Monuments of Fatehpur Sikri
Tomb of Salim Chishti
The beautiful square marble tomb of Sheikh Salim Chishti is one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture in India. Situated near Zanana Rauza and facing south (towards Buland Darwaja), it enshrines the burial place of the Sufi saint who blessed Akbar with his son and heir and lived a religious and austere life here. The mausoleum was built by Akbar as a mark of his respect and reverence for the saint and it was completed in the year 1580-81. Raised on about a meter high platform, there is flight of five steps to reach its entrance porch. Elegant marble screens enclose the main tomb building on all sides while the tomb is places in the centre of the main hall with a single semicircular dome.
The ebony 'chhhaparkhat' enclosure surrounding the marble cenotaph, usually covered b y a green cloth, is inlaid with scales of mother-of-pearls. Devotees ask for the blessings of the saint to fulfill their wishes and believe that tying a black thread on the marble screens of the main tomb building with the promise of loosening the thread when the wish is fulfilled serves as a constant reminder to the saint to advocate for their wishes and grant them his blessings. The marble building is so profusely carved that it seems to be built of ivory. The plinth is ornamented with mosaics of black and yellow marble arranged in splendid geometrical patterns.
The serpentine brackets emerging from the pillars carved with stylized peacock tail pattern and sloping eaves add to the magnificence of the porch. The door of the main chamber is carved elaborately with arabesque patterns and boasts of Quranic inscriptions. Brown marble borders the interior bays while the relief panels with Quranic verses have a blue painted background. The ostentatiously carved and painted tomb chamber has white marble floor inlaid with multicolored stones. The verses are chosen carefully to impart deep esoteric meaning.
Jama Masjid Fatehpur Sikri
Jami Masjid or the Friday Mosque is one of the most beautiful and largest mosques of the world. This elegant building is the most sacred building and the principal mosque of the town and thus situated on the highest point of the ridge where Fatehpur Sikri is situated. In fact, the Buland Darwaja commemorating the victory of Akbar over Deccan and the Tomb of the famous Sufi saint Sheikh Salim Chishti are a part of this spacious mosque complex. Built in the supervision of the saint himself and his descendants, it was completed in 1571.
The vast quadrangle has the mosque on the western side and arcuate cloisters with broad slanting chhajja and splendid brackets crowned by series of square chhatris on the other three sides along with Buland Darwaja on the south, Badshahi Darwaja on the east and the tombs of Sheikh Salim and Islam Khan and the ablution tank in the inner courtyard. The main rectangular mosque consists of a central nave with a single dome, two colonnaded halls on its either side with two square chambers crowned with dome. The elegant and beautifully carved mihrabs adorn the main chamber and the two smaller rooms.
The mosque marks the phase of transition in Islamic art as the indigenous architectural elements were blended with the Persian architecture. The pillared dalan of the façade, the iwan with three arched openings also framed by panels and crowned by five chhatris and the central mihrab adorned with inlaid mosaic of stones that are bordered by glazed tiles and has golden inscriptions on royal blue background. The interiors of the iwan are adorned with watercolor paintings depicting stylized floral designs. Even the dado panels, spandrels of arch, squinches and soffits are also painted profusely. Unlike other monuments, where domes are supported on squinches, here elegant corbelled pendentives support the done.
Badshahi Darwaza Fatehpur Sikri
Badshahi Darwaza or the Royal Door was reserved for emperor
to join the congregational prayer. It was situated on the eastern side of the
mosque facing Agra and was the main entrance to the mosque. Projecting out in
the form of a half hexagonal porch, it has two kiosks and merlons at the top.
The gateway is adorned with bands of buff sandstone carved in geometrical
designs. It has two arches one on top of the other.
The cusped small entrance arch inside is ornamented with lotus bud and leads to
a hexagonal vestibule. The roof of this vestibule is in the shape of a
segmented-shaped dome crowned by a flat roof. Its upper storey houses a gallery
and it has arched recesses on either side and cusped arches on its top.
Jamat Khana
Jamat Khana was the assembly hall
situated on the eastern side of the tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisti, where his
disciples used to pray and carried out their religious practices. It is built
in red sandstone and is surrounded by charming perforated screens. Sheikh Haji
Hussain arranged the religious functions to be held here until his death in
1591, after which he was buried in the southwestern corner of the building.
Since then, it became the graveyard of the Sheikh's followers and houses
twenty-four graves. There are Quranic inscriptions on some of these graves and
the pen box or the turban was used to mark the graves of the men while a flat
bard called takhti marks the grave of the women.
The square building has a I m high platform and is enclosed with an arcaded
verandah. Each façade has seven bays while the beautifully carved entrance door
in the middle of the central façade leads to a courtyard. The central chamber
looks square from outside but is octagonal from inside and houses the tomb of
Islam Khan, who was the grand son of Sheikh Salim and also the Governor of
Bengal. Thus, this chamber is also known as the tomb of Islam Khan. The unique
feature of the building lies in the 36 small domed kiosks that surrounds the
central dome making its roof look quite elegant. Badshahi Darwaza on its
eastern side is situated on Yaran Chabutra or Friends' Platform, which houses
the graves of other disciples of Shiekh Salim Chishti.
Zanana Rauza
Zanana Rauza or women's tomb is accessible through a beautiful gateway situated between the dargah of Sheikh Salim Chisti and Jamat Khana. This gateway is elegantly adorned with bands of red sandstone and marble and the central arch of its gateway has a square opening. Inlaid arched panels of red sandstone and marble adorn this gateway and floral designs frame the opening. Beautiful kiosks, turrets and merlons crown it. The interiors consist of a dark suite enshrining graves of the women of Sheikh Salim's family and were originally a part of northern cloister of the Jami Mosque.
Before the conversion of this part of the building into the women'd graveyard, it was connected to Salim Chishti's house via an underground pathway through which the women of Sheikh Salim's family could visit and listen to him during his religious discourses while maintaining their privacy. The two oblong chambers of the building are divided into sections and subsections with the help of elaborately carved stone screens, designed in geometrical patterns, that contain graves of several ladies of the household including one Bibi Mattu Lanbiri.
Imperial Harem Fatehpur Sikri
This complex includes Jodha Bai's palace and other palaces
like Jodha Bai's Palace, Hawa Mahal & Viaduct, Birbal's House, Stables
Panch Mahal, Mariyam's House, Zenana Garden, Nagina Masjid, Ladies' Guest House
and Harem Sara Guest House. This was the private place for the women of the
palace. This place was designed keeping in mind the purdah custom for women;
still the place is well lighted and well ventilated.
A unique viaduct connecting the palace to the lower plain is also a masterpiece
of architecture. Complex contains a separate garden and a mosque specially
meant for women. A wind tower called Panch Mahal is also located in this
complex. There are other minor buildings like the guesthouse and female guard
quarters in Imperial harem complex.
Imperial Harem Fatehpur Sikri
Birbal's House Fatehpur Sikri
According to popular beliefs the most probable occupants of
this palace were Akbar's two senior queens, Ruqayya Begum and Salima Sultan
Begum. Birbal's house stands near the northwest corner of Jodhbai's palace. It
is one of the marvelous buildings of imperial Harem. It was built in 1571. It
consists of fours-quare rooms, each measuring 16'-10" (5.13m) square side,
all interconnected through open doorways and two oblong entrance porches on
Northwest and Southeast corners. While all the four rooms, have flat ceilings,
porches have triangular chhappar ceiling with pyramidal roof. The interior of
the building is divided into three days by richly carved pilasters. Shafts of
these pilasters have been divided into three zones, which contain three
different kind of decoration like single border designs, arabesque geometrical
designs and stylized floral designs.
Capitals of these pilaster bears lotus petals and stalactite designs. The first
floor has beautiful Jharokhas overlooking the court below and a simple chajja.
Each dome of the upper rooms rests on an octagonal drum, which is also carved
with a raised trefoil pattern. The domes are crowned by an inverted lotus and
kalash finials and also bear traces of tile work. Though the entire
construction is composed of lintels and beams, but beautifully carved brackets
have been used to span the spaces between the pillars and ornamental arches.
These brackets are carved on both faces with lotus and arabesque designs.
Spandrels of the arches also bear arabesque and floral design.
Harem Sara Guest House Fatehpur Sikri
This building is a part of Harem
Sarai offices, where Emperor would call to direct the voluminous affairs of
ladies; even Ain-i-Akbari contains references regarding a separate
administration organization for this purpose. It is built to north of Maryam's
house. The building is simple looking with richly carved walls, called Jodha
Bai's kitchen. The interior walls of the building are filthy enough with tarry
grime that tells that this building might have served the purpose of kitchen.
The interior walls have been mutilated as it was used for a long time for
public works department for its various functionaries.
The building is rectangular in plan and believes to be connected with
colonnaded cloister, which now has been demolished. The outer walls have been
carved in imitation of curtains with tasseled pelments. A panelled wall
containing a window in northern side flanks a broad door. The walls are carved
with cross designs and stone screens in simple geometrical patterns. The
building has flat roof, which is surrounded by parapet. The other architectural
features are almost lost because building was altered into its present form.
Jodha Bai's palace is the largest and most important part of
Imperial Harem, having all facilities, provisions and safeguards. The name
Jodha Bai palace is a misnomer in itself. It is most widely accepted that the
building was for Raniwas or Zenani-Dyodhi. The palace building consists of a
rectangular block measuring 231'8"x215' in dimension, with a single
magnificent gateway on eastern side, which was protected by guard rooms, having
triangular ceiling and other apartments. Several Hindu motifs have been used in
the building, which confirms that occupant of the building was a Hindu lady.
Hindu motifs like hams (swan), parrot, elephants, lotus, srivatsa mark, ghant
mala etc are decorated in the interior. The colonnaded dalan contains
curvilinear square pillars with beautiful moldings and extremely graceful
brackets. The western suite, which serves the purpose of temple, contains
beautiful curvilinear pillars with brackets. This suite contains vedikas and
several Hindu motifs. The super structure of the building is comprises of
chhatris, chhaparkhats with eight pillars, semi circular domes and triangular
khaprel roofs, The corner domes and khaprel roofs bears traces of arabesque
designs in glazed tiles.
Mariyam's House
Mariyam's House is architecturally small and simple building
but profusely painted in the interior and the exterior, in pleasing colour
combination with gold. Now this building is popularly known as Maryam's House
as it was abode of Akbar's Mother Hamida Banu Begum, who was entitled Maryam
Makani (Equal in rank to Mary). This North oriented building, stands over a
rectangular plinth, which is 18.23m north to South by 14.75m East to West in
dimension and reached by steps centrally placed on Each side. It is composed of
four rooms, one in the centre and other three at the back facing south.
Rama and Hanuman, most popular Hindu deities are carved in relief of the
brackets, on the northern façade of the building, which shows Akbar's liberal
attitude towards the art without any discrimination. The interior has beautiful
paintings depicting elephant fights, hunting, battle scene and tournaments.
Pilaster of Northwest corner contains scenes depicting nature. In addition to
the murals, the palace also has series of carved designs like row of elephants,
hamsa (swan), and kirti mukhas on the brackets and chhajja bears.
Minor Harem Sara Fatehpur Sikri
It is attached to the western wall
of Jodh Bai palace. This colonnaded structure is divided into bays having stone
rings in front of each bay. Some scholars say the building might serve as
stable. But taking in account, its proximity to Harem Sara and the bustle,
noise and smell that would have constantly disturbed the peace of ladies
enclosure, this assumption was rejected. According to the most widely accepted
view this building must have been allotted to the serving maids of the ladies
palace. Two Hammams at eastern end of the blocks have also been provided for
the sanitary needs of the staff. Hence the building is also known as 'Minor
Harem Sara building.
This building is composed of two distinct parts, the one being a closed and
covered colonnaded enclosure and other with dalans on its three sides. The
colonnaded enclosure is about 83.39 m and 35.05 m in dimension and the dalan is
5.66m deep. The closed colonnaded enclosure is divided into 17 bays by series
of simple plain slabs and columns. The open courtyard originally had 24 bays on
Eastern and Western side and 7 on the Southern side. The bays are divided by
square columns, which support the flat roof through heavy brackets and beams.
Panch Mahal is located on the northeast direction of Jodh
Bai's palace. It is a five-floored pillared pavilion. This extra ordinary
building was called badgir or wind tower, which was constructed to alleviate
the heat and is a very popular architectural mechanism of Persian architecture.
Originally, it was connected with main Royal chamber and Jodh Bai's palace.
The first floor has 84 pillars with row of eight pillars arranged in north to
south direction and row of six pillars arranged in east to west direction. The
second floor has 56 pillars with row of six pillars in north to south direction
and row of four pillars in east to west direction and also beautiful carved
pillars with unique designs. Capitals of these pillars also contain beautiful
carved designs like floral vase, arch or rosette pattern. This floor also has a
projecting chhajja and a carved frieze.
The third floor is composed of 20 pillars with smaller in size. It contains row
of five pillars from north to south and row of three pillars from east west
direction having double pillars at northeast corner. The fourth floor has 12
pillars in two rows. Pillars on eastern side are double. This floor also has
beautiful jalied balustrade. The top of the building is decorated with
beautiful square chhatri with a cupola.
Zenana Garden Fatehpur Sikri
Situated near Mariyam's House, Zenana garden was meant to be
used by royal ladies and ensure complete privacy for them. Thus, plastered
rubble walls enclosed it with a dooway and a guardhouse in the northwestern
side of the paved court flanking the front side of the building. However, these
walls have been demolished now. Typical of Mughal gardens, it was reared in a
charbagh pattern, divided into four quarters by shallow water channels
intersecting at right angle. There was a fishpond in the center of the garden.
Niches were made in the northern wall for the lamps that illuminated it in
night on festive and ceremonial occasions. There is a carved sloping stone slab
on the southern side with fish scale to allow the smooth flow of water in the
tank.
Royal
complax of Fatehpur Sikri
Anup Talao situated in the front of Khawabgah complex was one of the most mentioned tanks at Fatehpur Sikri. This square red sand stone tank had a beautiful platform enclosed by a jalied balustrade in its center. The raised seat in the middle of this platform perhaps presented the most romantic loveseat ever conceived inside a building. This platform was connected to the sides of the tank via four causeways that were supported on the stoned pillar with bracketed capitals. The tank was connected to the water work system to the north of the city to ensure the inflow of fresh water in it and to the Sukh Tal, outside the southern wall to avoid overflowing of water. Abul Fazl recorded that this beautiful pool was once filled with gold, copper and silver coins that shimmered like so many sunrays and looked quite stunning. Jehangir has mentioned in his memoirs that he distributed copper and silver coins worth one crore three lakh rupees that were emptied out of the tank in the charity.
Diwan-i-Khas Fatehpur Sikri
Diwan-i-khas or Hall of Private Audience is situated in the northeast corner of the royal complex with a huge and richly carved pillar in the center. The central platform attached to the pillar was the seat of the emperor while the diagonal galleries are believed to be the seat of ministers and nobles that were entertained here. However, since the galleries were too narrow to accommodate all ministers of the court at once, some people think that this building was actually the storehouse for the gems and jewels of the royalty and emperor used to come here only to inspect his jewels. According to Abul Fazl, Akbar had three treasuries that were close to each other and one of them was used to store gems and jewels only.
Since, this building is also close to Ankh Michauli or the treasury for gold and silver, it is quite probable that this place is used as a treasury for jewels. This square red sand stone building has four double-storeyed façades. Though, there is no superstructure or dome here, the four beautiful kiosks at each corner of the building that are octagonal in shape and have a circular dome with an inverted lotus on the top, providing a superlative altitude to the building. The main hall has a most elegant capital composed by joining 36 brackets arising from the pillar in three tiers, in a circular shape. Though, the building lacks much ornamentation yet the pillar in the center is certainly one of the masterpieces of Mughal architecture.
A small but elegant kiosk rising from a small extension of the platform of Ankh Michauli, the treasury, it is known as Astrologer's seat because it is believed that it used to be the seat of an Indian yogi, whom Akbar often consulted in his political matters. However, these legends seem to be mere rumors. The presence of this kiosk near the treasury suggests that it could have been the place where the emperor could sit occasionally to see the distribution of copper, silver and gold coins to the deserving people and his subordinate officers. This kiosk is 3 sq m in area and supported on four pillars. These pillars have octagonal tops and square base adorned with semi circular patterns.
The leaf designs grace the roof. The dome is square with interlocking tulip pattern and crowned by an inverted lotus. A usual stone eave and torana-shaped brackets surround the kiosk. These brackets are known as torana-shaped brackets because they were originally used to adorn doorways of Hindu temples known as toranas. These brackets were composed of two separate pieces of red sand stone that were later joined to give the complete structure. All these brackets are divide into eleven bands having beautiful carvings, especially the mouth of a pompous monster.
Diwan-I-Am or Hall of Public Audience, situated near Agra Gate, was the place where Akbar heard petitions of the general public and did justice every morning. In the afternoon, he used to inspect his offices situated adjacent to this spacious complex. 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 center 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 skilful use of pillars, brackets, chhajjas and kiosks at regular intervals in a masterly composition. At the time of Akbar, both this complex and Diwan-I-Khas made ostentatious display of rich fabrics and other beautiful decorative items befitting the grandeur of the emperor.
Khwabgah Complex Fatehpur Sikri
Khwabgah or the Dream Palace, as the name suggests, is the most beautiful building of the royal complex and was conceived for the emperor's personal use. It has a separate room for the emperor to hold secrete official meetings with his nobles, Kutub khana or a personal library with a number of books and official documents, a small bathroom and the bedroom of Akbar. The double-storeyed red sandstone building is one of the most well planned buildings of Fatehpur Sikri. Abul Fazl states that there were about 25000 manuscripts in Akbar's library. The room behind Kutub Khana used for secret meeting still has traces of some of the most beautiful paintings. This complex was also connected to the offices or the Daftar Khana of the royal complex.
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 Panch Mahal via a covered passage. The ground floor chambers are simple but the emperor's personal chamber on the first floor is pompously oramented using carved flat panels, beautiful murals depicting geometrical and floral patterns and painted designs. The mural paintings on the wall depict scenes from Mughal court, which have faded with time. Persian inscriptions in different colors are also used often praising the palace and comparing it with paradise.
Though some people suggest that this building near Anup Talao was the home of two turkish queens of Akbar called Salima Sultan Begum and Ruqayya Begum, Turkish Sultana's House is too small for being a residential building. It is more probably the 'Hujra-I-Anup Talao, mentioned by Badauni, a pleasure pavilion attached to the pond and might have been used by the Turkish queens for this purpose. The pavilion has square piers. It is connected to the ground floor of the Khwabgah complex through a colonnaded verandah and has a portico in the west. Both the verandah and portico has a stone screen with latticework.
Intricately carved like wood, this building is also known as 'superb jewel casket'and each of its stone slab has a different design such as arabesque designs on the pillars of verandah and bell shaped, floral and herring-bone carvings on the brackets supporting the roof. The dado panels depict scenes of forests and gardens. There are animal motifs and swastik patterns too
Abdar Khana is situated to the north of Anup Talao. Though
people believe that it was once used as the girls' hostel, historians put its
use as a water storage house. They state that in the time of purdah system,
where women could not show their face to any stranger, there is no logic behind
housing them in a building in the main palace complex where men were received
because it would have invaded their privacy. It is said that it was built to
store drinking water for Akbar. Akbar drank only water of River Ganges and thus
it was kept preserved for him in the sealed jars that were cooled using some
reagents. The walls of this double storeyed building are composed of a series
of piers and have deep shelves with arched screens to store water jars and
tropical fruits for the king such as melons, mangoes and grapes.
Hiran Minar Fatehpur Sikri
Hiran Minar is located in the open plains. This 21.34m high
tower got its name after Jehangir converted the polo ground around the tower
into a sanctuary for hiran (antelopes). The tower is entered through a
flat-topped door bordered by sand stone panel and flanked by closed arched
panels. There are 53 steps leading to the top inside the tower. One can get a
bird's eye view of Fatehpur Sikri from the top of the tower.
The tower is octagonal upto the height of 3.91m and circular to the rest of the
height. The tower stands over an octagonal platform, which in turn stands on a
square one. The lower square platform is 21.96m sq. and the octagonal platform
is 1.2m high and is edged by a small cornice. Double flight of 9 steps has been
provided on northern and eastern side, which is 3.05m high.
This tower is decorated with an alternate row of six pointed star and hexagons.
Numerous elephant tusks are protruding from the center of the each star and
hexagons (now replaced with stone tusks). It is believed that real elephant
tusks symbolize the novelty and grandeur of Mughal Empire.
Though romantics believe that Ankh
Michauli (Blind Man's Buff Hose) was used by Akbar to play hide and seek with
the women of his harem, there are no evidences to support their view. In fact,
the secret coffers and deep recesses in the walls of this building suggest that
perhaps it was a treasury for valuable things such as gold and silver coins and
secret documents. This building has three oblong halls of equal size with the
central hall placed horizontally and two other halls placed at right angles on
its either side. These halls have a central court and are interconnected by
corridors with extremely wide openings. The walls are made up of rubble masonry
and are very thick. It is believed that while gold coins were stored in the
coffers, the silver was kept in bags heaped on the floor.
Being an official building, Ankh Michauli has been kept simpler. However, it
has high ceilings. The bottom of the struts in the central hall supporting the
beams of the ceiling have been beautifully molded into the head of a truncated
monster called 'Makar' in Hindu mythology, who is believed to be the guardian
of treasures. The halls of this building also manifest simple moldings and
carved brackets lending them a grand look, while the wide chhajja around the
central hall looks quite imposing. The two stairways to the east lead one to
the roof. There was a two-storeyed gallery too but it has now been demolished.
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