Image:Agra, Main Street, c.1858.jpg

[edit] Summary

Description	Agra, Main Street, 1858
Source	India, AGRA CITY STREET SCENE ~ 1858 - AGRA - VIEW OF PRINCIPAL STREET
Date	1858
Author	Anonymous
Permission (Reusing this image)	This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1923. Public domain works must be out of copyright in both the United States and in the source country of the work in order to be hosted on the Commons. If the work is not a U.S. work, the file must have an additional copyright tag indicating the copyright status in the source country.

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[edit] From the Original

The chowk, or principal street of the capital of the province of Agra, is an exception to the general rule of street architecture in the cities of the East, inasmuch as it is of sufficient width to admit the passage of carriages and other vehicles; a convenience rarely met with in other large towns of India. The accompanying view represents this avenue as it appears during the business hours of the day, when the chowk is teeming with life and activity, and the merchants and shopkeepers of the city display their wares to the best advantage. The style of shop architecture is in no way distinguished from that adopted in other Oriental cities, being simply stalls, open in front, and screened from the sun by blinds and awnings of every diversity of colour and pattern; wbich, combined with the variety of merchandise displayed, and the picturesque costumes of the people, present a brilliant and interesting coup d'oeil, that can hardly be described without the aid of colours. The houses in Agra are, as will be seen by the engraving, generally of lofty proportions, and, for the most part, are built of stone. With the exception of the principal street, the thoroughfares are gloomy and dirty, and are also so narrow, that persons riding in the native carriages, may easily touch the walla on either side with their hands as they pass. It has already been observed, that the city contains several palaces, besides public baths, caravanserais, and mosques; but most of the principal edifices of the Mohammedan era have long been in a state of progressive decay. Since, however, the city has been in the possession of the English, much has been done to repair the injuries inflicted by.the ravages of time and conquest, anil large sums have been expended by the government on public works-including courts for the administration of justice; depositories for the records of the province, revenue offices; apalace for the residency; a European cemetery; several bridges, and some .excellent roads: on one of the latter of which, leaving from Agra to Bombay, a sum of thirteen lacs of rupees, or 8130,000 sterling, had been expended up to November, 1847. The city having been selected for the seat of government for the North-West Provinces, a large European community has settled there and in its vicinity, between the fort and the cantonments; and at one period, it was in contemplation to make Agra the seat of the supreme government for the whole of India.

• Agra