Fatehpur Sikri

One of the World Heritage Sites enlisted by UNESCO, Fatehpur Sikri is a magnificent tourist destination which gives your Taj Mahal tour the perfect finality. One needs to drive down 40 km westwards from Agra to get to this royally planned city dating back to the 16th century. The great Mughal emperor Akbar built the city for honoring the revered saint Sheikh Salim Chishti, between 1571 and 1585 AD. But unfortunately, it could be inhabited just for fourteen years due to the acute shortage of water.

'The city of Victory', as it is known, consists some of the very impressive creations of Akbar, which have a fusion of Islamic and Hindu architecture. The main tourist attractions of the place are its palace buildings and the Jama Masjid Mosque. The palace complexes are generally built of red sandstone and are beautified with tile work and carvings.

Orientation and Information
Situated on a ridge to the north of Fatehpur Sikri town, the palace buildings consist of silent pavilions, vast terraces and beautifully structured gardens. One can visit the main mosque called Jama Masjid and its surrounding structures without paying any charges. Travelers should stay cautious of the local guides who are seeking to mint in money through invented tales. You can approach the ticket counter for an official guide or any other information, whenever needed. Buses and taxis are easily available from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri. While visiting the religious places, one should cover the head with a cloth. Sights
Jama Masjid
Jama Masjid Mosque of Fatehpur Sikri is also known as Jami Masjid and is one of the largest mosques of India. The main entrance gate of the mosque is known as Buland Darwaza, which is 54m high, while the other entrance is the Badshahi Darwaza through which Akbar used to enter. This Dargah Mosque was built in 1571 AD by Akbar, to mark his victory in the battle with Gujarat.

The northern part of the mosque consists of the famous tomb of Sheikh Salim Chishti, which looks magnificent in white marble. There are beautiful flower motifs and delicate carvings decorating the interiors of the tomb. Even today the place is visited by thousands of devotees, specially barren women, who tie threads on the jaalis to get their wish fulfilled.

Palace Buildings
The royal city of Fatehpur Sikri has several huge palaces and buildings that has private chambers, public meeting spaces, courtyards, pavilions, galleries, balconies that have a blend of Hindu and Islamic architecture. Among these palaces, the largest one is the Palace of Jodha Bai, also known as Jahangiri Mahal. Jodha Bai is said to have spent most of her time here. The palace is has red sandstone walls, carved pillars, sloping roofs and courtyards. The distinct features of the Mahal are its blue tiles, Islamic copulas, sloping roofs and a Hindu temple within the palace for the queen to worship her deity.

The palace of Akbar's Cristian wife Mariam, who gave birth to his son Jahangir, is known for its beautiful paintings which have a Persian connection. The palace was earlier known as 'Sunehra Makaan' for its frescoes that enveloped the walls of the entire structure. Another popular building is the intricately carved chamber of the Turkish Rumi Sultana. You can find here carvings of almost everything including trees, flowers, fruits, animals and birds. It can be called the most exquisitely prepared chamber of the town.

The Panch Mahal or the five storied palace is prepared from red sandstone and 84 distinctly carved pillars erecting it in place. As you go up the floors the area covered reduces, with the topmost floor reduced to a little kiosk.

Birbal's House attracts attention more for its name which connects it to the famed minister in Akbar's court who had solutions for every problem. But the palace had no such connection as it stood in within the zenana or are for the women. It is believed that the palace belonged to one of Akbar's wives.

The Diwan-e-Khas or the chamber of private meetings, where the emperor would sit with the selected ministers and discuss the raised problems with them. The building has a simple exterior that seems to be of a single floor but when you see the interiors, you will know about its extensive planned structure. The high ceiling of the huge hall consists of a platform in the centre connected with four other such columns by narrow balconies. It was here that the scholars sat and discussed matters with the emperor sitting at the centre.

The Diwan-e-Aam is the building where Akbar heard the issues of common people and gave his justice on fair basis. It was here that he bestowed varied titles and also accepted gifts. The beautifully carved throne on a raised area is where Akbar used to sit. There is also a huge open area with lawns where elephants used to be tied up to give punishment to the guilty criminals.

Sleeping and Eating
Accommodation in Fatehpur Sikri is not a problem since hotels ranging from luxury to budget standards to choose from. These hotels have classic interiors, equipped with top-end facilities. Most of these hotels are located in the heart of the city, close to the bus terminus and you won't have to find time to search for one. The luxury hotels here also have bars, coffee shops, food courts, pools, clubs, spa, ATMs, electronic lockers and complementary services.

Some of the best hotels of the city are Hotel Clarks Shiraz, Hotel Amar Vilas, The Trident and Jaypee Palace Hotel. Some of the hotels are run by the UP Tourism like the Gulistan Tourist Complex which has AC rooms and also a restaurant and a bar. Hotel Ajay Palace is a budget guesthouse. This one serves the best food of the city, that too at affordable rates.

The specialty snack of Fatehpur Sikri is Khatai, which are soft baked cookies. These cookies are available in aplenty in the local shops of the city. You can also savor delicious non-vegetarian dishes here.

Getting There and Away
It would be better to catch a bus from the Idgah Bus Stand of Agra to reach Fatehpur Sikri, rather than going there by a tour bus since the stoppage time at the travel attractions is just around an hour, which is not sufficient to explore the destinations fully. You will get a return bus to Agra from the Bazaar Bus Stand. From here, you can also take buses to Bharatpur and Jaipur in Rajasthan.

Taxis and cabs are also available to visit Fatehpur Sikri from Agra or Delhi. For traveling within the city you can also take auto rickshaws or city buses.