Travelog 16 | India Series: Admirable Mugal Architecture in Red Sandstone
August 2018 · 3 min read
Jama Masjid (central Mosque) in Fatehpur Sikri which was built by Akbar under the instruction of their saint, Sikh Salim Chishti, during the Mughal Empire.
One of my favorite places that I visited in India is Fatehpur Sikri which was more than an hour's drive to the west of the Taj Mahal. It was a place full of history. Its wall has so many stories to tell.
Taj Mahal, in my opinion, is the most popular destination for travelers and locals alike in India. However, if we dig deeper into the historical sense of the place, it has deep connections and influences from its architectural predecessors during the era. All the inlays and intricacies stemmed from the architectural wonders built by Akbar, the grandfather of Shah Jahan who built the Taj Mahal.
Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) is one of the few ornate buildings in the whole of Fatehpur Sikri.
Akbar celebrated culture, arts and education for all and one of his famous structures, Fatehpur Sikri, became the center of art and literature.
Fatehpur Sikri is made out of entirely from red sandstone, the most iconic element of Mughal architecture, topped with ornate carvings and details all over.
Ornate carvings on the columns, railings, walls, ceiling... well, basically everywhere! Wow.
Floral motifs in the column in which shows the Empire's love for flowers.
This is the Panch Mahal, a structure used for entertainment and relaxation.
One of the buildings inside the Palace Complex of Fatehpur Sikri.
More details on the wall. The juxtaposition of all the patterns on the wall doesn't overpower each other and is very aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. It leaves you wondering how they could have done all this and for how long?!
Getting shelter from the downpour. Here I am with the General Manager of the hotel on the right and the design director from the hotel operator's side.
Niches on the wall that shows influences of Muslim and Hindu architecture.
The white structure in the photo is the tomb of Sikh Salim Chrishti. It is one of the very first structure to use white marble stone, before Taj Mahal. It also shows the same intricate marble Jali (screen) and arabesque details, as seen in the Taj Mahal in the later years.
Last but not the least, the Buland Darwaza which means magnificent gate in Urdu. It boasts of its great height and the marble inlays against the red sandstone and stands tall with inscriptions around the architrave which was done in granite.
This was one of the roots of Mughal design which greatly influenced the infamous Taj Mahal.
