1. Our Journey
TAJ MAHAL
Agra Fort
Fatehpur Sikri
Tourism in Agra
CHRONICLE
Student Travel
CHRONICLE
HAPPY
MOMENTS!
PLUS
THE SHRIRAM MILLENNIUM
SCHOOL, NOIDA VOL. II, 2023
3. Hello
PRINCIPAL’S LETTER
SAMPLE
School trips are an incredibly exhilarating experience for
young minds constantly seeking to learn new things. Learning
by nature cannot remain confined to books alone or to the
walls of a classroom. It encompasses all of life’s experiences
and therefore, learning beyond books makes the education
that we impart in school relevant.
The Shriram Millennium School, Noida, is committed to
creating the vital link between learning in the classroom
and the equally important topical learning from the school
of life outside the classroom. The pages that follow are
representative of the aim of our institution, which is to take
teaching beyond the walls of the classroom into the freedom
of outward exploration and creativity.
There were many outcomes from this intensive two-day
journey to Agra and Fatehpur Sikri. All this, and much more
is yours to discover as the students help you relive the
excitement of their experience in the pages ahead – replete
with photographs and one-liners, memories and impressions.
We, at The Shriram Millennium School, Noida, wish to
acknowledge our gratitude to the accompanying teachers for
their excellent collaboration. I would also like to recognize the
essential contributions of EdTerra Edventures Private Limited
who have designed and taken out this journey. The company’s
efforts before, during and after the journey enabled students
to produce this beautiful magazine.
We know there is no better way to conclude this message
than to give a stirring thank you to the students, who were
energetic participants and willing learners throughout.
Director - Principal
Ms. Uttara Singh
The Shriram Millennium
School, Noida
4. 02AGRA FORT
08-09
We visited the largest residential
palace in the Agra Fort complex —
the Jahangir Mahal
06-07
01OUR JOURNEY
Through exploring Agra’s rich history,
we built camaraderie and a deeper
appreciation for our culture
10-11
03FATEHPUR SIKRI
Contents
We saw the tomb of Shaikh Salim Chisti — it was
completed in 1580-81 and further embellished
under the reign of Jahangir in 1606
5. THE
EDTERRA
EDITORIAL
TEAM
Created as part of EdTerra’s on-journey Student
Media Projects
12-13
04TAJ MAHAL
Walking through the Taj Mahal complex
we found frames within which to
capture striking photos of the Taj Mahal
It was a wonder that such a small city could
house 3 of UNESCO world heritage sites
05 14-15
TOURISM IN AGRA
Photographs & Articles
Students of The Shriram Millennium
School, Noida
Journey Mentor(s)
Abdul Hannan
Publisher
EdTerra Edventures Private Limited
Chief Editor
Amita Midha
6. OUR JOURNEY
01.
Team Members
Aarav, Aviraj, Ayaan, Naivedya, Pranshu, Taksh, Uday
Away from the hustle and bustle of school and exams, we reached Agra after a five-hour-long bus ride. The first site we
visited was the Taj Mahal. Its beauty was truly mesmerising. It took twenty two years to build the Taj Mahal. We got to
know that the structure of the Taj Mahal is perfectly symmetrical. It is a legend that Shah Jahan wanted to make a black
Taj Mahal but could not do so as he was imprisoned by his own son, Aurangzeb.
After our visit to the Taj Mahal, we rested for a while and left for Fatehpur Sikri. Fatehpur Sikri is dotted with numerous
gardens, palaces, fountains and courtrooms. Our guide told us that Akbar had three wives, and all of them belonged
to different religions namely, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. The architecture of the city exhibits Hindu and Muslim
architectural influences. After having a bumpy ride while going back to the hotel, we changed and danced on the disco
floor till our feet started to pain. The next day, we went to Agra Fort. Walking through the fort was an unparalleled
experience. These monuments truly represent the history of our country. It was very beautiful. This trip was extremely
enjoyable. It taught us to be self-dependent and the best way to work in teams. We also learnt about our rich and cultural
heritage and we believe that these monuments are its testimony. We had a lot of fun.
7. 7
OUR JOURNEY
We were astonished to find that the Jama
Masjid at Fatehpur Sikri was the inspiration
behind other congregational mosques built
by the Mughals in other cities
Stopping to pose for the shutterbugs
during our exploration of the majestic Agra
Fort
Fatehpur Sikri is a UNESCO world heritage
site that offers a glimpse of the grandeur
of the Mughal era
We learnt about Agra Fort’s red sandstone
walls that stretch for 2.5 kilometres and
are up to 70 feet high
8. AGRA FORT
02.
Team Members
Arya, Ekas, Ishaan, Keshav, Kushagra, Saveer, Shreyansh & Vedansh
Agra Fort is about 2.5 kilometres northwest of the Taj Mahal. It is located on the right side of the Yamuna River. A stretch
of parks and gardens connects it to the Taj Mahal, which is located downstream and around a bend in the Yamuna. It was
commissioned by Akbar and took eight years to build. It was constructed using red sandstone and bricks. This was the
primary residence of Mughal emperors till 1638. It consists of colourful gardens known as Angoori Bagh. A number of
structures like the Diwan-i-Aam, Diwan-i-Khas, Khas Mahal, Jahangiri Mahal and Musamman Burj are also present here.
The different palaces we saw were made up of white marble and red sandstones. Some palaces were gold-plated. Agra
Fort articulates architectural details and styles like the multitude of arches. We saw intricate detailing with real gems
engraved on its walls. Today, twenty five percent of the Agra Fort is open to tourists and seventy five percent is used as
a base by the Indian Army. Agra Fort is a wonderful monument and depicts the history of the Mughal empire in India.
9. 9
AGRA FORT
We learnt that the mosque, Jama Masjid in
Fatehpur Sikri was completed in 1571-72
We carefully studied the ornate carvings
and intricate patterns adorning the marble
walls of Agra Fort’s grand halls
The Diwan-i-Aam features a white marble
canopy with 12 columns, where Akbar
used to address the public
Amar Singh Gate is today the only way for
the public to enter and exit from the Agra
Fort
10. FATEHPUR SIKRI
03.
Team Members
Aarna, Geet, Lavanya, Paridhi, Navya , Raaga & Tushita
Our journey to Fatehpur Sikri was very enjoyable. We saw courtrooms like Diwan-i-Aam, where Akbar used to meet the
general public and Diwan-i-Khas, which was used by Akbar used to hold meetings with his ministers. There were different
palaces in the fort that contains influences from both Hindu and Muslim architectural styles. Fatehpur Sikri was built by
Akbar in honour of Salim Sheikh Chishti, with whose blessings, Akbar got a son from his wife, Jodha Bai. Fatehpur Sikri
was built in red sandstone. Akbar also built a mesmerising lake, green, bushy gardens and a lot of palaces for himself
and his wives. It is said that Akbar had three wives; two of them were non-vegetarians and one was vegetarian. There
was a separate kitchen for the wife who ate only vegetarian food.
There was a man-made lake called Anup Talao, where it is said that Tansen used to sing, and Akbar along with his wives
and all the courtiers used to watch him. There was a life-sized version of the Indian board game present in the middle of
the palace. Legend has it that the emperor played this game with women standing in the place of pieces.
11. 11
FATEHPUR SIKRI
The mosque at Fatehpur Sikri contains the
tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisti, a revered Sufi
Saint
We were amazed to see the interiors of the
Diwan-i-Khas — its massive central pillar, a
stone throne platform atop and four railed
stone walkways leading to outer balconies
We learnt about Fatehpur Sikri, the
abandoned capital city of the Mughal
Empire, which holds rich cultural and
architectural heritage
Patience and wonder mingled as we stood
in queues for our exploration of Fatehpur
Sikri
12. TAJ MAHAL
04.
Team Members
Asia, Diya, Dridhha, Gaurika, Shaina, Suhani & Trrianna
The majestic Taj Mahal was built in the loving memory of Shah Jahan’s wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is the most
ambitious and expensive project ever to be undertaken in the memory of a woman. The Taj Mahal depicts some of the
key features of Mughal architecture. Pietra Dura is a technique that was used for making marvellous inlay designs made
on marble with precious stones. These stones were exported from different parts of the world. The construction of
this monument involved thirty seven experts, twenty thousand workers and took twenty two years. The chief architect
of the Taj Mahal was Ustad Ahmad (aka Isa Khan) from Lahore. Ismail Afandi (a.k.a. Ismail Khan) who had worked for
the great Ottomans in Turkey was the designer and builder of domes. Chief supervisors and administrators, Mukrimat
Khan and Mir Abdul Karim from Shiraz played an important role in its management. The beauty of the Taj Mahal can
mesmerise millions of people today. The Taj Mahal represents an important aspect of the Mughal architecture, which is
strict symmetry. One side of the Taj Mahal including its gardens is a mirror replica of the other.
13. TAJ MAHAL
13
Our day at one of the Seven Wonders of the
World, the Taj, was a perfect combination
of education, exploration and fun
We learnt about the impact of acid rain,
which has caused significant damage to
the artwork and structures at Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal is usually thought of as a single
building but we discovered that the Taj
Mahal complex comprises of various
structures with amazing architecture
The mosque situated inside the Taj Mahal
complex turned out to be a visual treat
complementing the Taj Mahal mausoleum
14. TOURISM IN AGRA
05.
Our day started sharp at 6:00 a.m. Each one of us was filled with utmost zeal and excitement. We boarded the bus at 6:30
a.m. and were soon ready for a scrumptious breakfast. After breakfast, we were all set for the long and arduous ride from
Delhi to Agra. After a long journey filled with short snack breaks and discussions, we reached Agra and were impressed
with its atmosphere. The first monument we visited was the Taj Mahal. Upon entering the premises, we encountered
many traders, vendors and artisans. We noticed various shops surrounding the monument that were selling different
things. We saw the same in our exploration of the historical Fatehpur Sikri as well. After rising early on the next day, we
visited the renowned Agra Fort. On our way to the fort, we saw and experienced poverty and underdevelopment amongst
the locals of the city. After all this, we were ready to head home for some well deserved rest.
All in all, the trip was fascinating. At the same time, it was really eye-opening as we learnt about trade, tourism, culture
and heritage of Agra. Believe us, if we can get a chance to have this experience again, we would give up anything for
such a trip.
Team Members
Abeer, Arjun, Arnav, Ayaan, Kaviesh, Reindeer, Shantanu, Siddharth, Raghav
15. TOURISM IN AGRA
14
Agra Fort is a testament to the architectural
and engineering skills of the Mughal
dynasty and is an important part of India’s
cultural heritage
The Taj is not just a source of tourism but
also proves to be a lifeline for thousands of
local artisans
We found the most striking feature of the
Diwan-i-Khas to be a carved central square
base pillar, its octagonal shaft rising up to
support ornate brackets
We visited the two-storey structure known
as Birbal’s House located in Fatehpur Sikri
complex was built in 1571
16. 01 Walking the galleries of
the Fatehpur Sikri and
visiting royal rooms and
palaces was an enriching
experience
02 Our day at the Taj Mahal was a
perfect balance of education
and fun
03 We worked in teams and
united our perspectives for
our Student Travel Chronicle
powered by EdTerra
Edventures
02
Moments
06.Say Cheese
03
01
17. 17
04 Building camaraderie through
school trips: we learn, bond
and make memories together
05 We were impressed to see
Fatehpur Sikri’s wide
courtyards, built in the second
half of the 16th century
06 Red or white? Even though
Agra Fort was made of red
sandstone, it had been p
lastered with white shell
plaster to resemble the white
marble
04
06
05
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