Fatehpur Sikri – A Forgotten City
The town of Fatehpur Sikri was founded by Akbar who wished to build it near the village of Sikri where a Muslim Ascetic named Sheikh Salim Chisti (1480-1572) had predicted the birth of the heir .Hence, in 1568 ,a fledging fort was erected beside a small lake and on his victorious return from Gujarat in 1573. The Emperor officially named it Fatehpur Sikri (City of victory) .Akbar had to leave the site in 1585 and moved his capital to Lahore
This city hence did not have a long life, but is a testament to the happy period of Indo- Moslem union. The fusion between redundant Hindu figurative decoration and the Moslem geometrical patterns express the tolerance and syncretism in art that characterized the enlightened reign of Akbar.
Fatehpur was a manifestation of emperors architectural ideals and in that guise resembles certain European Renaissance cities: overlooking gardens wide courtyards. It was planned as a cultural, commercial and administrative centre of the empire .The 6 kms long wall enclosed the city from north to south.
The Ground plan of Fatehpur Sikri
Gateways
Fatehpur Sikri had nine gateways
The Lal ,The Akbarabad Darwaza,The Suraj, The Gandhar, The Gwalior Darwaza ,The tehra darwaza ,The Ajmer Darwaza The Delhi Darwaza .
The Gateways are all identical in design but the Agra Gateway is the best preserved and most frequently used by the modern tourist
Agra Gateway, The entry point to Fatehpur
Inside the Agra Gate, there is a pentagonal enclosure known as the Caravan Serai,
.To the right, behind it is the pavilions made of red sandstone –Tansen Baradari.
The road from Agra Gateway runs through wall enclosure –Naubat Khana .It was a place where drums were beaten to make important announcements and to herald the emperor’s in Diwan-i-am.
After passing through it, royal stables and a huge structure with rubble masonary walls-taksal is seen .It was the workshop or Karkhanas where goods were made and gold coins were minted.
The proper palace begins with the Diwan-i-Am.
The pavilion of the Diwan- I-am is a projecting structure and has five equal arches to the front and on either sides were stone screens carved in fine geometrical pattern.
The style of architecture was heavily influenced by Hindu architecture . The geometrical pattern of jallis are the only Islamic feature ,the construction is Trabeate and has chajjas derived from temples.
The Daulat Khana court is the nucleus of the emperor’s private apartment. The Daulat Khana comprised of
- Diwan –i-Khas
- Diwan-I Khana-I Khas
- The Khwabgah
- The Anup Talao
- The Turkish Pavilion and many other minor structures
Diwan –I –Khas
The Diwan-I –Khas is a lavishly Guajarati style pavilion and is free standing ,two storeyed with balconies and traditional chhatris .The outstanding feature of this building interior is the central pillar with serpentine brackets which bear a circular platform connected by narrow bridges to the corners . The transition from square to rectangular block in its shaft is a characteristic of Hindu approach but the introduction of Persian motifs (floral and chevron)pattern was the evolution of Islamic Architecture.
Richly carved pillars in Diwan I Khas
Ankh Michauli
This building meaning Blind man’s buff was a place where Akbar played this game with his wives.
The Astrologer’s seat
is a luxur
ious work of stone .It is decorated with festoons supported by makaras- the mythical aquatic Hindu monster.
Diwan –I –Khanai –Khas
This is a two chambered pavilion .The eastern chamber was richly decorated and the faintest outlines of floral designs are still seen.The window on the southern wall was the opening from which the emperor showed himself to his subjects everyday.
The chamber on the first floor was the Khwabgah or retiring room.
Anup Talao
Anup Talao situated in front of the Khwabgah was one of the most mentioned tanks. It was a square of red sandstone with a beautiful platform enclosed by a jailed balustrade in its centre. The platform was connected to the sides by 4 causeways that were supported on stoned pillars with bracketed capital.
Imperial Harem
The most famous section of the Harem Serai are The house of Maryam Zamani known as the Golden House for its frescos enhanced with gold leaf and the nearbyJodhabai Palace
This building shows the Guajarati influence and is built around a courtyard.
It is the largest and the most important buildings of the harem serai having a single enterace facing east .
Interiors of the Jodhabai Palace
The interiors of the palace was decorated with balconies supported by ornate projections, niches with geometrical patterns ,pilasters and beams with hanging capital .The niches were used for wardrobes and shelves.
Hence, Jodhabai Palace
The Palace is built in sandstone with blue enameled tile detail; the decoration probably from Hindu masters ofGujarat .The bases, columns and capitals are carved in Hindu manner and the plan draws inspiration from Raj put tradition.
Against the exterior wallof Jodhabai Palace is Hawa mahal (breeze palace).This is a jail construction designed to permit good air circulation ,beside which a screen ed viaduct leads to Hiran Minar.
House of Birbal
One of the most ornate palaces was called the House of Birbal one of the Hindu ministers of Akbar .There were 4 rooms and two entrances on the ground floor and bay windows on the upper floor . Additional features were overhangs and projections and the whole house was profusely decorated with Hindu motifs.
Panch Mahal
The Panch Mahal is an extraordinary structure, entirely columnar, having 4 storey’s of decreasing size. The ground floor has 84 columns an auspicious number of Hindus. On the first floor no columns are alike .Some are circular withtiny blossoms, other octagonal with floral and fauna patterns. The lasfloorwas made of chhatries. It is typically a Hindu structure.
Jami Masjid and Chisti Monument
The grandeur of Fatehpur Sikri is completed by the Jami Masjid built in 1572 entered by the Badshahi Damask and Buland Darwaza.The Badshahi Darwaza or the King’s doorway was used by Akbar to join the congregational prayers in Jama Masjid.
The Buland Darwaza is described as Akbar’s most arrogant assertions. Though it has many Hindu embellishments, but its pointed arches and simple geometry mark the return of Mughal Architecture. The plain red sandstone spandrels are framed in white marble. The apex of the central arch is a flower –like ornament inlaid in white marble .Within the three great cartouches are verses from Quran in Naksh letters. It celebrates the conquest of Gujarat .
Jami Masjid
The square courtyard is bordered with a line of porticos with chhatries offering accommodation cells to pilgrims. The single iwan in front of the prayer hall hides the three cupolas decorated with painted arabesque.
The fusion of the figurative decoration and geometrical pattern of Moslems is an expression of tolerance of Akbar. The columns made from the differently sized sections inside the mosque were inspired by traditional architecture of Hindu temples.
The prayer hall has pointed arches. There are three mihrabs in each of the seven bays. The central mihrab is pentagonal and is covered by a semi-dome with tradional decorative art. The mimbar to the right has three steps[s in marble. The roof of the hall is supported on corbels rather than squinches. More of Hindu architectural form is seen in the Mosque.
SheikhSalim Chisti Tomb
The tomb of Sheikh Salem Chisti is a white marble tomb of the Sufi saint, within the JamaMasjid complex. The single storey structure is built around a central square chamber; it has the grave of the saint, under an ornate wooden canopy encrusted with mother of pearl. Surrounding it a covered pathway for circumbulation; with carved jalis, stone pierced screens all around with intricate geometric design. Another feature of the tomb are the pillars around the Dargah. Serpentine brackets spring from the shaft and the spaces between the curves are filled with jallis
The tomb is topped by a dome and thirty six small domed chhatries and contain a number of graves, some are unnamed, all descendants of Salem Chisti.
The marble screens encircling the tomb offer a sober pattern of hexagons enclosed within an interlacing eight foil ornament, which inturn enfolds an elaborate eight pointed star. The early morning sun produces the most beautiful shadows rarely experienced elsewhere.
