|
|
|
Buland Darwaza
Buland Darwaza or the Lofty Portal at Fatehpur Sikri once served as the Royal Entrance to the Jama Masjid – the first building of the city and the largest mosque in India at the time. Its exceptional magnificence was heightened by huge scale and magnitude of its construction, which has makes it the Biggest or the Largest Gateway in the World. A Persian inscription on the archway indicates that Buland Darwaza was erected as a triumphal archway to commemorate Akbar's conquest of Gujarat. Completely out of scale with the rest of the mosque, this monument gateway is an imposing feature of the heritage city and guides your eyes upward with its height.
|
|
|
| India Tours » India Travel Guide » Uttar Pradesh » Buland Darwaza |
|
| Buland Darwaza |
|
|
Making an emphatic statement about Akbar’s power, there are as many as 42 steps that lead to the Gateway from the village below and seem to serve as an accent to the mammoth structure. Built in red sandstone, true to Akbar’s preferences, Buland Darwaza sports white marble inlay work as well as rooftop Chhatris that are characteristic of Hindu architectural style. Like the Islamic structures of Khilji Sultans, Buland Darwaza sports deeply recessed point arches with an ornate fringe. An inscription of Jesus Christ at the main arch completes the evidence that indicate the secular nature of Emperor Akbar. However, some scholars say that since Muslims also regard Christ as one of their various prophets, this inscription does not have much significance in this regard.
With a semi octagonal plan, Buland Darwaza follows early Mughal tenets of towering arches, Quran inscriptions and simple ornamentations. The Chhatris or small turrets atop Buland Darwaza have beautiful inlay work of black and white marble. The Palace of Fatehpur Sikri has a unique place in Mughal history. It was the only major architectural monuments to have all structures built by only one Mughal Emperor. It also holds an important position in the development of Indo-Islamic architecture.
A series of separate pavilions for different functions built in Islamic styles with abundant use of Rajput and Hindu motifs denoted Akbar's open-mindedness to unify his subjects and build a harmonious empire. Other palaces and structures at Fatehpur Sikri integrate Persian ideas with different architectural styles of India, including Bengali and Gujarati styles, ornate columns, surface ornamentations, and intricate jaalis or stone screens.
|
|
|
|
|
