Tomb of Akbar the Great

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Tomb of Akbar
Akbar's Tomb of external entrance from the road, built to imitate the Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri, the city, Akbar founded
Akbar the Great
Akbar's cenotaph inside the mausoleum, the true tomb as per traditions lies below it
Evening view

The Tomb of Akbar the Great is an important Mughal architectural masterpiece, built 1605–1613, set in 48 Ha (119 acres) of grounds in Sikandra, a suburb of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.

History

The third Mughal Emperor, Akbar the Great (1555–1605), himself commenced its construction in around 1600, according to Tartary tradition to commence the construction of one's tomb during one's lifetime. Akbar himself planned his own tomb and selected a suitable site for it. After his death, Akbar's son Jahangir completed the construction in 1605-1613.

Akbar was one of the greatest emperors in the history of India. However, during the reign of His Great-Grandson, the last great emperor Aurangzeb, the rebellious Jats under the leadership of Raja Ram Jat, ransacked the intricate tomb, plundered and looted all the beautiful gold, jewels, silver and carpets, whilst destroying other things. He even, in order to avenge his father Gokula death, plundered Akbar's tomb , looted it and dragged Akbar's bones and burned them in retaliation. He was later sentenced to death by Aurangzeb.

The Tomb suffered a lot, until extensive repair was carried out by the British under Lord Curzon. The neighboring Taj Mahal was also looted, and two of Agra's gates were taken away.[citation needed]

Location

It is located at Sikandra, in the suburbs of Agra, on the Mathura road (NH2), 8 km west-northwest of the city center. About 1 km away from the tomb, lies Mariam's Tomb, the tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani, wife of the Mughal Emperor Akbar and the mother of Jahangir.[1]

Architecture

The south gate is the largest, with four white marble chhatri-topped minarets which are similar to (and pre-date) those of the Taj Mahal, and is the normal point of entry to the tomb. The tomb itself is surrounded by a walled enclosure 105 m square. The tomb building is a four-tiered pyramid, surmounted by a marble pavilion containing the false tomb. The true tomb, as in other mausoleums, is in the basement.[2]

The buildings are constructed mainly from a deep red sandstone, enriched with features in white marble. Decorated inlaid panels of these materials and a black slate adorn the tomb and the main gatehouse. Panel designs are geometric, floral and calligraphic, and prefigure the more complex and subtle designs later incorporated in Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb.[3][4]

Architectural details

  • An unknown Lodi tomb in Akbar's Tomb complex

  • Front Façade

  • Circumferential Gallery around the cenotaph

  • View of South Gate from Interior

  • The Tomb of Akbar the Great, c. 1905

  • Main entrance of Akbar's Tomb complex from inside.

  • Tomb ceiling details, Tomb of Akbar the Great, Sikandra

  • Inlay panels on the South Gate

  • Inlay detail

  • Calligraphy over the entrance to the main burial chamber.

  • True tomb of Akbar, at the basement of the tomb.

  • Kanch Mahal, built by Jehangir, as a harem quarter later used as a hunting lodge.

  • Inside work of Akbar's tomb

References

  1. ↑ Remembering the Great Emperor The Hindu, Oct 27, 2003.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Akbar's Tomb Archnet.org.
  4. ↑ Akbar's Tomb Architecture of Mughal India, Part 1, Volume 4, by Catherine Ella Blanshard Asher. Cambridge University Press, 1992. ISBN 0-521-26728-5. p. 107.

Further reading

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External links

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