Yamuna from the source to its culmination in Ganges
11858-638: 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
12012-904: The Pakistan Military Academy, where cadets are trained to become officers of the Pakistan Army, also gives tribute to Mahmud of Ghazni by naming one of its twelve companies Ghaznavi Company. Sultan Mahmud thought of himself as "the Shadow of the God on Earth", an absolute power whose will is law. He paid great attention to details in almost everything, personally overseeing the work of every department of his divan (administration). Mahmud appointed all his ministers himself without advising his wazir (chief advisor) or diwan, though occasionally he had to, as his religion dictated that Muslims should consult each other on all issues. Most of
12166-639: The Samanid Empire became highly unstable, with shifting internal political tides as various factions vied for control, the chief among them being Abu'l-Qasim Simjuri, Fa'iq, Abu Ali , the General Bekhtuzin as well as the neighbouring Buyids and Kara-Khanid Khanate . Sabuktigin died in 997, and was succeeded by his son Ismail as the ruler of the Ghaznavid dynasty. The reason behind Sabuktigin's choice to appoint Ismail as heir over
12320-646: The Shahi dominions of Udbandpura. Following the defeat of the Indian Confederacy, after deciding to retaliate for their combined resistance, Mahmud then set out on regular expeditions against them, leaving the conquered kingdoms in the hands of Hindu vassals and annexing only the Punjab region . He also vowed to raid and loot the wealthy region of northwestern India every year. In 1001 Mahmud of Ghazni first invaded modern day Pakistan and then parts of India. Mahmud defeated, captured, and later released
12474-426: The Shahi kingdom). In 1008–1009, Mahmud defeated the Hindu Shahis in the Battle of Chach . In 1013, during Mahmud's eighth expedition into eastern Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Shahi kingdom (which was then under Trilochanapala, son of Anandapala) was overthrown. In 1014 Mahmud led an expedition to Thanesar . The next year he unsuccessfully attacked Kashmir . The ruler of Kashmir Sangramaraja had been an ally of
12628-920: 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 has been ranked 3rd best “National Clean Air City” (under Category 1 >10L Population cities) in India according to 'Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024 Results' https://prana.cpcb.gov.in/ncapServices/robust/fetchFilesFromDrive/Swachh_Vayu_Survekshan_2024_Result.pdf With
12782-462: 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
12936-451: The Yamuna basin. Other tributaries in the region are the Giri, Rishi Ganga Kunta, Hanuman Ganga and Bata, which drain the upper catchment area of the Yamuna basin. From the upper catchment area, the river descends onto the plains of Doon Valley , at Dak Pathar near Dehradun. Flowing through the Dakpathar Barrage , the water is diverted into a canal for power generation. Further downstream,
13090-527: 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
13244-485: The army of Mahmud while it was on its way from Somnath to Multan . Later in 1027 CE, he avenged the attack by the Jats, who had been resisting "forced Islamisation" for the past 300 years, by ravaging their fleet in the Indus river . Even though the Jats had a bigger fleet than Mahmud, he is said to have had around 20 archers on each of his 1400 boats, stocked with "special projectiles" carrying naphtha , which he used to burn
13398-718: The boundary of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and after exiting Haryana it continues to flow till it merges with the river Ganges at Sangam or Prayag in Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh). It helps create the highly fertile alluvial Ganges-Yamuna Doab region between itself and the Ganges in the Indo-Gangetic plain . Nearly 57 million people depend on the Yamuna's waters, and the river accounts for more than 70 percent of Delhi's water supply. It has an annual flow of 97 billion cubic metres, and nearly 4 billion cubic metres are consumed every year (of which irrigation constitutes 96%). At
13552-489: 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
13706-581: 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
13860-510: The cultivation of basmati rice. The plain's agriculture supports one-third of India's population. Subsequently, the Yamuna flows through the states of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh before merging with the Ganges at a sacred spot known as Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj. Pilgrims travel by boats to platforms erected in midstream to offer prayers. During the Kumbh Mela , held every 12 years, large congregations of people immerse themselves in
14014-564: The current European sense of history than did the other sources. The last four years of Mahmud's life were spent contending with the influx of Oghuz and Seljuk Turks from Central Asia and the Buyid dynasty. Initially, after being repulsed by Mahmud, the Seljuks retired to Khwarezm , but Togrül and Çagrı led them to capture Merv and Nishapur (1028–1029). Later, they repeatedly raided and traded territory with his successors across Khorasan and Balkh and even sacked Ghazni in 1037. In 1040, at
14168-698: 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
14322-633: The east due to a shift in the slope of the Earth's crust caused by plate tectonics . The source of Yamuna lies in the Yamunotri Glacier at an elevation of 6,387 metres (20,955 ft), on the southwestern slopes of Banderpooch peaks, which lie in the Mussoorie range of the Lower Himalayas , north of Haridwar in Uttarkashi district , Uttarakhand. Yamunotri temple, a shrine dedicated to
14476-558: The entire Ganges Basin . It merges with the Ganges at Triveni Sangam , Prayagraj , which is a site of the Kumbh Mela , a Hindu festival held every 12 years. Like the Ganges, the Yamuna is highly venerated in Hinduism and worshipped as the goddess Yamuna . In Hinduism, she is believed to be the daughter of the sun god, Surya , and the sister of Yama , the god of death, and so she is also known as Yami. According to popular Hindu legends, bathing in Yamuna's sacred waters frees one from
14630-516: The first centre of Persian literature , into one of the leading cities of Central Asia, patronizing scholars, establishing colleges, laying out gardens, and building mosques, palaces, and caravansaries. Mahmud brought whole libraries from Ray and Isfahan to Ghazni. He even demanded that the Khwarizmshah court send its men of learning to Ghazni. Mahmud patronized the notable poet Ferdowsi, who after laboring 27 years, went to Ghazni and presented
14784-399: 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
14938-656: 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
15092-490: The flow of water, and was replaced by the modern Hathni Kund Barrage in 1999. The main canal is 86 kilometres (53 mi) long. When including its branches and many major and minor irrigation channels, it has a total length of 325 km (202 mi) The WYC begins at the Hathni Kund Barrage about 38 km (24 mi) from Dakpathar and south of Doon Valley . The canals irrigate vast tracts of land in
15246-532: The following six functional barrages (eight including old replaced barrages, nine including a new proposed barrage), from north-west to southeast: Use of the Yamuna's waters for irrigation in the Indo-Gangetic Plains is enhanced by its many canals, some dating to the 14th century Tughlaq dynasty , which built the Nahr-i-Bahisht (Paradise) parallel to the river. The Nahr-i-Bahisht
15400-498: The formation of the Upper Yamuna River Board under India's Ministry of Water Resources , whose primary functions are: regulation of the available flows amongst the beneficiary states and monitoring the return flows; monitoring conservation and upgrading the quality of surface and groundwater; maintaining hydro-meteorological data for the basin; overviewing plans for watershed management; and monitoring and reviewing
15554-625: The goddess Yamuna, is one of the holiest shrines in Hinduism , and part of the Chota Char Dham Yatra circuit. Also standing close to the temple, on its 13-kilometre (8 mi) trek route that follows the right bank of the river, lies Markendeya Tirtha, where the sage Markandeya wrote the Markandeya Purana . The river flows southwards for about 200 kilometres (120 mi), through the Lower Himalayas and
15708-542: The golden age of the city began with the Mughals in the early 16th century. 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,
15862-510: The government of India is providing the funds for the remaining 6 towns. In 2007, the Indian government's plans to repair sewage lines were predicted to improve the water quality of the river 90% by 2010. Under the YAP- III scheme, a new sewage treatment plant is being built at the largest such facility in India by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). The plant is predicted to be able to treat 124 million gallons of wastewater per day, amounting to
16016-584: The government to declare a 52-kilometre (32 mi) stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh as a conservation zone. A report prepared by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) panel was submitted to the NGA on the same day. The High Court in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand ordered in March 2017 that the Ganges and its main tributary, the Yamuna, be assigned the status of legal entities, making
16170-506: The hands of Mahmud's father, who had controlled Ghazni in the late 980s and had cost Jayapala extensive territory. His son Anandapala succeeded him and continued the struggle to avenge his father's suicide. In the Battle of Chach , he assembled a powerful confederacy that suffered defeat as his elephant turned back from the battle at a crucial moment, turning the tide in Mahmud's favor once more at Lahore in 1008 and bringing Mahmud control of
16324-608: The iconoclastic historiography of this incident. Thapar quoted Majumdar (1956): But, as is well known, Hindu sources do not give any information regarding the raids of Sultan Mahmud, so that what follows is based solely on the testimony of Muslim authors. Thapar also argued against the prevalent narrative: Yet in a curiously contradictory manner, the Turko-Persian narratives were accepted as historically valid and even their internal contradictions were not given much attention, largely because they approximated more closely to
16478-414: The inhabited part on the other side of the river, the side towards the east, is 2 1 ⁄ 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
16632-525: The last Ghaznavid stronghold at Lahore in 1187. Despite Mahmud's remarkable abilities as a military commander, he failed to consolidate his empire's conquests with subtle authority. Mahmud also lacked the genius for administration and could not build long term enduring institutions in his state during his reign. The military of Pakistan has named its short-range ballistic missile the Ghaznavi Missile in honour of Mahmud of Ghazni. In addition,
16786-1017: The lean season to provide a minimum environmental flow in the Yamuna. The last barrage across the Yamuna river is the Mathura barrage at Gokul to supply its drinking water. Downstream of this barrage, many pumping stations are constructed to feed the river water for irrigation needs. These pumping stations are near Pateora Danda 25°55′09″N 80°13′27″E / 25.91917°N 80.22417°E / 25.91917; 80.22417 , Samgara 25°41′13″N 80°46′27″E / 25.68694°N 80.77417°E / 25.68694; 80.77417 , Ainjhi 25°43′35″N 80°49′33″E / 25.72639°N 80.82583°E / 25.72639; 80.82583 , Bilas Khadar 25°31′35″N 81°02′43″E / 25.52639°N 81.04528°E / 25.52639; 81.04528 , and Samari 25°27′19″N 81°11′43″E / 25.45528°N 81.19528°E / 25.45528; 81.19528 . Depletion of
16940-636: The more experienced and older Mahmud is uncertain. It may have been due to Ismail's mother being the daughter of Sabuktigin's old master, Alptigin . Mahmud shortly revolted, and with the help of his other brother, Abu'l-Muzaffar, the governor of Bust , he defeated Ismail the following year at the battle of Ghazni and gained control over the Ghaznavid kingdom. That year, in 998, Mahmud then traveled to Balkh and paid homage to Amir Abu'l-Harith Mansur b. Nur II . He then appointed Abu'l-Hasan Isfaraini as his vizier , and then set out west from Ghazni to take
17094-559: 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
17248-492: The most polluted rivers in the world. The Yamuna is particularly polluted downstream of New Delhi, the capital of India, which dumps about 58% of its waste into the river. A 2016 study shows that there is 100% urban metabolism of River Yamuna as it passes through the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. The most pollution comes from Wazirabad, from where Yamuna enters Delhi. In November of 2024,
17402-474: 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
17556-647: The period of Chandragupta II ( r. 375–415 CE), statues both the Ganges and Yamuna became common throughout the Gupta Empire. Further to the South, images of the Ganges and Yamuna are found amidst shrines of the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas (753–982), and on their royal seals; prior to them, the Chola Empire also added the river into their architectural motifs. The Three River Goddess shrine, next to
17710-485: 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
17864-416: 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
18018-446: The progress of all projects up to and including Okhla barrage. Flood forecasting systems are established at Poanta Sahib, where Tons, Pawar and Giri tributaries meet. The river take 60 hours to travel from Tajewala to Delhi, thus allowing a two-day advance flood warning period. The Central Water Commission started flood-forecasting services in 1958 with its first forecasting station on Yamuna at Delhi Railway Bridge. Yamuna has
18172-568: 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
18326-566: The region in Ambala , Karnal , Sonipat , Rohtak , Jind , Hisar and Bhiwani districts . The major branch canals are: A proposed heavy freight canal, the Sutlej–Yamuna Link (SYL), is being built westwards from near Yamuna's headwaters through the Punjab region near an ancient caravan route and highlands pass to the navigable parts of the Sutlej – Indus watershed . This will connect
18480-585: The region. Anandapala flees to Kashmir , fort in the hills on the western border of Kashmir . Under the reign of Mahmud of Ghazni, the region broke away from the Samanid sphere of influence. While he acknowledged the Abbasids as caliph as a matter of form, he was also granted the title Sultan in recognition of his independence. Following Mahmud's recognition by the Abbasid caliphate in 999, he pledged
18634-522: 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 Abdullah said it
18788-565: The river and terrorised the people of Braja . Due to Krishna's connection with the River and the Braja region, the Yamuna River is a center of pilgrimage for his devotees. In the Pushti Marga , founded by Vallabhacharya and in which Krishna is the main deity, Yamuna is worshipped as a goddess. The Yamunashtakam is a 16th-century Sanskrit hymn composed by Vallabhacharya which describes
18942-630: The river in his Indica , where he described the region around it as the land of Surasena. In Mahabharata , the Pandava capital of Indraprastha was situated on the banks of Yamuna, considered to be the site of modern Delhi. Geological evidence indicates that in the distant past the Yamuna was a tributary of the Ghaggar River (identified by some as the Vedic Sarasvati River ). It later changed its course eastward, becoming
19096-550: 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
19250-428: The river severely polluted. Wazirabad barrage to Okhla Barrage, 22 km (14 mi) stretch of Yamuna in Delhi, is less than 2% of Yamuna's total length but accounts for nearly 80% of the total pollution in the river. Untreated wastewater and poor quality of water discharged from the wastewater treatment plants are the major reasons of Yamuna's pollution in Delhi. To address river pollution, measures have been taken by
19404-502: The river. They have been implicated in the decline of the Ghariyal (Indian crocodile) population in the river. Large turtles used to be a common sight on the river a few decades ago but they have mostly disappeared. In 1909, the waters of the Yamuna were distinguishable as clear blue, when compared to the silt-laden yellow of the Ganges. However, due to high-density population growth and fast industrialisation, Yamuna has become one of
19558-715: The rivers "legal and living entities having the status of a legal person with all corresponding rights, duties and liabilities". This decision meant that polluting or damaging the rivers is equivalent to harming a person. The court cited the example of the New Zealand Whanganui River , which was also declared to possess full rights of a legal person. Mahmud of Ghazni Abu al-Qasim Mahmud ibn Sabuktigin ( Persian : ابوالقاسم محمود بن سبکتگین , romanized : Abu al-Qāṣim Maḥmūd ibn Sabuktigīn ; 2 November 971 – 30 April 1030), usually known as Mahmud of Ghazni or Mahmud Ghaznavi ( محمود غزنوی ),
19712-531: The sacred waters of the confluence. The cities of Baghpat , Delhi, Noida , Mathura , Agra , Firozabad , Etawah , Kalpi , Hamirpur , and Prayagraj lie on its banks. At Etawah, it meets it another important tributary, Chambal , followed by a host of tributaries further down, including, Sindh, the Betwa , and Ken . Yamuna's tributaries make up 70.9% of the catchment area and the river has six important tributaries: The name Yamuna seems to be derived from
19866-503: The same time preserving an ideological link to the suzerainty of the Abbasid Caliphs . During his rule, he invaded and plundered the richest cities and temple towns, such as Mathura and Somnath in medieval India seventeen times, and used the booty to build his capital in Ghazni. Mahmud was born in the town of Ghazni in the region of Zabulistan (in present-day Afghanistan ) on 2 November 971. His father, Sabuktigin ,
20020-779: The second capital of the empire. 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
20174-483: The seven sacred rivers, along with the Ganges. According to Hindu mythology, the River was brought to Earth by the ascetic practice of the Seven Sages where she first descended on Mount Kalinda. Therefore, Yamuna is also known as Kalindi. The Padma Purana describes Yamuna's purifying properties and states that her waters cleanse the mind from sin. It also mentions that bathing in her sacred waters frees one from
20328-537: The sewage released into the river are believed to be treated. In 1994, the states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi made a water sharing agreement that is due for revision in 2025. To achieve a water quality suitable for bathing ( BOD <3 mg/L and DO >5 mg/L) would require a greater rate of water flow in the river. A study has recommended that 23 cubic metres (23,000 L; 5,100 imp gal) per second of water should be released from Hathni Kund Barrage during
20482-454: The slave markets of Afghanistan. Mahmud used his plundered wealth to finance his armies which included mercenaries. The Indian soldiers, whom Romila Thapar presumed to be Hindus , were one of the components of the army with their commander called sipahsalar -i-Hinduwan and lived in their own quarter of Ghazna practicing their own religion. Indian soldiers under their commander Suvendhray remained loyal to Mahmud. They were also used against
20636-541: 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. Broadly speaking,
20790-626: The southeast, particularly the highly fertile lands of the Punjab region . Mahmud's first campaign to the south was against an Ismaili state first established at Multan in 965 by a da'i from the Fatimid Caliphate in a bid to curry political favor and recognition with the Abbasid Caliphate ; he also engaged elsewhere with the Fatimids. At this point, Jayapala attempted to exact revenge for an earlier military defeat at
20944-420: The state borders between Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and between Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh . When the Yamuna reaches the Indo-Gangetic plain , it runs almost parallel to the Ganges, the two rivers creating the Ganges-Yamuna Doab region. Spread across 69,000 square kilometres (27,000 sq mi), one-third of the alluvial plain, the region is known for its agricultural output, particularly for
21098-458: The story of Yamuna's descent to meet her beloved Krishna and to purify the world. The hymn also praises her for being the source of all spiritual abilities. And while the Ganges is considered an epitome of asceticism and higher knowledge and can grant Moksha or liberation , it is Yamuna, who, being a holder of infinite love and compassion, can grant freedom, even from death, the realm of her elder brother. Vallabhacharya writes that she rushes down
21252-441: The time he was suspicious of his ministers, particularly of the wazir, and the following words are widely believed to be his: "wazirs are the enemies of kings..." Sultan Mahmud had numerous spies (called mushrifs ) across his empire, supervised by the special department within his diwan. Mahmud was a patron of literature, especially poetry, and he was occasionally found in the company of talented poets either in his palace or in
21406-415: The torments of death. The river crosses several states such as Haryana , Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi. It also meets several tributaries along the way, including Tons , Chambal , its longest tributary which has its own large basin, followed by Sindh , the Betwa , and Ken . From Uttarakhand, the river flows into the state of Himachal Pradesh . After passing Paonta Sahib , Yamuna flows along
21560-425: The torments of death. Art from the Gupta period depict Yamuna and Ganga on the entrances and doorjambs of temples and sacred places. Upon passing through these doors, visitors were symbolically purified by these rivers. Some religious figures (notably pilgrim priests of Mathura and Vrindavan ) do not regard the physical pollution of the Yamuna to have any effect on the river's spiritual purity. The Braj region
21714-471: 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 has been ranked 3rd best “National Clean Air City” (under Category 1>10L Population cities) in India according to 'Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024 Results' The Taj Mahal has faced significant damage due to air pollution and sewage discharge into
21868-546: The year. The Taj Mahal has become a symbol of India. 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
22022-399: Was Sultan of the Ghaznavid Empire , ruling from 998 to 1030. During his reign and in medieval sources, he is usually known by his honorific title Yamin al-Dawla ( یمین الدوله , lit. ' Right Hand of the State ' ). At the time of his death, his kingdom had been transformed into an extensive military empire, which extended from northwestern Iran proper to the Punjab in
22176-441: Was a Turkic slave commander who laid foundations to the Ghaznavid dynasty in Ghazni in 977, which he ruled as a subordinate of the Samanids , who ruled Khorasan and Transoxiana . Mahmud's mother was a local woman of possible Iranian descent from a landowning aristocrat family in the region of Zabulistan, and he is therefore known in some sources as Mahmud-i Zavuli ("Mahmud from Zabulistan"). Not much about Mahmud's early life
22330-533: 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),
22484-445: Was again not able to advance beyond the Loharkot fort. After the two failed invasion attempts, he did not attempt to invade Kashmir again. In 1018 Mahmud attacked Mathura and defeated a coalition of rulers there while also killing a ruler called Chandrapala. The city of Mathura was "ruthlessly sacked, ravaged, desecrated and destroyed". In particular, Al-utbi mentioned in his work Tarikh-e-yamini , that Mahmud Ghaznavi destroyed
22638-422: 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 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
22792-482: 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 Shah Jahan , Agra
22946-415: Was defeated and killed by Mughal Emperor Babur in the First battle of Panipat , fought in 1526. 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
23100-450: Was followed by a punitive invasion of Anhilwara . Some historians claim that there are records of pilgrimages to the temple in 1038 that do not mention damage to the temple. However, powerful legends with intricate detail had developed regarding Mahmud's raid in the Turko-Persian literature, which "electrified" the Muslim world according to scholar Meenakshi Jain . Historians including Thapar, Eaton, and A. K. Majumdar have questioned
23254-443: 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
23408-418: 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
23562-407: 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
23716-399: Was restored and extended by the Mughals in the first half of the 17th century, by engineer Ali Mardan Khan, starting from Benawas where the river enters the plains and terminating near the Mughal capital of Shahjahanabad , the present city of Delhi. As the Yamuna enters the Northern Plains near Dakpathar at an elevation of 790 metres (2,590 ft), the Eastern Yamuna Canal commences at
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