On to Agra via Abhaneri and Fatehpur Sikri.

7th February 2018 – Jaipur

Today we transfer to Agra some 240 kms away. The journey time is about 5-6 hours due to stops along the way namely, Abhaneri which is about 95kms from Jaipur with its step well and the former seat of power, Fatehpur Sikri some 37 kms outside Agra.

Abhaneri is known for its 'Baori' or step well which was invented by the natives to harvest rain water. The Baori was used as a cool place of retreat and as a water source/reservoir during parched times of the year. Chand Baori remains one of India's deepest and largest stepwells. The Baori consists of three flight of stairs descending into the earth with a subterranean palace on one side. The flight of stairs and the palace are all arranged in a square pattern with the well lying at the very bottom. The flight of steps are thirteen storeys deep. The palace at the bottom of the Baori was a place for the royals to stay during hot summers days. There is a large courtyard all around the Baori from where great views of the Baori can be had. All around the courtyard there are covered areas housing intricately carved sandstone artifacts/idols dating as far back as 10th century.

 

Abhaneris  'Baori' or step well

After our stop there we headed on for Agra. Just outside Agra we stopped to have a look at Fatehpur Sikri. There we are met by our guide for the area Tarun. We took the bus up the hill to the site which is just outside the current city.

Moghul Emporer Akbar took a great interest in the building of Fatehpur Sikri and probably also dictated its architectural style. Seeking to revive the splendours of Persian court ceremony made famous by his ancestor Timur, Akbar planned the complex on Persian principles. But the influences of his adopted land came through in the typically Indian embellishments. The easy availability of sandstone in the neighbouring areas of Fatehpur Sikri also meant that all the buildings here were made of the red stone. The Imperial Palace complex consists of a number of independent pavilions arranged in formal geometry on a piece of level ground, a pattern derived from Arab and central Asian tent encampments. In its entirety, the monuments at Fatehpur Sikri thus reflect the genius of Akbar in assimilating diverse regional architectural influences within a holistic style that was uniquely his own.

Diwan-E-Khas: Mosque/Church/Synagogue/Temple?

The Imperial complex was abandoned in 1585, shortly after its completion, due to the exhaustion of the small, spring-fed lake that supplied the city with water, and its proximity with the Rajaputana, with which the Mughal Empire was often at war. Thus the capital was shifted to Lahore so that Akbar could have a base in the less stable part of the empire, before moving back to Agra in 1598. In fact, he never returned to the city except for a brief period in 1601. In later Mughal history it was occupied for a short while by the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah (1719 -1748) and his regnet, Sayyid Hussain Ali Khan Barha, one of the Syed Brothers, was murdered here in 1720. The palaces were occupied by theMarathas after their conquest of Delhi, then transferred to the British army, which used the fortified complex as a headquarters and barracks. Restoration began under Lord Curzon.

Central pillar in the Ibadat Khana.

Fatehpur Sikri is known for its elaborate carvings, which mark its interiors. Perhaps the most prominent is that of the Ibadat Khana inside is an elaborate stone column and the Lotus Pillar Throne, which is associated with Emporer Akbar and his attempt to create what some call a new religion and others a solution to a religious/political problem. In a nutshell he would have audiences with religious scholars and leaders in an attempt to unite his kingdom in religious harmony. This was called Din-i-ilhadi. It used elements from 6 religions namely: Hindi, Islam, Jesuit Chrstianity (from the Portuguese colony in Goa), Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism. The influence of this can be seen in some of the carvings and decoration where there are Elephants and Serpents along with Lions and Deer often interspersed with Islam decorations. I.e. combinations that wouldn’t normally exist.

The success of this new “religion” was limited to about 19 people by the time of Akbars death. However, the religious tolerance allowed the kingdom to flourish.

Because the palace area has been in nearly continuous use over the centuries, much of the imperial complex which spread over nearly two mile long and one mile wide area is largely intact. It is still surrounded by a five mile long wall built during its original construction on three sides. However, apart from the imperial buildings complex and the magnificent mosque which continues in use, little of the city survives.

Akabar due to various 

We all agreed that none of us had heard of this place and it is simply quite magnificent. Tarun pointed out that this was Agras third UNESCO World Heritage Site and Agra was the first city to have three. The three being the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.

We continued onto Agra as dusk started to fall and arrived at our hotel just before dark – phew a long day for us all especially Mr. Singh our driver.