Dayalbagh Gardens
Fast Facts:
When it was laid : 1908
Nature of the architecture : Temple-Gurudwara-Vihara-mosque
Location : Located at a distance of just around 15 Km from Agra, the Dayalbagh Gardens form a major tourist attraction of the area and are generally included in most tours conducted in the vicinity of Agra.
Introduction : Agra is one of the most important cities of India from the point of view of tourism. The city has a number of varied attractions that are guaranteed to please people of varied tastes. Thus, where history is represented by places like the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, sceneries and the beauty of nature is celebrated by the presence of gardens like the Rambagh Gardens and the Dayalbagh Gardens.
Foundation : The Dayalbagh Gardens have been founded in the memory of Shiv Dayal Sahib the founder of the Radhasoami Satsang Movement, a religious movement that was begun in 1861. The movement basically follows a code that is an amalgamation of a number of other religions such as Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism and Buddhism.
Architecture : The architecture of the Dayalbagh Gardens follows much of the same pattern of amalgamation of the traits of different religions like the Radhasoami Satsang movement itself. Thus, this beautiful memorial gives examples of different architectural styles such as those that can be found in temples, gurudwaras, viharas and mosques all across the country. Impressive at a height of around 110 feet, the memorial is built completely in white marble with majestic pillars.
Features : The building is still under construction. Work has been going on over more than 100 years. Shri Shiv Dayal Sahib, the founder of the Radhasoami sect is worshipped here. You can experience the ongoing construction of this mammoth piece of marble architecture by local artisans and stone cutters. This splendid memorial is adorned in Hindu, Christian, Sikh and Buddhist principles. This gallant architecture is an exquisite mix of temple, gurudwara, vihara and mosque. The grand memorial made purely of white marble is 110 feet high and is firmly held by huge pillars. The stone carvings on colored marble are an inimitable feature of the Dayalbagh Gardens. You can marvel at the inlaid semi-precious stones in pietra-dura style on the inner walls. This architectural marvel is envisioned as a grand temple in future.
Shiv Dayal Sahib : popularly known as Soami Maharaj by his disciples, lived from in Dayalbagh from 1818 to 1878. He is worshipped at this grand memorial that is a combination of temple, gurudwara, vihara and mosque. The Radhasoami memorial is 110 feet high, has impressive pillars and is made of pure white marble. The building is under construction now. Surprisingly, work has been going on at this building for the last 100 years. The Dayalbagh Gardens would surely be an interesting place to visit for connoisseurs of art, who would love to watch the skilled artisans and marble cutters at work.