Fatehpur Sikri is a town located about 40 kilometres from Agra, and has been given the status of a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Founded in 1569 by the Mughal emperor Akbar, this was the Mughal capital from 1571 to 1585, during which the empire reached its pinnacle of success. The site was chosen to honour the Sufi saint Salim Chishti and the city within was built to honour the birth of his child, Salim. The construction of this walled city took almost 15 years to complete, and the complex included several royal palaces, a harem, courts and a mosque. The buildings have been made from red sandstone and have been designed in keeping with Persian architectural concepts, although the overall style is Mughal.
Fatehpur Sikri Architecture
The carvings, the open courtyards and the general aura of this ancient walled city will leave you breathless. There is a certain palpable mysticism in its air and a loftiness in the panoramic views its ramparts afford. While the structure can be accessed through a number of gates on the eight-kilometre-long fort wall, such as the Delhi Gate, Lal gate, Agra Gate, Chandanpal Gate, Gwalior Gate, Birbal’s Gate, Chor Gate, Ajmeri Gate and Tehra Gate, here are some important buildings on the complex you cannot miss.
Buland Darwaza: Located on the south wall of the mosque, Buland Darwaza is a 55-metre-high structure and a mark of Emperor Akbar’s victory in Gujarat. This addition was made to Fatehpur Sikri after about five years of the construction of the mosque. The columned central porch is made of three entrances of which the central one is the largest and popularly dubbed the Horseshoe Gate, after the numerous horseshoes nailed on it as a symbol of good luck. Buland Darwaza is one of the most photographed structures in the Fatehpur Sikri complex.
Tomb of Salim Chishti: Sheikh Salim Chishti was a known sufi saint in the Sikri village who had predicted the birth of Akbar’s son Jahangir, which eventually led to Akbar moving his capital here. The Sufi saint lies encased in a white marble tomb in Jama Masjid’s rambling courtyard. The tomb is actually a single-storey building constructed around a square chamber in the center that holds the grave of the Sufi saint in a wooden canopy embellished with mother-of-pearls. Akbar’s successful campaign in Gujarat also led to borrowing of a leaf or two from its architectural history evident in the tomb of the saint that was inspired by the early 15th century mausoleum from the Gujarat Sultanate period. The carved jaalis, the white marble brackets, the drooping eaves around the parapet are some of the eminent features of the tomb of Salim Chishti. Also, look up the red sandstone tomb of Islam Khan 1 to the east of Chishti’s own. Islam Khan was the grandson of the Sufi saint and a general in the Mughal army of Emperor Jahangir. Typical of Islamic tombs it is topped with a dome and 36 little domed chattris.
Jama Masjid: This congregational mosque, historians believe, is the first building to be constructed on the complex, and holds immense religious and spiritual significance. The sprawling courtyard of the Fatehpur Sikri Jama Masjid, the row of chattri designs on the sanctuary, the geometric patters typical of Islamic architecture, the fine white marble inlay decorations characterise what is the country’s most stunning mosque.
Panch Mahal: This five-storey columned structure has a unique architecture. The tiers on their way up diminish in size, finally petering out into a large domed chhatri on the top. The columns on every level are profound with carvings and total up to a 176. Historians believe this structure was a ladies court owing to a perforated stone screen which originally stood before the facade.
Palace of Jodha Bai: The largest and perhaps the most significant construction in the Imperial Complex is the palace of Akbar’s Rajput wife, Jodha Bai who was known for her beauty and charisma. The palace has high walls and a nine-metre-tall gate on the east for privacy. You will witness an interesting blend of Hindu elements and Islamic styles in the structure. Adjacent to the palace is the Hawa Mahal and the Mughal Charbagh-style garden.
Hiran Minar: Believed to be a memorial to Akbar’s favourite elephant, the Elephant Tower or Hiran Minar is actually a circular tower that has elephant tusks projected in stone. It later came to be known that the Hiran Minar served as a starting point for mile posts.
Birbal’s House: The witty and wise Birbal was the life of Akbar’s court. A Hindu, he was also the Emperor’s favourite minister. This was the house where Birbal lived. The structure is striking for the chajjas or sloping sunshades and the brackets that support it.
Diwan-i-Khas: This Hall of Private Audience is surmounted by four chattris and has a central pillar with a square base and an octagonal shape adorned with floral patterns. Don’t miss the 36 serpentine brackets that hold the little podium on which Akbar met the various religious delegates and carried out elaborate discussions on their faiths.