A Gateway to the Mughal period!
Fatehpur Sikri, which literally translates to "The City of Victory", is a town built approximately 40 kilometers away from Agra. The memories of my visit to this place date back to the autumn of 2015 when I had gone to see the marvels of this complex monument with my extended family. It turned out to be a day that I will cherish forever, for then I had felt as if I'd traveled back to the 16th century, to the era of Akbar's rule.
The town attracts both foreign and local tourists because of its historic importance and architectural excellence. Made majorly of red sandstones and white marbles, Fatehpur Sikri was built during the Mughal period by the very famous emperor Akbar. The place was also the capital of his empire for more than a decade.
There's a story about a Sufi saint Salim Chishti, who had predicted the birth of Akbar's successor; and to honor him for the same, the emperor had built his tomb in the courtyard of the mosque. It is now known as the ‘Sheikh Salim Chishti Dargaah’ and follows a belief that Allah fulfills the wishes of people who visit the mosque and tie a thread there. The place is very serene, with devotees constantly coming and praying to the almighty, thus somehow being able to connect to the emperor who had once prayed for a child at the same place.
Being a great ruler, Akbar had also built a couple of halls for holding meetings with the audience: Diwan-i-Aam and Diwan-i-Khas. As the name indicates, Diwan-i-Aam, the hall for public gatherings, was where Akbar used to resolve the matters of common people. Diwan-i-Khas, on the other hand, was for the assemblies of royal members. The two structures were made beautifully, incorporating Indo-Islamic designs.
Fatehpur Sikri demonstrates the religious beliefs of the people of those times as well. It has walls carved with quotes from the Quran. The emperor constructed three palaces in the town, one for each of his three favorite wives: Jodha, Ruqaiya, and Maria. The most famous among them is the Jodha Palace, which is artistically made with Hindu and Muslim architectural patterns.
The city also has the highest gateway in the world, called Buland Darwaza, with a height of 54 meters from the ground level. Standing in front of it, one cannot help but reel in the enormity of this monument, and at the same time be fascinated by how it was made!
The place, very deservingly, finds a spot in the list of "Must visit places in Agra". One should take out a day and go to Fatehpur Sikri, not just to see the monuments built there, but to feel the aura of the Mughal period and add some insights to their perspective about life too.
Very nice