Fatehpur Sikri

The trip from Kolkata to Agra was ALMOST, and I say ALMOST seamless.  The taxi right from the hotel to the airport, no issue.  The flight, no problem.  Cab from the airport to New Delhi train station?  Traffic free.  Boarding the train to Agra, about 45 minutes late, but no issue.  But then........I fell asleep on the train, and since they don't make announcements for stops, I was awoken by the train conductor checking tickets and he tells me that we've just pulled out of Agra Cantt station.  This is where I got off the train at the next station, met Fahid (we met him in the "Why I Travel" post) and then arrived in Agra around 3AM.  The next morning, a wall of fog!!!  My driver Kumar drove myself, and my 14 year old buddy, and the kid running my homestay, Aman out to Fatehpur Sikri.

Fatehpur Sikri was built and occupied by the Mughul Ruler Akbar between the years 1570 and 1585.  After that, he left it.  He built his palace here in Sikri because a Sufi holy man named Chishti predicted that one of Akbar's wives would produce a son.  One was born and so, Akbar built his palace here.

I'm talking about FOG!!  This is at 1030AM and there was no sign of it burning off.  This picture is taken in the palace part of Fatehpur Sikri, where Akbar's three wives lived as well as where he had his public buildings.

Jodh Bai's palace, who everyone claims to be the Muslim wife that bore Akbar his son, but I read that in some places Jodh Bai wasn't even Akbar's wife.

Anup Tulao, the pool in front of the royal palace, where musicians would entertain.

Panch Mahal, where each floor has less square footage, to make it look like a pyramid.

Diwan-i-Aam -- Where the Mughal King sat and met the public.

Diwan-i-Kas -- "Palace of the Private Audience"

As you enter, you are faced with ONE CENTRAL column

This column radiates into the four corners. 

Moving to the second part of the Fatehpur Sikri complex, we are at the King's Entrance to the Jama Masjid, which is the mosque.

The tomb of Chishti (it stands out because it is made of white marble and not of red standstone).  This is a place of pilgrimage for women who are trying to conceive!

The prayer hall

As seen from the inside of Jama Masjid, Bulund Darwaza, or Magnificent Gate.  This was the public entrance to the mosque and it is the largest gate in Asia.  It is also known as "Victory Gate" in honor of Akbar's victory over Gujarat.

Bulund Darwaza from the outside. 

Myself and Aman on the very steeps steps up to Bulund Darwaza.