This is Fatehpur Sikri, a city commissioned and built by Akbar, one of the greatest kings of the Mughal Dynasty – the dynasty that built the Taj Mahal and ruled most of India until the British kicked them out. Fatehpur Sikri sits smack within our Agra to Bharatpur Highway Project, so there’s no chance not visiting it.
Fatehpur Sikri was for a short time, the capital of Mughal India until Akbar found it near impossible to channel water to it despite the engineering marvels of the time. He promptly moved the capital back to Agra (about 40km away), and abandoned the city to the ravages of time – No, it was not a folly, he knew from the start that it’d become a tourist attraction in about err... 400 years time and then the foreign tourists would have to cough up about 20 times the amount that a local would have to pay, and generate loads of revenue for his country, apart from generating job opportunities for the local boys (as tourist guides), who would generally bug the shit out of you, and tell all how great Akbar was, how he was very respectful and tolerant of all religions, so much so that he had a Hindu wife, a Muslim wife and a Christian wife all at the same time, living in the same place ...i.e. this place. Now, that’s what you call, a king.
Anu's sister Manju, and her son, Kunal at Fatehpur Sikri
Anu glaring at the countless guides, touts and you name it at the Buland Darwaza (literally Huge bloody Gate - ...my translation)
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