Fatehpur Sikri, India, Feb 2010
Fatehpur Sikri (Hindi: फतेहपुर सीकरी, Urdu: فتحپور سیکری) located in Agra district of Uttar Pradesh, India is about 40 km from Taj Mahal, Agra City. This historical city was constructed by Mughal emperor Akbar from 1570 and served as the empire's capital until 1585 when it was abandoned due to lack of water supply to sustain the growing population. The palace and mosque are a major tourist attraction and it is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Akbar inherited the Mughal Empire from his father Humayun and during the 1560s he rebuilt the Agra Fort and established it as his capital. He had a son and then twins, but the twins died due to which he consulted Salim Chishti - the sufi saint who lived as a recluse in the small town Sikri near Agra. Salim predicted that Akbar would have another son, and indeed one was born in 1569 in Sikri. He was named Salim to honor the saint and would later rule the empire as Emperor Jahangir. The following year, Akbar, then 28 years old, determined to build a palace and royal city in Sikri, to honor Salim Chishti. The name, Fateh is Arabic in origin and means "victory", also in Urdu and Persian language. It is at Fatehpur Sikri that the legends of Akbar and his famed courtiers, the nine jewels or Navaratnas, were born.
The buildings of Fatehpur Sikri show a synthesis of various regional schools of architectural craftsmanship such as Gujarat and Bengal because indigenous craftsmen from various regions were used for the construction of the buildings. Same reason why influences from Hindu and Jain architecture are seen hand in hand with Islamic elements.
Read MoreAkbar inherited the Mughal Empire from his father Humayun and during the 1560s he rebuilt the Agra Fort and established it as his capital. He had a son and then twins, but the twins died due to which he consulted Salim Chishti - the sufi saint who lived as a recluse in the small town Sikri near Agra. Salim predicted that Akbar would have another son, and indeed one was born in 1569 in Sikri. He was named Salim to honor the saint and would later rule the empire as Emperor Jahangir. The following year, Akbar, then 28 years old, determined to build a palace and royal city in Sikri, to honor Salim Chishti. The name, Fateh is Arabic in origin and means "victory", also in Urdu and Persian language. It is at Fatehpur Sikri that the legends of Akbar and his famed courtiers, the nine jewels or Navaratnas, were born.
The buildings of Fatehpur Sikri show a synthesis of various regional schools of architectural craftsmanship such as Gujarat and Bengal because indigenous craftsmen from various regions were used for the construction of the buildings. Same reason why influences from Hindu and Jain architecture are seen hand in hand with Islamic elements.
