My this visit to Delhi was Eventfulllllllllllll…….. More so because of one young guide in Fatehpur …… He was passionate about the whole place having done the same work for 11 years in row.. Younus has never been out of Fatehpur Sikri….
Younus made my visit to Fatehpur …….. a endearing memoir which I would want to relive…….Anyday… .. I made the journey more remarkable by bringing back home memorabilia that was precious…..
Once a small village, Fatehpur Sikri holds a fascinating tale behind its being the capital of Mughal Emperor Akbar. As the legend goes, Akbar, who had no son, decided to seek the blessings of Saint Shaikh Salim who used to live in the village, Sikri.
The saint prophesied that Akbar would have son within three years and soon the saint’s foretelling came true and Akbar saw the face of his first son Salim, from his Hindu wife Jodha Bai … the princess of Amber [ Jodhabai’s Palace is befittingly the grandest of all palaces in Fatehpur Sikri ] She was his most favoured wife and the mother of the crown prince ,whom he named after the saint.
Akbar was so glad that he decided to build his new capital near Sikri where the saint lived in a humble hermitage. and he renamed it Fatehabad (later it became Fatehpur) meaning ‘City of Victory’.
One of the first constructins begun in1951 was the Friday Mosque / Jama Masjid also called Dargah Mosque said to be a replica of main mosque in Mecca….. with Persian & Hindu architectural designs largest of its kind in India at the time, measuring 168 metres by 144, with a huge inner courtyard.
The Buland Darwaza / Gate of Victory or ‘Sublime Gateway’ is the main Entrance, was added later to commemorate Akbar’s military conquest of Gujarat. The gateway, which rises to a height of 45 metres, presents an awesome spectacle of isolation, and has exquisite Persian calligraphy inscribed on it. It says, “ The world is a bridge. Pass over it but build no house upon it, for whoever hopes for one hour, hopes for all eternity. The world is one hour. Spend it in prayer, for the rest is unseen”. No more eloquent epitaph to the Mughal Empire .
Just out side this gateway is a deep well where the present day guides and daredevils leap from the top of the entrance in to water just to make a living….
Inside the courtyard there is tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisti. … which was earlier constructed with red stone first and was late replaced by Marble … with beautiful hand carved lattice screens / ‘ jalis’ / tracery …. which are simply awesome.
Total courtyard is bordered by so many rooms earlier used by royal guests / guards .. now few of them are being used for ” Madrasa ” for the poor.
From this place you can also view A Barbed Pillar tht is built in the memory of Akbar’s pet Elephant Hiran… which traditionally was used to crush the head of guilty . It is also said that if the elephant disobeyed the order thrice the victim was Freed !!!
But the brief glory of Fatehpur Sikri came to an end when Akbar left Sikri and shifted to Lahore to escape the water scarcity in Fatehpur. The abandoned city then slowly started to see the signs of negligence and never regained its lost glory again. But history never forgot the city and now it is one of the most visited tourist destination and is now one of the World Heritage Site in India
Though the story does not end here ………. It made my day… in those three hours.. I spent at Fatehpur …. I travelled on a horse cart .. with an horse named…..” Raadhey “..
Totally Great experience 
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