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othedinlayersoflegendandfolklore,FatehpurSikri,thecitythatAkbarbuiltandmadehis
capital,wasanarchitecturalmarvelofmedievalIndia.Ajourneybackintimetoexploreits
realhistoricalimportance.Text&photographsBySHASHANKSHEKHARSINHA
LOCATEDaround35kilometresfromAgra,thefamouscapitaloftheMughals,andabout30kilometresfrom
Bharatpur,theheartlandoftheJats,isoneofthefinestcitiesofmedievalIndia,FatehpurSikri.Nestledona
ridgeoftheVindhyamountainrange,itrepresentsauniquearchitecturalexperimentoftheMughals.Declareda
WorldHeritageSitein1986,itremainsfrozenintimeandspace.Initsmajestyandgrandeur,Sikriisperhaps
secondtonone,butithasalwayslivedintheshadowsofitsworldfamousneighbour,theTajMahal.
ConnectedwiththelifeandtimesofthefamousMughalemperorAkbarandacrucialperiodinIndianhistory,
FatehpurSikriisofgreathistoricalimportancebutremainsoneofthelessunderstoodheritagecomplexes.The
popularunderstandingsofthesite(andconnectedhistories)arelargelyinformedbyguidecultureandfolk
narratives.Somequestionscontinuetohauntvisitors.Whywasthecitybuiltandabandonedwithinaspanof
just14years?WhowasJodhaBai?DidtheNavratnas(NineJewels,talentedandfamedcourtiersatAkbars
court)reallyexistinaninstitutionalisedform?Didthecitydeclinebecauseofshortageofwater?
Oneareawherethehugegapbetweentheacademicandpopularunderstandingofthesitegetsreflectedstarkly
isinthenomenclatureandfunctionalityofmonuments.Thenomenclatureofthestructuresisinformedbythe
occurrenceofmatching/nearmatchingdescriptionsofevents/anecdotesconnectedwithAkbarin
contemporaryaccountsprincipallybyAbulFazl,BadauniandthePortugueseJesuitmissionaryMonserrate.
ArchaeologicalfindingsandMughalpaintingsalsohelpusreconstructthehistoryofindividualmonuments.
Twothingscomplicateourunderstandingofthecityandthemonumentcomplex.First,asthehistorianand
expertonthesiteNadeemRezavipointsout,thenamesofthestructuresonplaquesputupbytheadministration
aremostlytakenfromtouristguidesofthe19thcenturywhowereoftenlocalresidentswithnoprofessional
traininginarchaeologyorhistory.Second,theoriginalarchitecturaldesignshave,insomecases,been
demolishedoralteredintheprocessofrenovationandrestoration.
EarlyHistory
ThoughthecitywasbuiltduringAkbarstime,theplacehasahistorygoingfurtherbackintime.
Archaeologicalfindingsfromtheregionincludepaintedgreywaresherds,beadsandartefactsbelongingtothe
KushanaandSungaperiods,besidespremedievalrockshelters.AlargenumberofJainasculptures(including
oneShrutiSarasvati)wereexcavatedaroundBirchhabiliTilaontheeasternbankofthelakein19992000.Sikri
andBayanacameunderthecontroloftheSikarwarRajputsinthe12thcenturyandthereisevidenceof
fortificationsbuiltbythem.Accordingtoonetradition,thewordsikricomesfromthem.Theregionwas
subsequentlytakenoverbytheDelhiSultansandtheremainsofmosquesandtombstestifytothesitebeinga
flourishingtownshipduringtheSultanateperiod.TheMughalconnectioncomeswithBabar,whodefeatedRana
SangramSinghattheBattleofKhanwa(located16kmfromSikri).Accordingtolegend,herenamedtheplace
Shukri(meaningthanks)toacknowledgethesupportofthelocalpopulaceduringthebattle.Itissaidthat
aftercapturingGujarat,BabarsgrandsonAkbarbuiltthecommemorativemonumentalgatewaycalledBuland
Darwaza(TheLoftyGate)andchangedthenamefromSikritoFatehpur,theCityofVictory.Rezavi,
however,preferstocallitFathpurSikri,connectingitsnomenclaturetothegardennamedBaghiFath(The
GardenofVictory)builtbyBabar.HesaysthisconnectionlaterinspiredAkbartorenametheareaFathpuror
Fathabad.
Accordingtochronicles,Akbarsdecisiontobuildanimperialcitywaslargelybasedonhisreverencefor
ShaikhSalimChishti,whohadpredictedthattheheirlessemperorwouldbeblessedwiththreesons.Akbar
shiftedhispregnantqueentoSikriandlaterorderedtheconstructionofthecity.Itisbelievedthatthe
Rangamahal(whichisnowclosed)wastheplacewherethequeenfirstresided.UnderAkbar,thisvillage
becamethecultural,commercial,andadministrativecentreoftheempire.Itisestimatedthataround1580,the
totalpopulationofthiscitywasjustshortofaquartermillion.RalphFitch,theEnglishtravellerwhovisitedthe
cityaround1585,wrote:AgraandFatehporearetwoverygreatcities,eitherofthemmuchgreaterthan
Londonandverypopulous.
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SituatedstrategicallyclosetoAgraFort(locatedwithinadaysmarch),thetownwasenclosedwithwalls,some
6kmlong,fromnorthtosouthwestandprotectedbyalake(nowdry)onthewesternside.Theplanningofthe
cityalignedwiththecontoursoftheridge.Themosques,imperialpalacesandoffices,bureaucratic
establishments,andnoblesmansionswerelocatedontopoftheridge.Thecivicpopulationandthegardens
werelocatedaroundtheofficialzonebelowtheridge.Accesstothecitywascontrolledbyaseriesofeight
identicalgates(prominentbeingtheAgraandAjmerGates)whichrestrictedmovementfrompublicspacesinto
imperialzones.
TheImperialComplex
AccordingtoMonserrate,theimperialcomplexconsistedoffourgreatroyaldwellingsthekingspalace,the
palaceofthequeens,theprincesquartersandastorehouseandmagazine.Thekingspalace,generallyknown
asDaulatkhana(AbodeofFortune),wasdividedintotheDaulatkhanaiKhas(private/restrictedspace)and
theDaulatkhanaiAamortheDiwaniAam(HallofGeneralAudience).
TheDiwaniAamispossiblytheplaceAbulFazldescribesasthesiteofanopencourtwhichlastedforfour
hours.Thestructure,asitstandsnow,consistsofanextensivecourtyardenclosedbycloistersof114baysanda
centralisedraisedpavilion.EntrywasthroughthenortherngatewayopeningtowardstheHauziShirin(Sweet
Tank)andfurthertotheHathiPol,theceremonialentrancetotheimperialcomplex.Theoriginalplanstands
modifiednow,withtheadditionofamunicipalstylegardenandthecreationofanopeninginthewallofthe
courtyardforvisitorsenteringfromtheAgraGateside.Thehugestoneringsatthefootofthecolonnade
oppositetheimperialpavilionwerepossiblyusedforinspectionofanimalsfromtheroyalstableorexhibiting
capturedwarelephantsratherthanpubliclytramplingthosecondemnedtodeathastheguideswouldsay.
TheDaulatkhanaiKhasconsistsoftheDiwaniKhas,thetworoomedDiwankhanaiKhas,theKhwabgah,the
AnupTalao,theTurkishSultanasChamberandsomeminorstructures.TheDiwaniKhas,orJewelHouse,is
asquareshapedchamberwithopeningsonallfoursides.Theinteriorhasarichlycarvedpillaratthecentre
supportingacircularplatformconnectedwithfourdiagonalbridgesemanatingfromfourcardinaldirections.
Thisisamonumentwhosefunctionalityisdifficulttoestablish.Historiansandscholarshavevariously
identifieditasastorehouseforimperialgemsandjewels,withtheemperorinspectingthemfromthesuspended
capital(S.A.A.Rizvi)aplacewheretheemperor,enthronedinthecentralcircularplatform,listenedto
ministersseatedatthecorners(Y.D.Sharma)ortoargumentsfromdifferentreligionssymbolisingAkbars
DominionovertheFourQuarters(PercyBrown)or,symbolically,ofAkbarceremoniallyoccupyingtheaxis
oftheworld(representedbythecolumn)inHinducosmologyand,therefore,wieldingsupremepower(G.H.R.
Tilotsan).StillothershavetriedtosymbolicallyequatetheemperorwithachakravartinsittingoraGodlike
Vishnuseatedonalotus,orlikethesundomineeringoverallregions(CatherineAsher).
NexttotheJewelHouseisthesocalledAankhMichauli(literally,blindmansbuffbyimplication,aplace
whereAkbarplayedthisgamewiththewomenoftheharem),orthetreasury,containingthreelargeaiwans
(porticos).LiketheJewelHouse,thisbuildingalsohasconcealedcoffersandlockabledoorsinthethickwalls.
Historianshavesuggestedthatthiswasapartofthetreasurywheregoldandsilvercoinswerestored,whilethe
coppercoinswerekeptinthebuildingbehindthisonewhichcollapsedin1894.Tothesouthwestofthe
treasurystandsakioskknownastheAstrologersSeatmodelledonaCambaystylebuilding,accordingtothe
arthistorianEbbaKoch.Thiswaspossiblythesitefromwheretheemperorwatchedthedistributionofcopper
coinstosubordinateofficersandtheneedy.
ThelargeredsandstonecourtyardbetweentheDiwaniKhasandtheAnupTalaoisknownasthePachisiafter
thecruciformboardonwhichthispopularIndianboardgamewasplayed.Locallegendhasitthattheemperor
playedthegameusingslavegirlsaslivingpieces.
TheDiwankhanaiKhas,containingAkbarsimperialchambers(KhalwatkadaiKhas)andrestingplace
(Khwabgah),wasarestrictedarea.TheKhalwatkadaiKhaswasalsoaplacewherelearneddiscussionsand,
sometimes,officialtransactionstookplace.Ithadaprojectingbalconywheretheemperorreceivedroyalguests
suchasMirzaSulaimanofBadakshan.Thelowerwallsoftheroomswerehollowwithslidingstonepanelsand
wereprobablyusedtokeeprarebooksandgifts.Alargeroombehindthischambercontainedaplatformagainst
thesouthernwall,withawindowaboveit.SomehistoriansthinkthatthewindowwasusedforapracticeAkbar
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institutedatSikriJharokhaDarshan,wherebytheemperorshowedhimselftohissubjectseveryday.
TheKhwabgahisabeautifulchamberonthefirstflooroftheDiwankhanaiKhas.Thisistheplacewhere
Akbarrestedandalsohadinformaldiscussions.BadauninarratesthestoryofaBrahmannamedDeviwhoused
tobepulleduponacharpai(traditionalIndiancot)toinstructtheemperorinthemythsandlegendsof
Hinduism.AcloisteredpassagefromthewestconnectedtheKhwabgahwiththeprincipalHaramsara,the
Panchmahal,MariamHouseandtheHathiPol.Thisofferedasecretandunhinderedpassagetotheemperor
andtheroyalladiesfromonepalacetoanother.
TheAnupTalao(literallypeerlesspool)hasacentralislandlinkedbyfourbridgestoitssides.Tothenorth
eastofthepoolisabeautifullycarvedstructurecalledTurkishSultanasPavilion.Itneedstobeclarifiedthat
therewasnoonecalledTurkishSultanainAkbarscourt.Further,itwouldhavebeenimpossibletohave
azenana(female)pavilion/chamberwithinthemardana(male)section.Thepavilionhasbeautifulcarvingson
brackets,pillarsandpilasters,andgivesthesemblanceofintricatewoodworkratherthanstonemasonry.Rizvi
identifiedthispavilion(andthecloisteredverandaharoundit)withtheHujraiAnupTalao(theroomofthe
AnupTalao)whichBadaunimentionedasastructurewheretheemperorusedtoholdreligiousdiscussions.In
fact,healsomentionsacellwhichAkbarnamedIbadatkhana(HouseofWorship).Throughaninsightful
readingofBadauni(whotalksaboutanIbadatkhanawithfouraiwansnearthenewpalace),AbulFazland
NizamuddinAhmad,andcorrelatingthemwithMonserrate,RezavipersuasivelyidentifiestheIbadatkhanawith
whatisnowknownastheDaftarkhana(Secretariat/RecordsOffice).ThiswastheplacewhereAkbarsfamous
religiousdiscussionsordisputationswerehelduntilaround1580.TheAnupTalaoisconnectedthrougha
pillaredverandahtoastructureknownastheAbdarkhana(againwronglycalledtheGirlsSchool),where
fruits,water,foodandbeverageswerekeptfortheemperor.
BetweentheDaulatkhanaandtheHaramsaracomplexarelocatedthreeintermediatestructures:thePanchmahal,
MariamsHouseandthehospitalthelasttwocanevenescapeavisitorsattention.Thewallseparatingthe
Haramsarafromthisareawas,unfortunately,removedduringrenovationscarriedoutinthe19thcentury.
ThePanchmahalisafourstoreyed,entirelycolumnarstructureofdiminishingsizessurmountedbyadomed
kiosk.Itisscreenedonallfloorsexcepttheground.Interestingly,noneofthecolumnsonthefirstfloorarealike
(somecircular,someoctagonal)andtheyareornamentedwiththetypicalHindubellandchainmotifs.The
buildingmayhaveservedarecreationalpurposeandofferedagoodpanoramicviewofthesurroundings.
MariamsHouseisnotnamedafteraPortuguesequeencalledMarieastheguideswouldhaveusbelieve.The
structureisalsocalledSunharaMakan,orPaintedHouse,afterthebeautifulmuralsandgoldcoloured
paintingsthatoncedecoratedit.RizvithoughtitbelongedtothequeenmotherMariamZamani(HamidaBanu
Begum).AfteracarefulreadingofMonserrate,however,Rezavisaysitwassomekindofaprivatedining
chamberofAkbar.MariamsHousewasconnectedtotheAbdarkhana,wherefoodandbeverageswerelaidout,
throughaprivatedoor.Further,itscentralhallhadportraitsofwomenandangelsandthebuildingwasprofusely
paintedwithcourtscenes,elephantfights,pologames,andsoon.SeparatedfromthezenanaHaramsara
segmentandlocatedoutsidethemardanaDaultakhanaarea,thismayhavebeenaspecialdininghallwherethe
emperorcouldbejoinedbythewomenoftheharam.
ThestructuresthatformtheHaramsaracomplex(orShabistaniIqbal)includetheprincipalHaramsara(the
ImperialHaram),popularlyknownasJodhaBaispalace,andBirbalshouse.Theformerwastheprivatezenana
areawhereAkbarswiveslived.Accessiblethroughasinglegatewithastaggeredentrance,thedoublestoreyed
structurewasonceguardedbyeunuchs.Itsprivacywasonlypartiallydisturbedbythejharokhawindowsonthe
firstfloor.TheprincipalHaramsaraconsistsofunconnectedchambersandporticosonallfoursidesandalarge
squarecourtyardinthemiddle.Thebases,columnsandcapitalsinthecentralroomshavecarvingsinspiredby
Rajputtraditions.Themonotonyoftheredsandstoneisbrokenbytheazurebluetiles(originallyfoundin
Multan)ontheribbedroofoftheupperroomsonthenorthernandsouthernpavilions.
ItisimportanttoclarifyherepopularmisconceptionssurroundingJodhaBai.Herveryexistenceisnegatedby
severalhistorians.IrfanHabibarguedinaninterviewthatahistoricalcharactercalledJodhaBaididnotexist.
Itstrue,hesays,thatAkbarmarriedtheeldestdaughteroftheAmberrulerRajaBharmal,buthernameisnot
mentionedanywhereandshewascertainlynotJahangirsmother.Themythcanbeattributedtosomeguide
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whomayhavetakenBritishofficersaroundFatehpurSikriarbitrarilyreferringtovariouspalacesasTodar
Mals,BirbalsorJodhaBais.ShireenMoosvialsoclarifiesthatthereisnomentionofJodhaBai
inAkbarnamaorotherMughaldocumentsoftheperiod.
LikeJodhaBaispalace,BirbalsHouseisalsoerroneouslynamed.RezavisaysitisimpossibleforBirbalto
haveoccupiedthebuildingnomale,notevenaprince,wasallowedtoenterthefemalequarters.Thecorbels,
exquisitelycarvedbrackets,togetherwiththechajjaofthispalaceexhibittypicalHinduinfluences,whilethe
pilastershaveIslamicgeometricalpatterns.Birbalshousewasoneoftheearliestpalacestobeconstructedat
Sikri(1571)andhasarelativelyindependentcharacter.Itmighthavebeenusedtohousesomeoneholdinghigh
esteematAkbarscourtprobablythequeenmotherortheseniorqueens.Theotherladiesinwaitingwere
presumablyhousedinthesocalledMeenaBazar,whichcouldhavebeentheminorHaramsara.TheNagina
Masjid(meantforthewomenoftheHaramsara)andthebeautifulsmallgardentothenorthalsoformedapartof
theHaramsaracomplex.
Wheredidtheprincesstay?RizviandV.J.A.FlynnhaveidentifiedthesocalledTansenBaradari(infrontof
CurzonsDakBungalow)asPrinceSalimsquarters.OnthebasisofitsvicinitytotheDaulatkhanaandtheroyal
waterworks,RezavihasidentifiedtheHakimsHousewiththeprincesquarters.
AnumberofofficesandbureaucraticestablishmentsweresituatedwithinandaroundtheDaulatkhanacomplex,
suchasthedepartmentsdealingwithkitchen,mints,tentsandcarpets,translations,paintings,arsenal,etc.The
complexwasalsosurroundedbyringsofbureaucraticestablishments,nobleshouses,officeresidencesof
bureaucratsandhabitationsofcommonpeople.Amongthefamousnobleshouses,wemayincludewhatare
popularlyknownasAbulFazlFaiziHouse,HakimsHouse,BirbalsHouse,KhaniKhanansHouseand
TansenBaradari.Thepresenceofwaterbodieslakes,hammams(publicbaths),baolis(stepwells),tanks,garden
channelsandwaterworksindicateshowavailabilityofwaterwasintegraltotheplanningofthecity.They
servedavarietyofaesthetic,utilitarianandrecreationalpurposes.Waterwasbroughtfromthelakeandsupplied
totheofficial/semiofficialareasthroughanetworkofstoragetanksandaqueducts.FatehpurSikriprobably
constitutesthelargestsurvivingconcentrationofhammamsinMughalIndia.
TheMasjidDargahComplex
TheotherpartofSikriistheMasjidDargahcomplex(privatepropertypartasguidestellvisitors),made
famousbecauseoftheSufisaintSalimChishti.BelongingtooneofthemostinfluentialSufisectsinIndia,the
Chishtis,hewasadescendantofFariduddinGanjiShakarandhadstayedinMeccaforsometimebefore
settlingdowninSikri.Itissaidthatthelocalquarrymenworkingontheridgeforthestonerequiredtobuildthe
AgraFortconstructedaredsandstonemosqueforthesaintaround1565.ThiscametobeknownastheStone
CuttersMosque.AkbarlaterbuilttheJamiMasjid,conceivedasoneofthelargestmosquesofitstimes,and
ascribedittothesaint.LegendhasitthatAkbarhimselfoccasionallycleanedthefloorofthemosqueandcalled
theazan.ThemosquealsoplayedanimportantroleinAkbarspoliticalascendancy.Itwashere,in1579,that
Akbarreadthekhutba(recitation)toproclaimhissovereigntyandalsoissuedthemazhar(declaration)bywhich
hearrogatedsubstantivepowersinreligiousmatters.Themosquefollowsthetraditionalstyleofacentral
courtyard,withcloistersonthreesidesandthewestsidebeingtheprayerhallorsanctuary.Dividedintoseven
bays,theprayerhallisanarcadeofpointedarches.Thecentraldomeisdwarfedbythecentraliwanwhilethe
lateraldomesgetsomewhatblurredbehindarowofchattris.
Towardstheendofhislife,SalimChishtimovedfromhishouseneartheStoneCuttersMosquetoa
newkhanqah(hospice)neartheJamiMasjid.Thepresenttombwasbuiltoverthesaintszawiya(meditation
chamber)around158081andseveraladditionsaccruedoveraperiodoftime.Knownasanarchitectural
cameo,thetombisparticularlyknownforitsornatebrackets,chajjas(eaves)andtheparapet.Adjoiningthe
saintstombistheJamatkhana(alsocalledtheTombofIslamKhan),aredsandstonestructureencircledby
perforatedstonescreens.Itslargedomeissurroundedby36smalldomedkiosks.Originallymeanttobea
commonreligiousplaceforChishtisdistinguisheddisciplines,itlaterbecameatombforhisdescendants.The
MasjidDargahcourtyardiscrownedbythefamousBulandDarwaza.Measuring40metresinheight(addtothat
another12metresbywayofstairs),itisanimposingstructurewithahugearchediwanaroundahumanscaled
doorwaysimilartotheBadshahiDarwaza(emperorsentrance)andtheMasjidsprayerhallentrance.
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ThearchitectureofSikri
IrfanHabibsaysthatFatehpurSikriwasthenurseryofMughalarchitecture.Akbarsreignnotonlysawthe
establishmentoftheMughalEmpirebutthebeginningsofanewstyleofarchitecture.Itsawtheamalgamation
oftheTimuridandCentralAsianarchitecturalstyleswithmoreindigenousonesoftheDelhiSultanate,Bengal,
Rajputana,MalwaandGujarat.
Twothingsneedtobeunderscoredhere.First,Sikripresentsacombinationofthetrabeate(ofpillarandbean)
andarcuate(usingarchesanddomes)styles.Second,itscolonnadedandflatroofedstructuresdrewinspiration
fromaMughalcampmentandsometimesusedthesamefluidvocabulary.Rezavisayssomebuildingsare
similarinformtotentsdescribedinAiniAkbari,withanaddedarchitecturalfeaturethecentralchambersare
vaultedordomedfromwithinbutappearflatfromtheoutside.
WhileacceptingthatMughalcampmentdidinspirethedevelopmentofFatehpurSikrisarchitecture,theart
historianR.NathsaysthatitalsorepresentedanefflorescenceinIndianart.Heemphasisestheroleofregional
andlocalinfluenceswhichweresystematicallyincorporatedintoclassicalimperialart.Thiscouldbeseeninthe
useofindigenousformsandfeaturesintheplananddesignofbuildingspolientrance,tibara
dalan,duchhattiroomsintheRaniwas(Haramsara)areainthefacadesarchandlintelentrance,bracketand
eavecompositions,jharokhawindowsandkhapreltileroofsand,inthesuperstructure
slopingkhaprel,chhatriandchhaparkhat.
HesayslocalidiomswereintroducedintotheMughalstyleofarchitecturebyanonymousartisansdrawnfrom
areasannexedtotheempire,particularlyfromtheMalwaGujaratRajasthanregionandespeciallyfromthe
JamunaChambalregion(Delhi,Agra,Fatehpur,DholpurandGwalior).
Theuseofmalleableandlocallyavailableredsandstoneservedassomekindofaunifyingagent.Accordingto
EbbaKoch,itglossedoverstylisticclashesresultingfromtheamalgamationofvariousforms,besidesimparting
itthecolourofthesovereign.Itshouldbenotedthatthenonimperialstructuresweremostlybuiltofrubbleheld
togetherwithlimeandgypsummortarandwerecoveredwithlimeplaster.
Thedecline
ThereareseveraltheoriesregardingthedeclineofFatehpurSikri,themostimportantbeingthatthecity
declinedbecauseofshortageofwater.Itisalsocommonlybelievedthatthecitywasabandonedordeserted
soonafterAkbarleft.Accordingtoapopularlocalmyth,thewaterbodiesintheregiondriedupbecauseofthe
curseofadancernamedZarinawhowasfalselyimplicatedinacaseinvolvingthetheftofJodhaBaisgolden
bangles.Mostguidestakingvisitorsaroundthemonumentcomplexattributethedeclinetoscarcityofwater.
Thishasbeensystematicallycounteredbyhistoriansworkingonthesite.Theysaythecityhadenoughwater.
Besidesthelake,therewereatleast13stepwellsandeighttanks,apartfromseveralothersspreadacrossthe
city.Waterwas,therefore,notthereasonforthedecline.Itwaspoliticalexpediency.
InJuly1585,AkbarshalfbrotherMirzaHakimdiedinKabul.Theemperoralsoexpectedtroublefromrivalsin
thenorthwestregion,includingtheShahofPersiaandtheUzbekrulerofBadakshan.He,therefore,shiftedhis
basetoLahoreandruledfromthereforthenext13years.WhenheleftLahorein1598,hecamebacktoAgra
insteadofFatehpurSikriandthefortunesofthisimperialcitychanged.
RezavisaysthatFatehpurSikrisdeclinehastobeseenintermsofdeclineinthestatusofthecityfroman
imperialcapitaltoanordinarytown.It,however,continuedtoremainanimportantmercantilecentre,
flourishingincarpetmakingandindigomanufacturing.Italsoretaineditsimperialconnectionatleastuntilthe
reignofShahJahan,thefifthMughalEmperor.Ithasalsosurvivedasapilgrimagecentreforthedisciplesof
SalimChishti.Akbarhimselfvisitedthetownin1601topayavisittoMaryamMakani,thequeenmotherwho
continuedtolivethere.BothJahangirandShahJahantookrefugeinSikriwhenAgrawashitbyplague.
Jahangirorderedthechaugan(polo)groundnearthelakeadjacenttotheHiranMinartobeenclosedand
convertedintoareserveforantelopes,whileShahJahan(whomadeseveralvisitstothisplace,includingone
encampmentastherebelliousprinceKhurram)gothisownpalaceconstructedoutsideAkbarsafterhebecame
theemperor.Further,in171920,thecoronationceremonyofthecaptivekingMuhammadShahRangilawas
alsoheldinthecity.
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MisconceptionsaboutAkbarandhiscourtcontinuetohauntFatehpurSikri.In201415,newspapersreported
thedistrictadministrationsplanstoinstallthestatuesofAkbarsfavouritenavratnasatthemonumentcomplex.
Historiansstronglyopposedthis.ItistruethatseveraltalentedmindsexistedatAkbarscourt,counsellingand
helpinghimimmenselyinadministeringvariousmatters.Whatisalsotrueisthatthatthelegendssurrounding
Akbarsfamedcourtierswerebornhere.Thereisnotextualevidenceforanyinstitutionalisedexistenceof
thenavratnasinanycontemporaryMughalsourceanotionwhichremainsembeddedinpopularimagination.
AsR.Nathsays:[T]hereisnoauthenticlistofninejewelsinanyworkofacontemporaryhistorian.The
proposalwasalsoopposedonthegroundsthatthe1958AncientMonumentsActdidnotpermittheadditionor
deletionofanynewstructureswithinthecomplex.

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