Fatehpur Sikri, Mosque Complex

Further to my post of yesterday on the Palace Complex of Fatehpur Sikri, I'd like to now share some information and my photographs of the Mosque Complex of Fatehpur Sikri, Agra District.

This Complex mainly includes the magnificent towering gateway called the Buland Darwaza, a smaller Badshahi Darwaza, one of the largest mosque of India, the Jama Masjid and its courtyard, a marvellous marble encased tomb of Shaikh Salim Chisti, and an assembly hall next to it called the Jamat Khana.

Jama Masjid and Buland Darwaza

There is a popular legend that while hunting around Sikri, Akbar's curiosity was aroused by the songs of some minstrels, whom Akbar found out was of the renowned Sufi saint, Shaikh Salim Chisti. Since Akbar was without an heir for a long time, he made a pilgrimage to the renowned Salim Chisti, to seek his blessings. The saint blessed him and he had 3 sons. When Jehangir was born to him, Akbar named his son after the saint as a mark of his gratitude and ordered the great mosque of Fatehpur Sikri to be built under Salim's supervision.

Salim Chisti Ka Mazar (Tomb of Salim Chisti)

For more pictures on the Mosque Complex of Fatehpur Sikri, click here.

Fatehpur Sikri, Palace Complex

Following my Journey to Agra despite reaching there past midnight, I was up early next morning and checked out the place in and around the Mansingh Palace on my own. After breakfast, I hired a vehicle for the full day to discover what Agra and the places around it had to offer.

This was my second visit to Agra, however, it felt good to be going around it again. If not anything else, I wanted to explore again at least the Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort, and Fatehpur Sikri all three of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

I started with a visit to the Fatehpur Sikri. A city by itself, approximtely 40 kms from the famous Taj Mahal, it was built during the second half of 16th century by the Emperor Akbar. This City of Victory (meaning of Fatehpur Sikri) was the capital of the Mughal Empire for a few years. Brilliant red sandstone available locally was used that gives Fatehpur Sikri much of its lustre.

Akbar planned this city as his capital but shortly after the work was completed, the pristine complex was abandoned. The reason may have been either shortage of water, or water being of poor quality, or, according to other historians, Akbar had to attend to the northwest areas of his empire and therefore moved his capital to Lahore in 1585. However, in 1599 Akbar shifted his capital back to Agra from where he reigned until his death.

Today Fatehpur Sikri is a phantom city but, thanks to the Archaelogical Survey of India, the inner citadel is immaculately preserved. It is now a World Heritage site.

The city is divided into two parts, namely the Palace Complex and the Mosque Complex.

In this post I am posting a few pictures of the Palace Complex, which houses fine specimens of Mughal architecture, that is considered by the experts to be a fusion of Persian (and/or Islamic) and Hindu architecture. This Complex, among others, includes the Panch Mahal and the Anup Talao.

Anup Talao

Panch Mahal

If you wish to view more photographs, they are here.