Fatehpur Sikri - The Sacred Complex

Following the tour of the Royal Complex, we entered into the Sacred Complex, walking through the main gateway known as the Buland Darwaza (Victory Gate), as it was built to commemorate Akbar’s conquest over the Deccan in 1601. The largest gate in India and one of the highest in the world, it stands at 172 feet (53m). Similar stylistic elements such as the massive archway, stylized battlements, domed kiosks, and turrets were noted in other Mughal buildings in Agra, including the Taj Mahal complex. Lacking an entrance fee (this religious section is not under the governmental juristiction), many more people were inside this area. Many were near the white marbled building containing the tomb of Sheik Salim Chisthi, the revered Sufi mystic who predicted the birth of Akbar’s son. While not a particularly large building, the marble carving is incredibly fine and exquisite. Like the windows on the Taj Mahal, this structure has window “screens” carved from marble, letting in dappled light. In the middle room is the Sheikh’s tomb. Here pilgrims left offerings and tied strings to the interior marble screened window. If their wish came true, the person was to come back and untie the string.

Outside the marble building was a section of the courtyard containing tombs of the holy man’s family and another spot for his disciples. An elderly man sat cross-legged next to a tomb with rose petals placed on it, appearing to be in a state of contemplation or meditation.

The story of Fatehpur Sikiri according to my guide: The childless Akbar had a dream in which he was told that his desire for a child would be fulfilled if he went to the small stone village of Sikri and met a holy man there. So he walked the 40 km to Sikri and sought out Seikh Salim. Rather than answering (or barely acknowledging) him right away, the Seikh commanded Akbar to return to Agra. After the seventh time walking to Sikri, the Seikh finally asked Akbar to pray for a son from his Hindu wife. Indeed, this wife was the only one to bear a son – just as the Seikh predicted. 

For more information and a virtual tour of Fatehpur Sikri, visit http://www.tracyanddale.50megs.com/India/Rajasthan/HTML/fsikri.html#Virtual%20Tour

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