Hello friends. Today we will talk about Fatehpur Sikri. The ancient capital of the Mughal Empire is located in India near Agra. Among the numerous attractions, there is a special mysterious theme that excites real travelers - lovers of history and unusual places. These are ghost towns. For some reason unknown to us, the noisy, colorful streets are empty, residents are leaving their homes, palaces are darkening under the downpours, temples are overgrown with lush tropical vegetation or decaying from hot winds.
The memory of such a place is preserved in legends, and the city becomes a ghost. It happens that after centuries, and sometimes even millennia, a city is found by chance. And then scientists puzzle over what happened, archaeologists collect valuable information, and tourists... tourists rush to see the ancient mystery with their own eyes and form their own idea of what they saw. Fatehpur Sikri has been protected by UNESCO since 1986.
India. State of Uttar Pradesh. Agra region. Ghost town of Fatehpur Sikri. The name Fatehper Sikri is found.
What do we know
In the 16th century, the legendary ruler of the Mughal Empire, Shah Akbar I, decided to build a new capital, giving it a sonorous name - the City of Victory. This is how Fatehpur Sikri is translated. A project was drawn up with a layout of wide streets and squares, unlike anything previously known in India.
The best craftsmen and architects from Persia and different regions of India were invited, who created beautiful buildings of palaces, pavilions and temples. Subsequently, it was these images, modified and brought to perfection, that became the characteristic distinctive style of Mughal architecture.
For 14 years, Indian workers built the capital of the empire.
The water supply problem was solved: canals with numerous branches were dug, a huge reservoir at that time and several underground reservoirs were created.
Water carriers drew water from wells all day long and transported it around the city.
Thanks to constant irrigation, the city turned into a green garden in a short time.
Engineers of the Middle Ages used an interesting technology for constructing buildings: the material was solid blocks of sandstone stone, but they worked with it like wood - they trimmed and cut out windows, doors and interior spaces right in the block. The blocks were then fastened together and fitted tightly together.
All the graceful towers of the palace are carved from pieces of stone, as if from wood.
There are buildings made of marble in the city.
City
The city's buildings are the result of a mixture of several styles of architecture characteristic of the Mughals and Rajputs. The main building material here was red sandstone.
Among the main attractions of Fatehpur Sbkri are:
- drum house, Naubat Khana
An announcement was made from it about the arrival of high-ranking guests.
- the Divan-i-Am building, where the ruler held meetings with court subjects (officials)
The peculiarity of the meeting hall is that the ruler did not go down to his subjects, but communicated with them from the height of a carved column standing in the hall. As far as I know, this type of communication with the “administration” was used here for the first time. In general, meeting rooms are typical for many Mughal cities.
- Shah Akbar held personal meetings in the Divan-i-Khas hall.
- On the southern side of the palace complex, Akbar's chambers with wall paintings and a high stone bed are well preserved.
- The house of Raja Birbal was intended for the ministers.
- Mariam az-Zamani Palace, built at the beginning of the 17th century, is an example of Gujarati architecture.
- White marble building of the Salim Chishti mausoleum
- Historically significant buildings include the five-tier Panch Mahal Palace
- the Indian-style mosque Jama Masjid with the high Buland Darwaza gate or “Victory Gate”.
- Buland Darwaza (Gate of Splendor) is the tallest gate in India. Their height is 53.63 meters, width is 35 meters, and there are 42 steps leading up to them. Built in honor of the victory over Gujarat.
Each part of the city is original in its own way and has poetic names. This is how the residential part of the city was called Daulat Khana, which means the Abode of Fate. The five-tiered Panch Mahal Palace is the Wind Catcher.
Next to it there is a gazebo pavilion. It is believed that it had one of the first girls' schools in India, where noble girls were taught literacy and arithmetic.
Akbar I had several wives. One of them was a Rajput and professed Hinduism, the others were Muslims. The wives' palaces are built and decorated according to their tastes and religion.
There is an Indian historical series “Jodha and Akbar: a story of great love”, about how the political union of the Mughal emperor and the Rajput princess Jodha develops into true love.
Next to the school pavilion stands the palace of Akbar's Turkish wife. It can be recognized by its arabesques, elegantly carved decorations and roof with a stone roof imitating tiles.
In front of the palace is Anup Talao, a small pool filled with water. Four bridges lead to a patterned balustrade in its center.
The emperor's bedchamber was called Khwabgah, which means the Dream Room. A covered colonnade leads to it, and the bedchamber itself is also located next to Anup-Talao.
Akbar's mother lived in Fatehpur Sikri. Her palace was decorated with gold. The frescoes of the palace chambers depicted scenes from the Persian epic “Hamza-name” and the Hindu “Ramayana”.
It is known that Shah Akbar had broad views, including religious ones. The warlike and rebellious Rajputs went into his service, and the Shah himself tried to create a single religion - the Divine Faith (Din-i-Ilahi), which did not contradict Islam and included the best ideas of Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, the teachings of the Shiites and Sufis.
Perhaps the ruler’s views were influenced by a saint - Sufi Salim from the Chishti clan. The saint, the Great Akbar and the city of Fatehpur Sikri are connected by a legend. The life of any great man is accompanied by mystery, but Akbar’s life story corresponds to the canons of an almost fairy-tale hero.
3D panorama of Fatehpur Sikri
Here you can stroll around the city without leaving your home
Akbar the Great
The son of Nasir-ud-din Muhammad Humayun, the first Mughal emperor, a conqueror who devoted his life to the fight against the Afghan Surid dynasty for power over Northern India, was born on October 14, 1542 in the Rajput fortress of Umerkot in Sindh (now part of Pakistan).
Born far from his kingdom, because... Akbar's father, the legendary Humayun, who captured Northern India in 1539 and 1540, was defeated by his enemies, was forced to leave Delhi and take refuge with relatives in Persia.
So Akbar spent his childhood and youth at the Persian court.
At the age of 9, he married his cousin, who became his main wife.
In 1555, Humayun recaptured Delhi but ruled for only a year. He died and was buried in Delhi. Located in Delhi.
In February 1556, 13-year-old Akbar was proclaimed Shahinshah (translated from Persian as King of Kings). But he would become the real ruler, the person who took responsibility for the Mughal empire, only 4 years later, having dispersed the advisers and expelled the regent Bairam Khan from the palace.
He continued his father's work to unite India and won a number of important victories.
At the age of 20, Akbar married a Rajput princess, the daughter of the Raja of Amber, and recruited non-Muslims into his service, entrusting them with responsible posts.
Legend
At 30 years old, Akbar was a great emperor and a true ruler. The only thing that gave him bitterness was the absence of children. Akbar dreamed of a son-heir. But his children died at an early age, soon after birth.
And then Akbar heard a rumor that a holy man lived not far from Agra - Sufi Salim from the great Chishti family, who predicted that Akbar would soon have a son. The emperor went to the saint. Despite different religions, they found a common language. Salim Chishti did not just repeat his words, he said that Akbar would have 3 sons. He blessed him and told the emperor’s wife to come herself.
Legend says that Salim Cheshti killed his son so that his spirit would enter the body of Akbar's son. Be that as it may, Akbar soon had a healthy first son. In honor of the Sufi, he was named Salim.
And the happy father decided to build a new capital of the Mughals in the place where Salim Cheshti lived and where his wife gave birth to an heir. The city should be spacious, incredibly beautiful and green, like a heavenly city. Its name will be City of Victory.
After 14 years, Fatehpur Sikri appeared - a beautiful city on a hill, 3 km long and 1 km wide. It was surrounded on three sides by an 11-kilometer city wall with nine gates. On the fourth side there was a lake-reservoir. The main building of the city is the palace complex. All buildings were erected in strict geometric order.
Its proximity to Agra gave the city strategic opportunities. In Agra there was an arsenal, part of the treasury and an army. In case of threat, the harem, the main treasury and everything needed could be transported to the Red Fort of Agra in less than a day.
It is believed that the construction of Fatehpur Sikri began in 1569 and lasted 14 years. A sufficient number of people were needed for such a construction project. And Akbar found them very quickly. People liked him, he was inquisitive, well-read, strict and charming. Although some sources say that he could not read. I don't believe in this at all.
Akbar built a strong empire, with power based on warrior aristocrats of different faiths. Under him, the arts flourished, his sons grew up healthy and strong, and people flocked to the capital.
And suddenly, 13 years later, in 1586, Akbar left the city and moved to Lahore. Within 1 year, Fatehpur Sekri was deserted.
The city becomes deserted and abandoned, after a while it turns into a ghost town.
What happened?
There are 4 versions
- Geological
People left the city because... As a result of the earthquake, water drained away.
Opponents make the following arguments:
The best minds of the empire worked for Akbar. Engineers solved the water supply problem once and could solve it again. Shah Akbar had enough labor and money.
- Political
The political situation in the north has worsened. Troops of enemy dynasties continually appeared at the borders of the empire. Akbar's presence was necessary to protect the borders and fight the war.
But here the question arises: if Akbar went to war, where did the rest of the people go?
- Spiritual
The emperor's teacher and spiritual mentor, Salim Chishti, died. Akbar had nothing more to do here.
In contrast, only one thing can be said: the Great Akbar is not a monk or a boy attached to a prophet.
Salim's tomb was erected in the city. The beautiful building took more than one day to build and Akbar had time to cope with the loss.
- Psychological
Akbar the Great became a grown man; he did not need to prove his greatness. The sons were growing up and it was time to harden them in military affairs.
Which version seems the most objective to you? Personally, I like the political one, but I don't see any conflict between all four. They can exist simultaneously.
The appearance of the city
What do we see now? The city in the state of Uttar Pradesh gives the impression of a well-fortified and well-kept ghost town.
Many parts of this fortress have perfectly preserved decorative elements and remind us of ancient times. People still live here, about 30 thousand people. Perhaps largely thanks to their efforts, the fortress is in excellent condition. Many buildings, despite the scale of the fortress, now look quite small.
In general, Fatehpur Sikri is not only ancient architecture. The city is quite lively. Firstly, tourists are of great interest in this place. And secondly, pilgrims flock here.
They come to the Jama Masajit (Friday Mosque) and the Salim Chishti mausoleum to lay flowers and leave their piece of cloth here.
There is a belief that if you really want a son, all you have to do is pray at Salim’s grave.
The tomb is a white marble building, and the tomb itself is decorated with semi-precious stones.
Where to stay in Agra
Fatehpur Sikri is located near Agra, so it is better to spend the night in Agra. See the Taj Mahal and then visit the ghost town.
Now many housing options in Agra have appeared on the service AirBnb. We have written how to use this service. If you do not find a free hotel room, then look for accommodation through this booking site.
We offer good hotel options in Agra
Working hours
Every day from 6:00 to 18:00
What is the price
Standard ticket costs 250 rupees
How to get there
The city is 40 km from Agra, so it is easiest to reach from there. But be prepared for traffic jams.
Fatehpur Sikri on the map
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The abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri is located 35 km from Agra. Its name translates as “city of victory.”
Around this place, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, Babur, defeated the Hindu Raja Rama Sanu. Babur's grandson, Akbar the Great, built this city at the end of the 16th century and moved the capital there.
There is a legend that Akbar built a city in the place where the Sufi saint Salim lived, thanks to whose blessing Akbar, who previously had no heir, had 3 sons.
However, Fatehpur Sikri was the capital for only 14 years, from 1571 to 1585. Akbar was forced to move his residence to the north of his empire, to Lahore, to be closer to the theater of war with the Afghans. And the court moved to neighboring Agra for safety. Gradually the city was abandoned, believed to be due to water problems. Or maybe Akbar simply lost interest in him. India is a rich country, and cities abandoned for some reason are not uncommon there. Just think, it took 15 years to build the city. Let's build another one, businesslike.
So this beautiful city has stood empty for more than four hundred years in its original form. With the city being recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the care of the Indian state, it seems like it was abandoned only yesterday.
Walk around the city
Our bus took us through the gate in the fortress wall to the ticket office. We bought tickets for 500 rupees and boarded a special excursion bus, which took us to the abandoned city.
Built from red sandstone, Fatehpur Sikri is magnificent.
There are few tourists, or they get lost on the spacious city streets.
The streets are clean, the lawns and gardens are well-groomed.
Restoration work is underway in some places. Eastern bliss seems to be spilled on its deserted streets. The stone patterns are remarkable, showing a combination of Hindu and Muslim traditions. This is generally characteristic of the Mughal page of Indian history. However, the faces of the animals are erased, which is obviously a concession to Muslim rules.
Nobody forbids tourists to meditate or try on the padishah’s bed.
Pools full of water contradict the version of water shortage.
The only thing that somewhat spoils the picture is the impression of some theatricality, as if these are not real walls, but decorations. Apparently, in 14 years the city has not been fully inhabited, and you can feel it.
The most beautiful sights of Fatehpur
Of all the things I saw in Fakhtepur, I remember most:
a house with 4 turrets, the so-called Divan-i-Am - for meetings between the ruler and his subjects
an amazing pulpit with 36 supports in the Divan-i-Khas palace, sitting on which the padishah received vassals and ambassadors of foreign states
Panch Mahal - an openwork five-story building
pond Anup Talao (Peerless Pond) - Akbar once loved to relax on the central platform of the pond.
The huge stone bed in the palace of Dowlat Khan (Refuge of Fortune) is impressive. On this bed, 2 meters high, the padishah met with his wives. On such a bed Akbar could sleep with all his wives at once.
Fairy tales and legends of different nations often tell us about abandoned cities. Since childhood, we hear about the adventures of brave heroes in forgotten fortresses and capitals, lost under the bright blue sky in deserts, rocks and jungles. We also remember another famous story - about the search for distant, happy and rich cities with a just ruler, gardens and fountains. These legends usually symbolize the search for a lost paradise.
However, everyone imagines their own paradise. Someone's lost fairy tale lies about 40 kilometers from the ancient city of Agra in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The road from Agra rests on the pointed pointed arches of the city gates, under the bright blue sky rises a majestic fortress with powerful rows of fortress walls, marble domes, towers and palaces.
Unfortunately, the charm fades for a while upon entering the city. Anti-terrorist “bells”, checking pockets and bags, ticket offices, an aggressive attack by home-grown guides and annoying traders, as well as continuously changing buses with noisy foreigners - in colorful shorts and with multi-colored umbrellas in their hands. All this completely breaks the beautiful dream of a ghost town full of sad dignity. But let’s try to forget about these troubles - the descendants of Mughal subjects must take care of their historical heritage and somehow earn a living. They say that even 15 years ago, when Fatehpur Sikri was not included in the UN registers, the then “unrestored” capital of Emperor Akbar was truly breathtaking.
So, all the barriers have been passed, and the fairy tale returns. You find yourself in a huge courtyard with a luxurious lawn, and the guide reminds you that under the emperor, grass did not grow here - the courtyard was entirely covered with expensive carpets. And here they are - carved gates, empty palaces, mosques, pavilions, eight-pointed stars and eagle's nests between the characteristic oriental domes.
Dream of an heir
Now Fatehpur Sikri, like an eastern fairy tale city, represents a lost paradise for many travelers. But its builder, the Mughal emperor Akbar the Great, was not going to lose anything - he built a paradise for himself personally. The one I dreamed of.
Akbar's grandfather, the famous commander Zahiruddin Babur, defeated the troops of the Delhi ruler Ibrahim Lodi in 1525 and founded the Mughal Empire, which became the greatest state of Hindustan, a symbol of eastern wealth and eastern despotism.
In 1568, his grandson Emperor Akbar was at the height of his fame and power. His empire grew stronger, and his treasury and treasuries were full. His queens (and the first ladies included ladies of different religions) were beautiful and smart. Only one sadness lay on the emperor’s heart - he had no sons. But the padishah heard about the holy Sufi Salim Chishti, who then lived in the small, unremarkable village of Sikri. And, deciding to test his last hope, Akbar went to Sikri as a simple pilgrim.
Apparently, Chishti's prayers were answered. The Sufi predicted the birth of three boys for the padishah. According to one legend, the saint sacrificed his own young son so that the spirit of his child would inhabit the future prince. One way or another, on August 30, 1569, Akbar had an heir (after some time, the prophecy about his two younger sons also came true). The boy was named Salim in honor of the Sufi himself. This is how the future Emperor Jahangir was born. Happy Akbar decided that it would be better to live closer to such a sage, and began to build his new capital near the village of Sikri.
Building Paradise
The Emperor resolutely took up the matter. He invited the best architects and masons, who created pavilions, palaces and verandas with exquisite carvings and ornaments, with filigree stone screens, sloping cornices and umbrella-shaped domes. The new capital was the first Mughal city to be built according to plan. This plan - both urban planning and mystical (after all, both the stars and magic were supposed to protect the new capital) - was carefully thought out, down to the very last detail.
Akbar and his architects created the same Mughal style familiar to us from historical monuments, old engravings and modern cartoons - a mixture of Muslim and Rajput architecture (one of the emperor's wives was a Rajput princess). Akbar the builder created his paradise from red sandstone and marble. Over the course of a decade and a half, the dull hill was transformed into a luxurious citadel. The sacred dwelling of the Sufi sage was also located in a separate courtyard. And after a successful campaign against Gujarat, Akbar gave his city the name Fatehpur Sikri (city of Victory near Sikri). The majestic city stands on a hill, it is protected by thick fortress walls with nine gates. But in fact, these are two whole cities - inside the citadel is divided into residential and temple parts.
Garden City
The residential part of the city is called Daulat Khana (Abode of Fate). There are pavilions for public and private audiences, a five-tiered palace, a gaming court, queens' palaces and a treasury. The gaze immediately falls on the Panch Mahal (five-tiered palace), or, as it is also called, the “Wind Catcher”. Its floors decorated with columns seem to be openwork, and each subsequent floor is smaller in area than the previous one. The wind easily blows through the palace, which was very useful during Akbar’s time, when there were no air conditioners.
The columns at Panch Mahal are very interesting - they are carved and vary in shape. Some are round, some are octagonal, and some have an unexpected pattern - a garland of alternating stylized images of flowers similar to the French royal lis (fleur de lis) and a stylized image of the tip of a helmet (some see it as a bell). At the top of the palace is a Rajasthani style dome with an openwork screen to protect the ladies of the court from indiscreet glances.
Next to the "Wind Catcher" there is a gazebo pavilion. They say that it served as one of the first girls' schools in India - court girls were taught the basics of literacy and numeracy here. On the other side of the supposed school is the palace of Akbar's Turkish wife. It is decorated with arabesques and filigree stone screens, and its roof is covered with an unusual stone roof that imitates tiles.
They say that the sultana of Turkish origin asked to make a stone bas-relief depicting animals for her. Such a bas-relief can still be seen in her palace, but the heads of the animals have been removed, since Islamic tradition does not allow depicting living creatures. Perhaps the panel was damaged by visitors to the already dead city.
Akbar spared nothing for his wives. Their palaces were decorated with the most exquisite, detailed carvings, interesting ornaments (for example, in the form of precious earrings), balconies and carved stone screens, fancy columns and domes. The queens strolled through charming courtyards and terraces. Interestingly, the palace of the emperor's mother was decorated with gold and decorated with frescoes with scenes from the Persian epic Hamza-name, as well as scenes inspired by the Hindu Ramayana.
The palace of the Turkish queen overlooks the square pond of Anup Talao, in the middle of which there is an island with a patterned balustrade. Four bridges lead to it, forming a cross. Akbar's chronicler Abul Fazl wrote that in 1578 the emperor ordered the Anup Talao to be filled with gold, silver and copper coins so that his subjects could "receive the highest bounty."
Dream room
Next to the pool is the personal bedchamber of the emperor himself - Khwabgah (room of dreams). You can also approach here from the other side along the covered colonnade. The padishah's bed stood on a pedestal in the middle of a huge hall filled with water. In this way, two problems were solved at once: Akbar received the coolness so desired in these places and an additional security system, because any stranger who got into the water would be heard. In this bedroom, as in the secret room opposite Akbar's library (the library is said to have contained 25 thousand manuscripts), remains of the original yellow-blue frescoes are still preserved.
In the residential part of the citadel, Akbar not only slept, but entertained and received visitors. Between the palaces is the pachisi court (pachisi is an Indian board game in which six cowrie shells, which once replaced money, are used as dice) - a gaming court paved with tiles like a chessboard. Here the emperor played a game similar to chess. They say that instead of piece pieces, he placed the most beautiful harem girls into squares. The game could last for hours, even several days. Where is the fictional...
Diwali Festival of Lights in IndiaToday in India, the celebration of Diwali began - the festival of lights, which falls at the beginning of the month of Kartik (October-November) and is celebrated for five days.The treasury of the padishah is said to have been located in Ankh-Michauli. You can guess this from the thick walls of this pavilion, the almost labyrinthine structure and secret alcoves. But there is another version - in this shed, according to rumors, the harem ladies played hide and seek and blind man's buff. However, both hypotheses may be correct. It is interesting that on the supports supporting the carved cornices of Ankh-Michauli, very rare mythical monsters are carved - half-elephants, half-dragons. Apparently, Akbar could entrust his treasures only to such guardians.
Meanwhile, state affairs awaited the padishah. Every morning for three hours after dawn, Akbar received people at the Diwan-i-Aam - a place of public state meetings where he administered justice. The imperial throne, covered with openwork screens, stood on a carved platform in the central opening between the columns. Opposite the pavilion, to the right of the path leading to the courtyard, there is a heavy stone ring dug into the ground. It is believed that a state elephant was tied to him, which was also a judge: according to legend, when the emperor himself found it difficult to decide which of two disputants was right, they were put in front of the elephant - whoever it trampled first was considered guilty. This elephant, by the way, is buried in Fatehpur Sikri - under the Hiran Minar tower.
Divine Faith
Akbar received personal guests in the Diwan-i-Khas (hall for personal meetings). Architectural styles are also mixed here, and among the exquisite carvings of the interiors you can find symbols of several religions at once. The emperor's throne was located on a circular platform, which rested on an unusual carved pillar in the very center of the Diwan-i-Khas. Akbar's guests - ministers and vassals - sat on beams-galleries diverging from the throne. So there was even a “bright star” in Fatehpur Sikri.
The emperor held discussions with representatives of various religions - orthodox Muslims, Jesuit priests, Hindu Brahmins, Jains and Zoroastrians. Here, as they say, the padishah received his advisers. They were called the "nine sages", or even the "nine jewels". Akbar valued science and art, and therefore invited the most talented scientists, musicians and poets. He kept the best of them at court and made him his advisers. The names of some have gone down in history: Abul Fazl, the chronicler of Akbar's reign, and his brother the poet Faizi, the legendary singer and musician Tansen, the minister and court jester Birbal, as well as Raja Todar Mal, who carefully checked the system of imperial revenues, and some others, less known advisors.
The highlight of the Diwan-i-Khas is the throne pillar - the central center line of the private reception hall. This column carries its load with the help of 36 decorative consoles, made so that the column appears to expand endlessly. It is decorated with Gujarati-style carvings with patterns of lotuses and other symbols, one of which, according to some, even resembles the tiara of the Pope.
The architecture and interior decoration of Fatehpur Sikri were influenced by the rather progressive religious views of the padishah. Akbar did not question the loyalty of Islam, but was loyal to other religions (he even abolished the tax on non-Islamic religions, which helped him unite the empire). Moreover, he was ready to add to his faith the teachings of sages of other faiths. Discussing with the wisest representatives of different religions, the padishah tried to synthesize what he heard, and was ready to accept a lot. So the throne pillar became the architectural symbol of this idea of Akbar. Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity can be found in the carvings of the throne pillar.
But the padishah dared to go beyond architectural symbols. In 1581, he created the religious movement Din-i-Ilahi (divine faith), which did not contradict Islam, but absorbed some ideas of Hinduism and Zoroastrianism, as well as Shia, Sufi and Mahdi ideas. The emperor insisted that not only in words, but also in relations with people, it is necessary to adhere to religious ethics - to be tolerant, temperate, patient, pious and pious, to avoid violence, lies, slander and money-grubbing, and also to show nobility and mercy.
Akbar built an empire with a strong central government based on mansabars (warrior aristocrats) of different faiths. When some Muslim vassals of the padishah lost interest in spiritual disputes with the Gentiles and provoked an uprising, the emperor ruthlessly suppressed it. In India, Akbar's words are often quoted: “Only that faith is true which is approved by reason” and “Many fools, fans of traditions, take the custom of their ancestors as an indication of reason, dooming themselves to eternal shame.”
Prayer City
To join the worshipers, Akbar entered the sacred part of Fatehpur Sikri through the Badshahi Darvaza (Gate of the Padishah). They are decorated with stylized garnets, and the top of each arch ends with a lotus bud. From here you can see the square courtyard, Jama Masjid (cathedral mosque) and the spiritual dominant of the temple part of the city - the tomb of Salim Chishti, in honor of whom the temple part of Fatehpur Sikri was built.
The mausoleum is covered with white marble and elegant carvings. Decorative consoles on the columns are carved from a whole piece of marble and have the shape of a graceful stylized snake. The cenotaph stands on a pedestal decorated with a mosaic of black and yellow marble. Carved doors lead to a mother-of-pearl-decorated inner tomb.
In front of the mausoleum is a large open place for prayer. Numerous pilgrims (especially many of them childless families who believe that Chishti will help them become parents) pray here and tie strings to the carved marble screen of the mausoleum.
You can also pray in the cathedral mosque, which stands on the highest point of Fatehpur Sikri. It consists of three rooms covered with domes. Places for prayers are decorated with rich carvings with inlays and calligraphic inscriptions.
You can also enter the sacred complex through the Buland-Darwaza (Great Gate), which the emperor ordered to be built in 1573. Truly imperial, with a front arch and many domes, they soar up to 54 meters. Now bees live in this arch - it is covered with hives.
Lost heaven
It is said that when an English nobleman of the Elizabethan era visited Fatehpur Sikri in 1584, he declared that he saw a city that surpassed the splendor of then London. But a year later they had to leave the luxurious capital - according to legend, the water had left the city. Some say that this happened as a result of an earthquake, while others believe that this is how God punished Akbar for his sins and pride. Mughal engineers organized an uninterrupted water supply using a special system, into which special people collected water around the clock. But then even this water became scarce.
As a result, the capital was moved to Lahore. And in the City of Victory, with the departure of the inhabitants, time stopped. Those who remember the Soviet film about Aladdin also remember the enchanted city where the main character went to get a magic lamp, a city where only shadows live. Only shadows remained in Fatehpur Sikri. The shadows of the former royal greatness, the shadow of the padishah who tried to be fair, the shadows of sages and musicians, memories of divine faith. Akbar lost his built paradise, but at the end of his life he proudly said that “he was happy, because he could apply the sacred teaching in life and could give contentment to the people.”
Fatehpur Sikri turned into a ghost town, standing between small villages in all the splendor of its palaces, mosques and pavilions. Even the poor did not settle here, since it was impossible to survive without water in the hot climate of India. Only today the melancholy grandeur of the capital, “more luxurious than London itself,” is being disrupted by intrusive tourist buses.
Olga Nikushkina
Ancient Fatehpur Sikri is a long-deserted ghost town. The history of his creation of this attraction is fascinating and interesting.
The beginning of a legend
The Indian emperor Akbar really dreamed of a son: he came to the famous sheikh and sage Chishti to ask for his blessing for the birth of an heir. Very soon, the emperor finally became the father of a wonderful boy, whom he named Salim and, being beside himself with happiness, vowed to build a new city on the occasion of such a joyful event in his life. He fulfilled his promise by erecting on the rocky mountains, not far from Agra, the city of Fatehpur Sikri, unique in its beauty and mystery.
This city has not been destroyed at all over time. And today it attracts the attention of millions of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world with its beauty. Everyone who dreams of the birth of an heir comes to pray here for this, sincerely believing that they will get what they want, as Emperor Akbar once received.
History of construction
Fatehpur Sikri was built in 1565, but survived for just over 15 years due to water shortages. . Today, this city is officially considered an architectural reserve and local residents living in villages nearby often come here to think about their problems and remember past years.
The town has very rich architecture. A clear confirmation of this fact is the palace of Jodha bai, the wife of the Indian emperor. Her chambers are decorated with beautiful, unique carvings. The roofs of all buildings also have carving elements. You can also find special small gazebos on them, which look very cozy against the backdrop of all this artistic splendor.
There are people who, after traveling to the city and praying at the Chishti tomb, actually noticed sons, which could be a simple coincidence. But positive examples occur constantly, fueling even greater interest in the city of Fatehpur Sikri.
A real “ghost town” called Fatehpur Sikri is located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, in the north of the country. It was built in the early 1500s by order of Emperor Maharana Sangram Singh, better known as Rana Sanga, near the ancient city of Sikri, and was originally called Sikrigarh. And it received its new name “Fatekhpur”, which means “city of victory”, after the Mughal emperor Akbar recaptured it from Rana Sanga.
In 1571, Akbar made Fatehpur Sikri the capital of his state, and began to actively upset it. At that time, many beautiful buildings, palaces and mosques appeared in the city. At the request of the emperor, all of them were made in the Persian style, thereby he “paid tribute” to his famous ancestor Tamerlane. But still, due to the fact that various architects and craftsmen from all over the country took part in the construction, much was brought into the architecture of the city from the culture of India, this is especially noticeable in small details and decorative elements. Almost every building is made of red sandstone, which was very common in the area, but later some buildings were rebuilt using white marble as the main building material. Unfortunately, the status of the capital belonged to the city for only a short time, from 1571 to 1585. Fatehpur Sikri was abandoned due to lack of water.
Fatehpur Sikri is a magnificent place, which is 3 km long and 1 km wide. It is surrounded on three sides by an 11-kilometer high wall, which had a total of nine gates, and on the fourth side during the time of Akbar there was a large lake. In the city, almost every building is a real work of art. The main building of the city is the palace complex in which the emperor lived. It consists of several separate pavilions arranged in a geometrically strict order. You can also highlight Buland Darwaza - the “gate” to the city 54 meters high, Jama Masjid, or Jami Mosque, the tomb of Salim Chisti - a Sufi saint, after whose blessing it is believed that Akbar had a son Salim, better known in history as Jahangir, Diwan -i-Aam - a hall for public meetings, Diwan-i-Khas - a hall for private meetings, the beautiful Mariam-uz-Zamani palace - the personal chambers of the wife of the great emperor and many others.
