Dear LG Community,
I’m excited to start another series on a topic I’m passionate about : Heritage of India. This series is based on my recent heritage tour of Agra.
Starting off this series with an iconic and historic place : Fatehpur Sikri.
Brief History : The site has historical records of rock shelter paintings, which predate the Mahabharata era. The approximate timeline of Fatehpur Sikri at the time of Akbar’s rule was 1572 - 1585. It is said that Akbar visited the famous Sufi Saint Sheikh Salim Chishti and prayed for a child, and his wish was granted when his eldest son was born. Akbar named him Salim, after the revered Sufi Saint. Akbar then built the Fatehpur Sikri fort and moved the capital of India from Agra. The tomb of Salim Chisti is also located inside this fort complex.
Brief history of the buildings inside the Fatehpur Sikri Fort Complex :
- Haathi Poll - Main entrance of the Fort
- Ibadat Khana - Akbar used to hold religious discussions and debates, by inviting religious scholars from around the world. The exact location of this place is still under debate with various ASI scholars offering multiple theories on it
- Jewel House - It is a beautifully crafter vaulted chamber with exquisite carved columns and decorated balustrade
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Ankh Micholi - It was used as a Treasury room where jewels used to be stored in double walled structure
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Anup Talao - A small waterbody which has central platforms and pathways.
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Haram Sarai : The building where Akbar’s wives used to live. This building is beautifully decorated and speaks of diverse archaeological influence - Sloping Roof originated in Uzbekistan, Elephant head and Toran - Part of Indian influence. This building also has a faded painting of Mother Mary. Interestingly, Harka Bai, one of the Rajput wives of Akbar, was also known as Mariam-uz-Zamani, i.e Mary of the Age.
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Toshakhana : This building was wrongly rumoured to be the stables. This was actually the place where clothes of queens and other royal members were stored
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Archaeological Museum - There is a very interesting Archaelogical museum inside the Fort which we can visit to uncover rare and historic artefacts related to this place.
Other interesting facts :
- Various historians believe Akbar was a dyslexic and his height was 5 feet 3 inches. However, his tolerant policies, administrative prowess and a photographic memory helped him become one of the most popular Mughal emperors
- Water for the fort complex was drawn using Persian water wheels. Manual pumps and waterways were used to further channelize the water into the inner buildings of the fort
- Abul Fazl, trusted advisor to Akbar, did not consider Jahangir as an able successor to Akbar, largely due to his addiction to Opium and Wine
Accessibility :
Tickets can be purchased online or through the ticket counter in the entrance
How to reach Agra :
- By Road : Agra is well-connected by road, notably via the Yamuna Expressway from Delhi, which offers a smooth and quick journey. You can travel by private car, taxi, or numerous bus services from surrounding cities.
- By Air: Agra has its own airport, Kheria Airport (AGR), which is primarily a military base but offers limited commercial flights, mainly connecting to Delhi. Many travelers opt to fly to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and then travel to Agra by road.
Recommended Stay Options :
Cover Image created using GeminiAI.
I will be back with the next part of this historical series on Agra.
