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Sikandra Fort
Welcome to Sikandra, a supurb of Agra, only 13 km. from the Agra Fort, the last
resting place of the Mughal emperor Akbar. Akbar was the greatest of the Mughal
emperors and one of the most secular minded royalties of his time. He was the
heir to a long tradition of oriental refinement, a great patron of the arts,
literature, philosophy and science.
A visit to Akbar's monument opens before one, the completeness of Akbar's personality
as completely as the Taj Mahal does of Mumtaz Mahal's. Akbar's vast, beautifully
carved, red-ochre sandstone tomb is set amidst a lush garden. Akbar himself
planned his own tomb and selected a suitable site for it. To construct a tomb
in one's lifetime was a Tartary custom which the Mughals followed religiously.
Akbar's son Jahangir completed the construction of this pyramidal tomb in 1613.
APPROACH:
One can approach the monument from the Southern gate only. Ticket counter is
located to the left of this gate.
THE GARDEN:
The tomb stands in the center of a vast garden, which is enclosed by high walls
on all sides. In the middles of each enclosing wall is a monumental gateway.
The whole garden is divided into four equal quarters on the conventional charbhag
plan. Each quarter is separated by a high terrace or raised path with
a narrow shallow water channel running at the center. Each terrace has in the
center, a tank with fountains.
GATEWAY:
Although there is only one entrance in use today there exist four red sandstone
gates which lead to the mausoleum complex. The decoration on the gateways is
strikingly bold, with large mosaic patterns set into it. The gateway's four
minarets rising from the corners are particularly striking. Built of red sandstone,
the minarets are inlaid with white marble polygonal patterns; the pleasing Proportions
& Profuse surface ornamentation makes the gateways very impressive. These
gateways reflect a curious hybrid of different styles of architecture-Hindu,
Muslim Christian and a patent mixture of Akbar's typical style.
MAUSOLEUM:
A broad paved causeway lead to the tomb, which has five storeys and is in the
shape of a truncated pyramid. The main tomb has a unique square design which
is unparalleled by all other Mughal buildings,
GROUND FLOOR
The ground floor has spacious cloisters on all four sides except in the middle
of the southern side. The cloisters are divided into numerous bays by massive
piers & arches. Each bay measures 22 feet square. The centre of the southern
side is occupied by a vestibule,
which has been ornamented very profusely with exquisite carvings, artistic paintings
& inlay work in geometric and floral designs. An inclined and descending
passage leads from this vestibule to the mortuary chamber. The tombstone of
Akbar is placed in the centre of this room. Geometrical designs achieved by
the mosaics of glazed tiles or of colored stones, predominate the tomb. The
mosaic work is generally in the tass eleated style, that is, square or rectangular
pieces of colored stones were assembled and arranged together to form patterns.
Semi-precious stones were inlaid into a hollowed depression in the white marble
slab by Emperor Jahangir later on . Akbar's daughters Shakrul Nisha Begum and
Aram Bano are also entombed on this floor.
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