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Title: A Handbook to Agra and the Taj
Sikandra, Fatehpur-Sikri and the Neighbourhood

Author: E. B. Havell

Release Date: April 12, 2004 [EBook #12006]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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A Handbook to
Agra and the Taj
Sikandra, Fatehpur-Sikri and the Neighbourhood

by
E.B. Havell, ARCA.

1904

Preface

This little book is not intended for a history or archaeological
treatise, but to assist those who visit, or have visited, Agra, to
an intelligent understanding of one of the greatest epochs of Indian
Art. In the historical part of it, I have omitted unimportant names and
dates, and only attempted to give such a sketch of the personality of
the greatest of the Great Moguls, and of the times in which they lived,
as is necessary for an appreciation of the wonderful monuments they
left behind them. India is the only part of the British Empire where
art is still a living reality, a portion of the people's spiritual
possessions. We, in our ignorance and affectation of superiority,
make efforts to improve it with Western ideas; but, so far, have
only succeeded in doing it incalculable harm. It would be wiser if
we would first attempt to understand it.

Among many works to which I owe valuable information, I should name
especially Erskine's translation of Babar's "Memoirs;" Muhammad
Latifs "Agra, Historical and Descriptive;" and Edmund Smith's
"Fatehpur-Sikri." My acknowledgments are due to Babu Abanindro
Nath Tagore, Mr. A. Polwhele, Executive Engineer, Agra, and to
Mr. J.H. Marshall, Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of
India, for kind assistance rendered. I am particularly indebted to
Messrs. Johnston and Hoffman, of Calcutta, for allowing me to make
use of their valuable collection of photographs for the illustrations.

In quoting from "Bernier's Travels," I have used Constable's
translation, with Messrs. A. Constable & Co.'s kind permission.