Agra is known as the home of the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world and a bucket-list destination. Visitors marvel at its beauty, but few realise that another Agra exists in its shadow: the Agra of its artisans. These communities hold the essence of the city’s cultural legacy yet remain invisible to many of the people who seek beauty here.

Agra’s story is usually told through the gleaming marble of the Taj Mahal, not through the eyes of those who live and work nearby. The artisans, many from marginalised Dalit and Muslim communities, have practised their crafts for generations. These include marble inlay, Zardozi embroidery, perfumery, rafia, shoemaking, leatherwork and the weaving of Agra’s famous carpets.

As part of my ongoing research, I have conducted field surveys in this region. I discovered communities that are culturally ostracised yet resilient. There is also a strong historical continuity and a craft ecosystem that has been eroded.

Once respected and secure, these livelihoods have been damaged by neglect in education, housing and market access. This slow but steady exclusion has left many artisans struggling to survive, even as their crafts remain admired and monetised across the globe.

The divide in Agra between the haves and have-nots is stark. Within walking distance of the Taj Mahal are neighbourhoods like Taj Ganj and Kachhpura, where artisans live in cramped settlements........

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