Buland Darwaza
Fatehpur Sikri proved to be extremely lucky for Akbar. The fortunes of the mighty emperor are woven into every building of this entire Indian subcontinent. It was during this period that he expanded his empire in the beautiful city.
In 1572, Akbar conquered the fertile cotton and indigo plains of Gujarat and its famous ports which had links with Persia, Egypt and Arabia. To celebrate his triumph and the addition of this enormous wealth to his treasury, he built Buland Darwaza. It is a royal southern entrance to the mosque. It is designed in coloured sandstone and marble. It leads into the grand Jama Masjid of Fatehpur Sikri. On one side of Buland Darwaza is a deep well where children today make a quick buck from the tourists with their exhibitionist dives. It echoes the early Mughal design with simple ornamentation, the carved verses from the Koran and soaring gateway of additional height. Outside, a long flight of steps sweeps down the hill giving the arches.
