Agra has always held a special place in the history of India, ever since the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the famous white Marble mausoleum Taj Mahal in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. If you take a look at its history, Agra was one of the prominent centres in India for rug making as well, a major industry introduced by Emperor Akbar. Set apart from the remaining Indian rugs because of their deeper colours and fine weave, Agra rugs have remained the favourite of the elite in the West till now. They were created during the rule of the Mughals and are considered as one of the best antique Indian rugs.
Until the rule of the Mughals, rugs were brought from the Afhgans in the neighbourhood and these were carried to India on camels and elephants. However, when the Muslim rule started they needed more rugs than the limited few bought from Afghans. Also, the rugs were too heavy and large to be carried by camels across the border. All these factors combined to make Agra one of the main centres of rug making in India.
Agra rugs are distinguished by their heavy weight and solidity. The ancient ones have the cone forms as the chief design in green or blue combined with cream backgrounds. They normally have the wine and geometrical designs and are made with wool or cotton or sometimes a combination of both. While the earlier rugs were made to suit a traditional home, their recent counterparts are more suitable to all kinds of houses, even the Western homes with more colours added like brown and purple.
Agra rugs are available today in different sizes and shapes and most of these are exported to the European countries and the United States. Some of the common shapes are round, rectangle, runners and continuous runners, and this diversity in their shapes makes them suitable for all areas like a living room, bedroom, balconies, passageways, etc.
Though compared to Persian and Chinese rugs Indian rugs are simpler and paler, if you wish to add some luxury and elegance to your rooms, Agra rugs are just perfect. They add grandeur to the room in their own quiet way and blend with the atmosphere. Just as the place Agra itself, the rugs here have a long tradition that goes back to centuries and have several interesting stories to tell about its history. The popularity of Taj Mahal served to boost the tourism industry in Agra, which has also made the Agra rugs gain world-wide popularity, adding beauty to houses of all types and sizes. vintage turkish rugs