Posted on by Nicholas Thorpe

Fatehpur Sikri

This palace and mosque is only 40 kms from Agra and was built in the 1500’s by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, the grandfather of the Taj Mahal visionary. Akbar moved his capital here after he visited a Sufi hermit in this place who predicted he would have an heir (something he’d been trying for for a while). Unfortunately the place had no water and within 14 years the man made lake dried up and the court moved on. It is exquisitely carved and includes a distinct palace for each of his three wives (Christian, Islamic and Hindu).

incredibly high gate to the mosque. Large wasps nests hanging under the gate.
incredibly high gate to the mosque. Large wasps nests hanging under the gate.

Goats on the steps of the mosque... wearing cardigans. Officially a woolly jumper.
Goats on the steps of the mosque… wearing cardigans. Officially a woolly jumper.

The Emperor would sit on this stone stool and move slave girls around as human pieces in this life size game of Ludo.
The Emperor would sit on this stone stool and move slave girls around as human pieces in this life size game of Ludo.

There is a beautiful small white marble tomb inside the mosque. Pilgrims travel to make wishes at the shrine by tying knots in strings on the marble screens. The kids each made 3 wishes.
There is a beautiful small white marble tomb inside the mosque. Pilgrims travel to make wishes at the shrine by tying knots in strings on the marble screens. The kids each made 3 wishes.

The white marble screens were mostly carved from a single slab of marble, each with a unique design.
The white marble screens were mostly carved from a single slab of marble, each with a unique design.

IMG_2331
inside the mosque
inside the mosque

Stone frieze carving of ear rings. No two are the same.
Stone frieze carving of ear rings. No two are the same.

Chief poohbah seat.
Chief poohbah seat.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.