Fatehpur Sikri
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| Fatehpur Sikri* | |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
 | |
| Diwan-i-Khas – Hall of Private Audience | |
| State Party |  India |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iii, iv |
| Reference | 255 |
| Region** | Asia-Pacific |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1986 (10th Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO. | |
| Fatehpur Sikri | |
| Coordinates | 27.094663°N 77.662783°E |
| Country | India |
| State | Uttar Pradesh |
| District(s) | Agra |
| Population | 28,754 (2001) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
Fatehpur Sikri (Hindi: फतेहपुर सीकरी, Urdu: فتحپور سیکری) is a city and a municipal board in Agra district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The historical city was constructed by Mughal emperor Akbar beginning in 1570 and served as the empire's capital from 1571 until 1585. Though the court took 15 years to build, it was abandoned after only 14 years because the water supply was unable to sustain the growing population.[1] The surviving palace and mosque are a tourist attraction and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site itself is aghost town.
[edit]History
Akbar had inherited the Mughal Empire from his father Humayun and grandfather Babur. 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. He then 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 Jahangir|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 legendary musician Tansen is said to have performed on an island in the middle of the pool Anup Talao.
[edit]Important buildings
The buildings of Fatehpur Sikri show a synthesis of various regional schools of architectural craftsmanship such as Gujarat and Bengal. This was because indigenous craftsmen from various regions were used for the construction of the buildings. Influences from Hindu and Jain architecture are seen hand in hand with Islamic elements. The building material predominantly used is red sandstone.
Some of the important buildings in this city, both religious and secular are:
- Anup Talao: A tank with a central platform and four bridges leading up to it.
- Buland Darwaza: One of the gateways to the Jama Masjid, a stupendous piece of architecture from the outside, gradually making a transition to a human scale in the inside.
- Diwan-i-Am : A building typology found in many cities where the ruler meets the general public. In this case, it is a pavilion-like multi-bayed rectangular structure fronting a large open space.
- Diwan-i-Khas: Famous for its central pillar with thirty-six voluted supporting a circular platform for Akbar. It is here that Akbar had representatives of different religions discuss their faiths.
- Hujra-i-Anup Talao: Said to be the residence of Akbar's Muslim wife, although this is disputed due to its small size.
- Jama Masjid: The mosque, built in the manner of Indian mosques, with liwans around a central courtyard. A distinguishing feature is the row of chhatri over the sanctuary.
- Mariam-uz-Zamani's Palace: The building of Akbar's wife shows Gujarati influence and is built around a courtyard, with special care being taken to ensure privacy.
- Naubat Khana: Near the entry, where important arrivals are announced.
- Pachisi Court: A square marked out as a large sized board game,the precursor to modern day Ludo game where people served as the playing pieces.
- Panch Mahal: A five-storied palatial structure. The bottom floor has 176 intricately carved columns.
- Birbal's House: The house of Akbar's favorite minister, who was a Hindu. Notable features of the building are the horizontal sloping sunshades or chajjas and the brackets which support them.
- Tomb of Salim Chisti: A white marble encased tomb within the Jama Masjid's courtyard.
Fatehpur Sikri had a population of 28,754. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Fatehpur Sikri has an average literacy rate of 46%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 57%, and female literacy is 34%. In Fatehpur Sikri, 19% of the population is under 6 years of age.
[edit]References
- ^ Civilizations Past & Present Vol 2, 12th ed. Edgar, Hackett, pg383
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