We drove 230 kilometres to Jaipur, stopping en route at Fatehpur Sikri (the old capital of the Mughal Empire). Fatehpur Sikri is the site of the perfectly preserved but deserted capital built by Akbar, the third Emperor of the Mughal Empire. In 1569, Akbar founded the new city to honour the Sufi holy man Salim Chishti, who had previously blessed him and foretold the birth of Akbar’s only son. Akbar proclaimed the city as the new Mughal capital in 1571, only for it to be abandoned in 1585 due to the drying up of the only water source. After briefly declaring Lahore as the new capital, it was once again returned to the nearby city of Agra. There is little left of the wider orignal city, but much of the magnificent imperial complex, protective walls and wonderful old mosque remain almost intact, a testament to the might and power of Akbar and the Mughal Empire. The site is unique as it features custom-built palaces and temples for each of Akbar the Great's three wives. They vary greatly as one wife was Hindu, one Muslim, and one Christian. To break up the long drive, we made a very interesting "surprise" visit to one of India's largest stepwells. We watched a local artisan make bangles and ate thali twice today. We finally made it to the Bissau Palace Hotel, the former home of a maharaja. We learned the importance of room assignment as most people received nice accommodation, while we were in a dirty room with dripping plumbing. The common spaces were all beautifully appointed.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
January 2024
Categories |