Fatehpur Sikri is a famous city located in the district of Agra. Agra is in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The city was constructed by Akbar the Mughal emperor in 1570 and was named as Fatehbaad. It was built in honor of Sufi saint Shaikh Salim Chisti. Today, the city has become a tourist spot. The complex of buildings, including the royal palaces, courts and specifically the Jama Mazjid is a popular tourist attraction. Fatehpur Sikri and was declared as World Heritage Site in 1986 by UNESCO.

The famous epic- The Mahaharta also mentions the place as Saik which is defined as a region surrounded by water. In  the end of year 1999  an excavation was done by the archeologists at the excavation in December 1999, at the Bir Chhabili ki teela and a mound of about 200 meters from the Fatehpur Sikri complex. With such a historic background the place attracts the eyes of not only archeologists but also heart of millions of tourists from all over the  world. The legends of Akbar and his famed courtiers, the nine jewels or Navaratnas, were born at the Fatehpur Sikri . One of these jewels was the famous musician and singer,Tansen.  Tansen is said to have performed on an island in the middle of the pool Anup Talao.

According to contemporary historians, Akbar was greatly interested in the building of Fatehpur Sikri and with his sense of architecture, he succeeded in turning a simple place to a beautiful and world known city. Akbar planned the complex on the  principles of Persian. But the influences of his adopted land came typically in Indian style.  All the buildings here were made of the red stone which were available in the near by places. Beautiful city, beautiful monuments with a beautiful history, this is Fatehpur Sikri, a perfect holiday spot.

[ Photo, courtesy of xiquinhosilva ]