India Heritage - Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri was the dignified city of the mughal dynasty. In honour of saint Shaikh Salim Chisti, the Mughal emperor, Akbar the great, founded a magnificent city on Sikri ridge. In 1571 he ordered the construction of buildings for his own use and asked the nobelmen to build houses for themselves. Within a year, most of the work was finished and with in the next few years, a well planned with administrative, residential and religious buildings came into existence.

Described as an epic poem in red sandstone, Fatehpur Sikri is a concrete expression of the towering personality, the ambition and the exquisite taste of the great king. The Jami Mosque was perhaps among the first buildings to come up. Its epigraph gives AH 979 (AD 1571-72) as the date of its completion. The Buland-Darwaza was added some five years later and this 175-feet entrance gate of Fatehpur Sikri is considered to be the highest gateway in the world.

Akbar employed local masons and craftsman and allowed them the freedom to use their traditional skills to create a new style, which has been called "Akbari". The architecture of Fatehpur Sikri is a combination of both Hindu and Muslim styles.

Inside The Walled City - Fatehpur Sikri

Among other important buildings within this walled city of Fartehpur Sikri are the tomb of Shaikh Salim Chishti, the Sufi Fakir who is said to have granted Akbar and his queen Jodhabai their wish for a son; 'Naubat'-or 'Naqqar Khana' (drum-house), 'Taksal' (mint), 'Karkhanas' (royal workshop), 'Khazana' (treasury), Hakim's quarters, Diwan-i-Am (hall of public audience), House of Maryam also called "Sunahra Makan" (Golden House), Palace of Jodh Bai, Birbal's house, etc.

Fatehpur sikri, however remained capital for only a short period for it had to be abandoned due to shortage of water. Still, the major reason why visitors from all over the world throng this Mughal citadel when they come to Agra are the historical and architectural marvels situated within it. Fatehpur Sikri is unique, architecturally intriguing, the architectural grandeur of Fatehpur Sikri cannot be described in words and one can only experience the aura of its magnificent edifices by seeing them.