Door of victory
The Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri was built in 1601 by the great Mughal Emperor Akbar. Akbar built the Buland Darwaza in memory of his victory over Gujarat. The Buland Darwaza, with 42 steps and 53.63 meters high and 35 meters wide, is the tallest gateway in the world and a wonderful example of Mughal architecture. It is made of red and buff sandstone, and decorated by carvings and inlays of white and black marble. An inscription on the central part of the Buland Darwaza throws light on Akbar's religious tolerance and broad thinking.
The Buland Darwaza is situated above the courtyard of the mosque. It is semi-octagonal in plan and is topped by pillars and chhatris, early Mughal designs with simple ornamentation, carved verses from the Quran, and massive arches. The ceiling has thirteen small domed kiosks, stylized warships and small bastions and white and black marble inlay work. On the outside a long flight of stairs descends down the hill giving additional height to the entrance. A Persian inscription on the eastern arched passage of Buland Darwaza records Akbar's victory over the Deccan in 1601 AD.
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| Buland Darwaza |
History, Architecture & Plan
This monumental monument forming the main entrance of the palace at Fatehpur Sikri is a fine example of the architectural brilliance of the Mughal Empire, showing an exquisite blend of Hindu and Persian styles of architecture. Also called the 'Door of victory', it was added years later by the Mughal Emperor in the premises of Jama Masjid as a victory arch.
In 1601 AD, Akbar the Great commemorated his successful Gujarat campaign of 1573. It took almost twelve years to build this architectural wonder.This symmetrical entrance, with chhatris or large kiosks on top, rises significantly above the courtyard of the mosque and is made of red and glazed sandstone and embellished with black and white marble. Bordering the roof top center are gallery kiosks with small minarets and carved indentations and inlaid with black and white marble. The semi-octagonal gateway is 15 storeys high and has two three-storey wings on its two sides. The height of the massive structure is about 54 meters from the footpath and can be reached by climbing 42 steps from the ground level. There are three kiosks behind thirteen small domed kiosks in the top center of the structure. The entrance is surrounded by small bastions.
The main arch of the entrance with a dome is located in the middle of the three projecting sides and is divided into three levels with smaller arches and flat brackets in rows. The two triangular surfaces, each of which are flanked by the outer curves of the arch on one of the three sides, are in plain red sandstone surrounded by white marble and decorated with a flower-like design made of white marble. The end of the arch is also decorated with white marble carved like a flower. The central arch again consists of three small arched openings lined with ornate panels and crowned by a semi-dome. Apart from inscriptions containing quotes from the Holy Quran, the massive pillars of the structure are embellished with fine carvings and the walls are decorated with intricate designs. The massive arch, the verses of the Holy Quran engraved on it and the simple yet elegant decoration of the entrance gate speaks volumes on the early designs of the Mughal period. It also includes three horizontal panels which are also found in the Badshahi Darwaza or Shahi Gateway which was built as the eastern entrance leading to the Jama Masjid at Fatehpur Sikri. Among the many massive and important structures of Fatehpur Sikri, the Buland Darwaza is the tallest as the tallest gateway in the world.
Inscriptions on Buland Darwaza
There is a Persian inscription on the eastern arch of this royal entrance which speaks of the victory of the great Mughal emperor Akbar over Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. Their religious tolerance is manifested by another inscription engraved on the central face of the entrance. It is an Islamic inscription engraved in Persian language which explains the advice of Jesus Christ to his followers. Another inscription containing verses from the Holy Quran is also found in the entrance which was drawn by Khwaja Hussain Chishti, a disciple of the Sufi saint Sheikh Salim Chishti of the Chishti order. It is carved in Naskh, a distinctive calligraphic style for writing in the Arabic alphabet.
A Visit to the Buland Darwaza
Located in Fatehpur Sikri, one of the most popular tourist places near Agra, Buland Darwaza is a testament to the architectural excellence of the Mughals. As the summers heat up, the best time to visit this historic city is during the winters around November to March. Situated at the entry point of Fatehpur Sikri, the massive structure can be seen daily from dawn to dusk.