2 Best Sights in Side Trips from Delhi, India

The empress Nur Jahan (Jahangir's favorite wife) built this small, gorgeous tomb for her father, Mirza Ghiyas Beg (pronounced Baig), a Persian nobleman who became Jahangir's chief minister. Beg was also the grandfather of Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of the emperor Shah Jahan. The monument, one of Agra's loveliest, was supposedly built by workers from Persia. The tomb incorporates a great deal of brown and yellow Persian marble and marks the first use of Persian-style marble inlay in India—both features that would later characterize the style of Shah Jahan. Particularly in its use of intricate marble inlay, this building was a precursor of, and very likely an inspiration for, the Taj Mahal (for this reason it has earned the somewhat goofy nickname of the "Baby Taj"). The roof is arched in the style of Bengali terra-cotta temples, and the minarets are octagonal, much broader than the slender cylinders of the Taj Mahal—in its fine proportions this mausoleum almost equals that masterpiece. Inside, where the elegant decoration continues, the central chamber holds the tombs of Itimad-ud-Daulah and his wife; other relations are buried in adjacent rooms. Most travelers to Agra never see this place, but its beauty and tranquility are extraordinary, and its well-maintained gardens make it a wonderful place to pause and reflect.

Akbar's resting place, in what's now the small town of Sikandra, was begun by the emperor himself in 1602 and completed after his death by Jahangir. Topped with white marble and flanked by graceful minarets, this mausoleum of rough red sandstone sits in a typical Mughal garden called a charbagh—four quadrants separated by waterways. The garden, however, is not well tended, and Jat raiders (who invaded Agra after the fall of the Mughal empire) destroyed much of the gold work that once adorned the tomb, though the British partially restored it. In a domed chamber three stories high, the crypt is inscribed with the 99 names of Allah, plus the phrases Allah-o-Akbar (God is great) at the head and Jalla Jalalahu (Great is His glory) at the foot. It's a charming spot to visit; you'll spot many langurs (long-tailed monkeys) and deer in the gardens. Akbar had originally meant this to be the official resting place for the Mughals, but it didn't turn out that way: only two of his daughters are buried here.

You can actually see the tomb's enormous gateway, topped with bright tilework, from the train from Delhi—look out the left window 10 or 15 minutes before the train is due to reach Agra.