The royal city of Fatehpur Sikri was the capital of Emperor Akbar for just 15 years (1556-1605). Awarded the status of UNESCO world heritage site in 1986, the city is known for its unique blend of Rajput and Gujarati architecture with Timurid forms and styles.
A beloved city of the Emperor, it was here a Sufi saint told the king that his wish for a son and heir would be granted. When his prayers were answered, Akbar built a magnificent city in red sandstone on the ridge where the saint lived, fortifying it with strong walls, and shifted his capital here from Agra, 36 km away.
Since its inception about four hundred years ago, it has not lost its elegance and grandeur and is one of the most-visited sites in India today. Part of the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, it draws lakhs of tourists every year to marvel at its exquisite Mughal architecture. Built in 1571 and serving as Akbar’s capital till 1586, it was completely abandoned by 1610 but the historic township still stands in time as a fine example of medieval town planning.
Image Credits: Wiki Commons
In 1571, Akbar decided to establish a new city on top of the ridge, surrounded by 11 km of fortifications. He shifted his capital from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri, which became the new Mughal capital. It was from here, in 1572 that Akbar marched on his Gujarat campaign and returned victoriously. To commemorate his victory, he renamed the place ‘Fatehpur’ or ‘City of Victory’. Over time, a number of splendid buildings such as courts, palaces, mosques and other structures were constructed here.
The grandeur of Fatehpur Sikri can be gauged from the accounts of the English merchant, Ralph Fitch, who visited this grand city in 1585. According to Fitch:
“Agra and Fatehpore Sikri are two very great cities, either of them much greater than London, and very populous. Between Agra and Fatehpore are 12 miles (kos) and all the way is a market of victuals and other things, as full as though a man were still in a town, and so many people as if a man were in a market.”
Image Credits: iStock
It was at Fatehpur Sikri that European influence started making its presence felt at the Mughal court. The earliest arrivals were Portuguese missionaries from Goa. A Jesuit mission composed of Eodolfi Aquaviva, Antonio Monserrat and Francis Henriquez, a Persian convert, arrived at Fatehpur Sikri in February 1580. They were received in the palace, where they built a small chapel, and were given full liberty to preach and convert. They also opened a hospital here, the first European-style hospital in North India. Emperor Akbar also tried to establish ‘Din-i-Illahi’, a syncretic religion, intending to merge some of the elements of the religions in his empire. He also established an ‘Ibadat Khana’ or ‘House of Worship’ for this new religion.
In 1586, Akbar set out for his campaigns in the Punjab and Kabul. For several years, he remained in Punjab, using Lahore as his headquarters till his return in 1598. When he returned, he took up residence at the Agra Fort, not at Fatehpur Sikri, which appears to have been completely abandoned by 1610 CE.
Akbar’s son and successor Emperor Jahangir stayed at Fatehpur Sikri for three months in 1619, when the bubonic plague swept Agra. The buildings continued to deteriorate till the advent of the British East India Company here in 1803. In 1815, the then British Governor-General Francis Rawdon Hastings ordered the repair of the monuments at Fatehpur Sikri. They are now under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India.
