The art of music flourished at Agra during Mughal period. Akbar himself was a skilled player of 'Naquara'. The court writer Abul Fazal has written, "His Majesty pays much attention to music and is the patron of all who practice this enchanting Art." Tansen was the most accomplished musician of the court or Akbar. Baba Ram Das was another musician of Akbar's court. It is said that 'Baiju Bawra', a disciple of Swami Hari Das of Vrindavana, was contemporary of Tansen and he defeated Tansen in a musical contest, excelled all the musicians of his age. Jahangir, and Shah Jahan both were great lovers of music and they patronized musicians like Jagirdad, Ramdas, Sukhsen and Sursen and many more others. William Finch, who came to Jahangir's court writes, "The Emperor had divided his most skilled musicians into seven groups, each entertaining the Emperor for one day in a week. The Emperor rewarded them according to their merits."

Shahjahan knew this art and other participated in musical programmes in the company of not able. Musicians whom he invited from all parts of the country. The classical music that developed at Agra, acquired the name of 'Agra Gharana', which produced musicians of all India fame Haji Siyankhan, a relative of Tansen founded this 'Khayais' and Chaubola which discoveries, known as 'Rasia' are very popular among the 'Braj Mandai'.

Painting too, developed in Agra during the period of Akbar and Jahangir. Mir Saiyad Ali, who belonged to Bihzad's School of painting came to India with Humayun Abdu's Samad was' another famours painter who was the art teacher of Akbar the great, in his boyhood. These two painters initiated 'Shahi Qaiam or Kalam' at Agra, known for its Persian tradition of two-dimensional art. Abul Fazal has written that Basawan and Das Wanth were two Hindu painters of repute, whose paintings 'Surpassed all conception of things and none equaled them in excellence. There were some 13 painters of first rank who worked in the Imperial Studio. With the mixture of 'Shahi Qaiam' and the indigenous school of painting, a new school of painting emerged to be better known as 'Mughal School or the National School of Painting at Agra,' Lane Pool has admired the paintings of Fatehpur Sikri, the paintings of Agra Fort, and at Mariam's Tomb.

The art of painting reached the pinnacle of glory during the reign of Jahangir. The famous painters of his time were-Abul Hassan, ustad Mansur, Manohar, Anup Chattra, Mir Muhammad Haslim, Goverdhan, Bhagwati and others. This art was carried to its highest watermark till it attains the photographic exactitude in the rein of Shah Jahan. The best painters of the Mughal period tries to adopt an universal outlook and used Indian and foreign papers along with canvas. But it is very unfortunate that the best paintings of that period are preserved, not in India, but in London Leningrad, Berlin and Vienna as also a big center of Zari and at Mughals Agra of the gre re it developed almost in the form of a small ernbroidery work the ruling classes scale industry. Fashion and style infiltrated from middle classes. Court officials and on to the upper and into the great patron of this art. The Noor Jahan, the graceful lady was Hindus and Musalike liked lims Zari work on Kinkhab Shawls. Even carpets and curtains were richly embroidered with intricate design. In fact the Kinari Bazar of Agra was crammed with shops of ernbroidery work from where the finished rnaterials and garments were exported to other countries.

The woolen and cotton carpets of Agra were famous in rest of the world. Nowadays Agra is a big exporter of hand knotted woolen and silken carpets.

Agra has been the birthplace of many elites of the society Dr. Mukand Lal, honorary surgeon to the viceroy, was a popular man. Among other social elites of the town were Munshi Shiv Narayan, Dr. Imadad All Bahadur, Pandit Ayodhya Nath Kuniru, Babu Avinash Chandra Banarjee, Nawab Faiz Alikhan, Munshi Jagan Prasad and Raja Sir Dinkar Raol who dedicated themselves to the cause of Social Service and education.

Agra also gave to the country eminent jurists, advocates and judges. Beginning from Pandit Moti Lal Nehru, Agra, had a series of eminent advocates and judges, who by their legal acumen rendered unique service to the cause of justice in India.