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Fatehpur Sikri
 India
ground of kings and Maharajas and with royalty come royal palaces
and forts. Most of the fort and palaces in India have been changed into
heritage hotels now one can enjoy living like maharajah or maharani
while staying at these hotels. India has a prosperous cultural past and
this is reflected through the numerous forts, palaces and other
monuments in the country. In Uttar Pradesh fort & Palaces Tour,
there are many forts, monuments and palaces covers in this state.
Fatehpur Sikri is one of the beautiful monuments of the world.
The origin of Fatehpur Sikri reads like a fairy tale. When all else had
failed, the Emperor Akbar came here in search of the famous Sufi
mystic, Sheikh Salim Chishti, to ask the blessing of a
son. His prayer was heard, and soon a son was born. In honor of the
saint, Akbar named the new-born prince Salim and vowed to
found a new city. And so Fatehpur Sikri, a wonderful new city rose on
the craggy hills 40 kms from Agra. And for 16 short but excellent
years it was the wonder of travelers from all over the world.
 These
days, Fatehpur Sikri is a deserted, phantom city. But the inner fortress
is immaculately preserved. Its walls, palaces, baths, royal mint, courts
and gardens still stand in splendid homage to a great visionary and
builder. The heart of the palace complex however, is very much alive.
For at the tomb of Sheikh Salim Chishti, a white marble cover set
in the great courtyard of the Royal Mosque, pilgrims still come in
thousands to offer flowers, tie a thread in the latticed screens, and to
pray for the gift of a son.
The Main Attractions of Uttar Pradesh Fatehpur Sikri Diwani-i-Am,
Diwani-i-Khas, Ankh Michauli, Friday Mosque, Jodhabai's Palace, Salim
Chisti's Mausoleum and the Everlasting Glory of Fatehpur Sikri.
Diwani-i-Am is a Hall of Public Audience where the monarch sat and lent
a patient ear to all the petitions he received. A paved courtyard was
called the Pachisi where the monarch played chaubar, a game that closely
resembles chess- using slave girls as pieces.
 TheDiwani-i-Khas
is situated nearby housed the Ibadat Khana or the 'House of Worship'
where the emperor debated various systems with noted theologians. As you
enter the Ankh Michauli (Closed Eyes) porch, you realize
that Akbar could be as flippant as he was thoughtful. Here the Mughal
played 'blind man's buff' and indulged in playful trouble in the company
of his harem. Friday Mosque was the largest of its kind in India at the
time, measuring 168 metres by 144, with a huge inner courtyard.
It was completely built four years. The Buland Darwaza or 'Sublime
Gateway' was added later to honor Akbar's military conquest of Gujarat.
Jodhabai's Palace is grandest of all palaces in Fatehpur Sikri,
as she was his most favored wife and the mother of the crown prince. A
trip to Fatehpur Sikri would be incomplete without visiting Salim
Chisti's Mausoleum, the sage who played an important part in Akbar's
life. The city of Uttar Pradesh Fatehpur Sikri is only 40 km from Agra
city. It is connected with major Indian cities.
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