Fatehpur Sikri
The City of Victory is one of my favourite heritage sites in India, in part due to the architectural style and setting, but also because of its ephemeral existence as the capital of the Mughal empire. Its form and layout strongly influenced the evolution of Indian town planning, notably at Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi).


Set on a rocky plateau and constructed largely from red sandstone the significant monuments form a homogeneous group, despite an eclectic style which draws on Hindu, Persian and Indo-Muslim traditions. The Emperor Akbar (1556-1605) decided to construct it in 1571, on the same site where the birth of his son, the future Jahangir, was predicted by Shaikh Salim Chisti. Construction was supervised by Akbar and completed in 1573.

However, Fatehpur Sikri's status as capital of the Mughal empire was short lived. in 1585, Akbar abandoned the city to fight against the Afghan tribes and choose Lahore as his new capital. Fatehpur Sikri was to be the seat of the great Mughal court only once more for three months in 1619, when Akbar's son, Jahangir, sought refuge there from a plague which devastated Agra. The site was abandoned until it was explored by archaeologists in 1892.

In 1585 the English traveller Ralph Fitch described the city as 'considerably larger than London and more populous', comprised of a series of palaces, public buildings and mosques, as well as living areas for the court, the army, servants of the king and for an entire population whose history has not been recorded. To date only a small part of the city has studied, visited and relatively well preserved.

I could happily spend a couple of days wandering around and wondering about what life in this place would have been like. The heat is intense as we explore the site, listening intently to our guide. We're drawn into pavilions and porticos by the shade and coolness as much as his commentary. There is too much take in on a short visit so we can only enjoy the highlights.

Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience)
The Diwan-i-Khas, also known as the jewel house is a square two storey (ground and first floor) building with four chhatris on the roof. In terms of decoration and design it is famous for its central pillar, which has a square base and an octagonal shaft, both carved with bands of geometric and floral designs. It has 36 serpentine brackets which support a circular platform for Akbar, which is connected to each corner of the building on the first floor, by four stone walkways. Our guide tells us that it is here that Akbar had representatives of different religions discuss their faiths and gave private audience.



Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience)
Located near the Agra Gate the Diwan-I-Am is where Akbar heard petitions from his subjects every morning. In the afternoon he would inspect his offices next to Hall of Public Audience.

The colonnaded dalan surrounding it is divided into 111 bays by the use of square pillars. The most impressive feature of this complex is the Throne Chamber facing east. It is said that it was so built because of Akbar's belief in 'sun worship'. This chamber showcases a unique stone tiled roof and a exquisitely carved frieze.

The chamber is broadly divided into three parts, with the space in front, the seat of the emperor in centre surrounded by the stone screens arranged in six-pointed star pattern and the portion masked by a beautiful screen meant for the royal ladies. A gracefully carved balustrade surrounded the chamber. The building was devoid of any dome or superstructure but the elevation was artistically made prominent by the use of skillful use of pillars, brackets, chhajjas and kiosks at regular intervals in a masterly composition.

Anup Talao
As we walk around the water in the Anup Talao, despite its verdant green colour, it still looks inviting in this heat. Located at the front of Khawabgah complex this square red sandstone tank has a beautiful central platform which can be accessed by one of four walkways. The platform has a raised seat in the middle and is surrounded by a jalied balustrade. The tank was connected to the water supply system ensuring fresh clean water. Abul Fazl recorded that this beautiful pool was once filled with gold, copper and silver coins that shimmered like so many sun-rays and looked quite stunning.



Khwabgah (Dream Palace)
This two storey building was designed and constructed for Akbar's personal use. It has a bedroom, bathroom and a personal library (Kutub khana) as well as a separate meeting room. Abul Fazl, Akbar's vizier (high ranking minister), noted that there were about 25,000 manuscripts in Akbar's library.

The bedroom known as Khilwatkada-i-Khas was surrounded by a pillared verandah with a stone-tiled sloping roof. It was connected to the imperial harem and the five storey Panch Mahal  or "Badgir" (wind catcher tower) by a covered passage. The ground floor chambers are simple but the emperor's personal chamber on the first floor is ornamented using carved flat panels and decorated with murals, which have faded, depicting scenes from Mughal court.

On the road to Agra
Our visit to the City of Victory comes to an end. And all too soon we are on the road to Agra with the promise of more grand and imperial delights...