Fatehpur Sikri is a town located in the Agra District of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is 35.7 kilometers (22.2 miles) away from Agra, the district’s headquarters. The town was established as the capital of the Mughal Empire in 1571 by Emperor Akbar. It served as the capital from 1571 to 1585, when Akbar left it due to a military campaign in Punjab. The town was completely abandoned in 1610.

The name "Fatehpur Sikri" comes from the village of Sikri, which existed in the same area before the town was built. An Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) excavation between 1999 and 2000 found evidence of homes, temples, and commercial areas in the region before Akbar built his capital. The area was settled by the Sungas during their expansion. From the 7th to the 16th century, it was controlled by Kanyakubja Brahmins of the Sankrit Gotra until the Battle of Khanwa in 1527.

A religious site called the khanqah of Sheikh Salim Chishti was already present at the location. Akbar’s son, Jahangir, was born in the village of Sikri in 1569 to his favorite wife, Mariam-uz-Zamani. That same year, Akbar began building a religious compound to honor Sheikh Salim Chishti, who had predicted Jahangir’s birth. After Jahangir’s second birthday, Akbar started constructing a walled city and an imperial palace. The city was later named Fatehpur Sikri, meaning "City of Victory," after Akbar’s successful military campaign in Gujarat in 1573.

In 1803, the East India Company took control of Agra and made Fatehpur Sikri an administrative center, a role it held until 1850. In 1815, the Marquess of Hastings ordered the restoration of monuments in Sikri.

Because of its historical significance as the Mughal Empire’s capital and its impressive architecture, Fatehpur Sikri was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

History

Archaeological evidence shows that people lived in the region during the Painted Grey Ware period. Historian Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi noted that the area thrived under the Sunga rulers and later under the Sikarwar Rajputs, who built a fortress when they controlled the area from the 7th to 16th century, until the Battle of Khanwa in 1527. After that, the area came under the Delhi Sultanate, and many mosques were built there. The number of mosques grew during the time of the Khalji dynasty.

At the site of Birchhabili Tila, located on the southeast bank of a large lake, digging showed that people lived there as early as the 6th century CE. The oldest layer, from the 6th to 9th centuries, had remains of buildings, including brick walls, foundations, a sandstone pillar, and a man-made pit made of sandstone. A broken statue of the Jain goddess Ambika, dated to the 6th or 7th century, along with the pillar and a two-letter inscription in Brahmi script, suggests a Jain shrine existed there during this time. Other finds included pottery, game pieces, writing tablets, molds, glass, iron bangles, and a spearhead.

During the second layer, from the 9th to 11th centuries, a Jain temple was built using locally quarried red sandstone. Many Jain sculptures from this period were found. One of the most important is a statue of the Jain version of Sarasvati with an inscription on its base. The inscription records that it was placed in Saikrikya (a name for Sikri) in 1010 CE during the reign of a king named Vajrāma. Saikrikya is the old name for Sikri, and Vajrāma may be the same as the Kachchhapaghata king Vajradaman of Gwalior, suggesting Sikri was under the control of the Gwalior branch of the Kachchhapaghatas in the early 11th century.

In 1018–19, Mahmud of Ghazni led a major raid in this region, attacking and damaging temples in nearby cities like Mathura, Bulandshahr, and Bayana. However, he did not attack the temples in Sikri. A sculpture from Sikri dated to 1044 shows that the temples there were left untouched. Later, around 1300, Alauddin Khalji may have destroyed them. A mosque built in Sikri during his rule still stands. Archaeological evidence shows the site at Birchhabili Tila may have been abandoned and then reoccupied between the 12th and 16th centuries. Some buildings were constructed directly on top of temple remains during this time.

Based on excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from 1999–2000 at Chabeli Tila, senior Agra journalist Bhanu Pratap Singh said the findings point to a lost "culture and religious site" more than 1,000 years old. Swarup Chandra Jain, a senior Jain leader, noted that hundreds of Jain statues, including a temple foundation stone with a date, were found. The statues were from the time of Bhagwan Adi Nath, Bhagwan Rishabh Nath, Bhagwan Mahavir, and Jain Yakshinis. Historian Sugam Anand stated that evidence shows people lived there, temples existed, and commercial centers were active before Akbar made it his capital. He noted that Akbar used an open space on a ridge to build his capital.

Before Akbar chose the site for his capital, his predecessors, Babur and Humayun, helped shape Fatehpur Sikri’s layout. Attilio Petruccioli, a scholar of Islamic architecture, noted that Babur and his successors wanted to escape the noise of Agra and create a series of gardens along the Yamuna River, connected by boat and land. He explained that such landscapes made monuments central to the city’s design, partly because of their location and size. The Buland Darwaza, a 46-meter-high gateway, was one such central feature and is now a well-known Mughal monument.

Babur loved the area and called it "Shukri," after its large lake, which was used by Mughal armies. In his memoirs, Babur wrote that he built a garden called the "Garden of Victory" after defeating Rana Sangha nearby. Gulbadan Begum described that Babur built an octagonal pavilion in the garden for relaxation and writing. He also created a large platform in the center of a nearby lake. A baoli (a stepwell) near Hiran Minar may have been the original site of an epigraph (carved inscription) commemorating his victory.

Abul Fazl wrote in Akbarnama that Akbar built the city because his sons, Salim and Murad, were born in Sikri, and a holy man named Sheikh Salim had predicted the birth of his son Jahangir. Akbar wanted to honor this spiritual connection. After Jahangir’s second birthday, Akbar began building a walled city and palace, possibly to test his son’s endurance. By constructing the capital at the khanqah (a Sufi religious center) of Sheikh Salim, Akbar linked himself to a popular Sufi order, giving his rule more legitimacy.

The city was founded in 1571 and named after the village of Sikri, which was there before. The Buland Darwaza was built to celebrate Akbar’s victory in Gujarat, and the city became known as Fatehpur Sikri, meaning "The City of Victory." Akbar abandoned the city in 1585 to fight in Punjab and left it completely by 1610. The reason for its abandonment is often said to be a lack of water, though Akbar’s loss of interest may have also played a role. Ralph Fitch described the city as "much greater than London" and noted that the area between Agra and Fatehpur Sikri was full of markets and people.

Akbar visited the city only once in 1601 after abandoning it. William Finch, who visited 4–5 years after Akbar’s death, wrote that the city was "ruinate" and "like a waste desert." During a plague from 1616 to 1624, Jahangir stayed in the city for three months in 1619. Muhammad Shah later visited and started repair work. However, as

Demographics

According to the 2011 Indian Census, Fatehpur Sikri had a total population of 32,905 people. Of these, 17,392 were males and 15,513 were females. Among the population, 5,139 individuals were aged 0 to 6 years. A total of 17,236 people in Fatehpur Sikri were literate, which made up 52.4% of the population. Male literacy was 60.4%, and female literacy was 43.4%. The literacy rate for people aged 7 and older was 62.1%, with male literacy at 71.6% and female literacy at 51.4%. The population included 4,110 members from Scheduled Castes and 1 member from Scheduled Tribes. In 2011, Fatehpur Sikri had 4,936 households.

The 2011 census also showed that 98.81% of the population spoke Hindi, and 1.04% spoke Brajbhasha.

Government and politics

Fatehpur Sikri is one of the fifteen administrative centers in the Agra district. It includes 52 village councils (Gram Panchayats) within its area.

Fatehpur Sikri is a constituency in the Lok Sabha, which is the lower house of India's national legislature. This constituency includes five legislative assembly segments:

• Agra Rural
• Fatehpur Sikri
• Kheragarh
• Fatehabad
• Bah

Architecture

Fatehpur Sikri is located on a rocky ridge that is 3 kilometers long and 1 kilometer wide. The city is surrounded by a 6-kilometer wall on three sides, with the fourth side next to a lake. The city is built around a high ridge that is about 40 meters tall and has a shape similar to a diamond. The layout of the city, including gardens and service areas, suggests that Fatehpur Sikri was mainly built to provide comfort and luxury for important people.

The buildings in Fatehpur Sikri were inspired by designs from the Timurid Empire. Most structures were made with red sandstone, and some parts show influences from Gujarati art. The city’s architecture combines features from both Hindu and Muslim styles popular in India at the time. The well-preserved buildings help archaeologists understand how the Mughal royal family and nobles lived.

The city has several gates along a 5-mile-long wall, including Delhi Gate, Agra Gate, and others like Chandanpal Gate and Ajmeri Gate. Inside the city, there are summer and winter palaces for Queen Mariam-uz-Zamani, also known as Jodha Bai.

Some important buildings in Fatehpur Sikri include:

• Buland Darwaza: This is a large gate in the south wall of the mosque, 54 meters high. It was built to celebrate Akbar’s victory in Gujarat. The gate has two inscriptions, one with a religious message. The central entrance is called the Horseshoe Gate because people used to nail horseshoes to its doors for good luck. Next to the gate is a deep well.

• Jama Masjid: This is a large mosque built in the 1570s. It has a massive entrance to a courtyard and a central dome decorated with white marble. The mosque has three mihrabs (prayer niches) in each of its seven sections.

• Tomb of Salim Chishti: This is a white marble tomb for a Sufi saint. It has a covered walkway with carved screens and a central chamber where the saint is buried. Nearby is a red sandstone tomb for a Mughal general.

• Diwan-i-Aam: This is a hall where the ruler met the public. It is a rectangular building with an open space in front of it.

• Diwan-i-Khas: This is a square building with four chhatris (dome-like structures) on the roof. It is famous for a central pillar with geometric and floral carvings. A circular platform for Akbar is connected to the building by stone walkways.

• Ibadat Khana: This was a meeting house built by Akbar where religious leaders discussed their beliefs. It was the place where Akbar introduced a new faith called Din-e-Ilahi.

• Anup Talao: This is an ornamental pool with a central platform and four bridges. Important buildings like Akbar’s residence and the Panch Mahal are near it.

• Jodha Bai Mahal: This is the residence of Jodha Bai, Akbar’s wife. It shows Rajput design and includes a Hindu temple and a tulsi math (a place for worship).

• Naubat Khana: This is a drum house where musicians announced the arrival of the emperor. It is near the Elephant Gate, the main entrance to the city.

• Pachisi Court: This is a large square used for a game similar to Ludo, where people acted as game pieces.

• Panch Mahal: This is a five-story palace with tiers that get smaller as they go up. It had many carved columns and was likely used by royal women.

• Birbal’s House: This is the home of Akbar’s favorite minister. It has sloping sunshades and brackets to support them.

• Hiran Minar: This is a circular tower with stone projections shaped like elephant tusks. It may have been used as a starting point for mileposts marking distances.

Other buildings in the city include a mint, a records office, a royal workshop, a treasury, baths, and homes for officials and workers.

Transport

Fatehpur Sikri is located approximately 37 kilometers (23 miles) away from Agra. The closest airport is Agra Airport, also called Kheria Airport, which is 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Fatehpur Sikri. The nearest railway station is Fatehpur Sikri Railway Station, located about 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) from the city center. Fatehpur Sikri is connected to Agra and nearby areas by road. Regular bus services, along with tourist buses and taxis, are provided by UPSRTC.

In popular culture

Letitia Elizabeth Landon wrote a poem about an engraving of a painting titled Futtypore Sicri in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book (1833). In her poem, she connected the city’s abandonment by Akbar to "the revenge of the dead."

In her novel All Passion Spent, Vita Sackville-West shows an important meeting between Deborah, Lady Slane, and Mr. FitzGeorge taking place in Fatehpur Sikri.

Salman Rushdie’s novel The Enchantress of Florence has some scenes set in Fatehpur Sikri during the 16th century.

The 1997 hit song "Do Dil Mil Rahe Hain" from the Hindi film Pardes, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Mahima Chaudhry, was filmed in the city.

Gallery

• Buland Darwaza
• Back view of Buland Darwaza
• King's Gate
• Palace of Akbar's favorite wife, Queen Mariam-uz-Zamani
• Special hall for royal meetings (Diwan-i-Khas)
• Kitchen of Queen Mariam-uz-Zamani
• Akbar's Harem Complex
• Wide view of Fatehpur Sikri Palace
• Fatehpur Sikri near Agra, Uttar Pradesh
• Fatehpur Sikri located near Agra, Uttar Pradesh