The Grandeur of Fatehpur Sikri

In the scorching heat of the North Indian city of Sikri, Emperor Akbar's definition of empire lies in the form of a magnificent fort. The red sandstone building with it's breathtaking beauty stirs the soul of it's visitors. It seems as if the entire great walls are whispering into your ears, beware, you're going to enter into an expectational place. Don't you think of it to be a mere fort. It's Akbar's statement of an Empire. The man who believed in Unity in Diversity. Akbar, the greatest of all Mughals who built this fort not to throw a pompos show of his power but to connect and bind the diverse culture, diverse beauty and the vast regions of his empire under the soothing shade of Unity.

Seventeen years into marriage, Akbar wasn't blessed with an heir. Khawja Salim Chisti, blessed Akbar and forecasted the birth of three sons. Ten months after his blessing, Prince Salim was born in 1569, after which Akbar builded a religious compound in the honour of Saint Salim, he even named his son after him. Sikri was just a village, nobody could imagine it to be the imperial seat. Akbar shocked everyone when in 1571, he started constructing an imperial fortress and the walled city. In 1573, Akbar led a victorious campaign in Gujarat and to commemorate the victory, the city of Sikri was renamed as Fatehpur Sikri(The City of Victory). Later on a great entrance called The Buland Darwaza was added to the Jama Masjid and Salim Chisti's Dargah. The awe inspiring gateway stands today giving the glimpse of the grand age it was built in. The great Buland Darwaza is 54 metre tall and is the tallest gateway in the world. It comprises three arched gateways, the one occupying central position is tallest and serves as the main entrance. The way to Buland Darwaza goes through a long staircase comprising 42 steps. The moment one enters the threshold of Akbar's great compound, one becomes responsible for one's conduct to correspond to the grace and dignity of the Akbar's City. 

What makes Akbar, the greatest was his vision to unite the land of diversity. Akbar dreamt of synthesizing the diversity, the fusion of all and he exemplified his vision of fusion in the architecture. The Fort of Fatehpur Sikri is all embracing, it gives the message of equality. The Jama Masjid of Fatehpur Sikri reflects the exquisite beauty of differences. The architecture gives the reflection of a Hindu temple, Jain and Buddhist Temple. It's a mingling of Persian art with that of native Indian art. The masjid has lotus, bell and pitcher like structure which speaks of Hindu inspiration. It reflects the perfect blending and synthesis of the differences.

It was in Fatehpur Sikri that Akbar started Din-e-ilahi and formulated the policy of sulh-i-kul. He established Ibadatkhana for spiritual meetings of all faiths. The design of the building quite accurately serves the purpose for which the building was used. It is symbolic of open mindness, the central pillar of Ibadat Khana represents Unity in Diversity. It replicates Axis-Mundi. The structure embodies features of Akbar's liberal administration.

The building that served as Akbar's bedroom was called The Khawab Ghah. It was rightly named afterall it was the place where Akbar dreamt impossible. The dream of all faiths coming together. The fusion of differences. Akbar understood and accepted what India meant- the multicultural land. He wanted to be the product of a multicultural society, the part of all religions and culture which India represented.

In front of Khawab Ghah, there is a water tank made up of red sandstone in bilateral symmetry called The Anup Talao. There are several buildings in the imperial compounds. There is a five storied building made on pillars with no wall, called the Panchmahal. One encounters serenity there and finds oneself in communion with nature. Hindu influence is easily visible in the infinite open space of the Panchmahal. There are two halls called Diwan-e-Khas(The hall of the Private Audience) and Diwan-e-aam(The hall of the Public Audience). These halls are in decy but still reflective of Akbar's glory. There is a house called Mariam Uz Zamani's House, which served as the house of Akbar's Rajput wife and mother of Prince Salim. There is a house of Akbar's favourite minister Birbal. There is a Dargah of Salim Chisti made up of white marbles. People still visit the dargah and tie a thread there when their wishes are fulfilled. The Dargah gives a spiritual base to the fort. 

The city of Fatehpur Sikri was once the hub of rich culture and tradition, it was the place where Akbar lived with his Navratans. The place was once filled with the sweet music of Tansen, the intelligence of Birbal, the ardent writer Abu Fazal, the brave Maan Singh and many others. It was an example of a perfect multicultural heritage,  place of profound spirituality, a great intellectual discourse, an enigma of fusion, it had everything that is great. Even today, if one wants to witness the grandeur of Fatehpur Sikri, one needs to think, one needs to imagine and prompt deeper into the layers of principles life must be lived on. One needs to see it through the lens of acceptance and start embracing the idea Fatehpur Sikri stands for. It's the definition of India, the land of unity in diversity. 

In 1585, during his Punjab campaign, Akbar left the city of Fatehpur Sikri and by 1610 the city was completely abandoned. The place has been the victim of being ignored by Akbar's successor. After the decline of Mughal Empire, it has suffered a great deal and is decaying. However  it's grandeur is still present and will continue to reflect Akbar's glory. It's no ordinary building, it is grand, it is magnificent, it is exquisitely beautiful, it is India in the form of a fort. 

When the bright sky begins to turn dark, tinged with grey and the scarlet red color begins to cast itself, it seems the Fort of Fatehpur Sikri mourns the departure of it's beloved people, who left it only to never return. In the moonlight, the magnificent walls of the fort bemoans the gone and awaits those gone people till dawn announces it's arrival....

-Rifat Siddiqui