Mughals built several majestic monuments as memorials and even today, these monuments stand gloriously. While Delhi or Agra was their favorite place to reside due to several reasons, both the cities have lots of monuments and structures which remind the Mughal era. One of such monuments which is a memorial built by the Mughals is Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri.
The Mughal emperor Akbar built this loft gateway at Fatehpur Sikri. The gateway leads to the courtyard of Jama Masjid which is among the largest mosques in India. Within the mosque, is located the shrine of Sufi Saint Salim Chishti. Constructed with buff and red sandstone, this giant gate is considered to be among the largest gates of the world. A marvelous example of Mughal architecture, this giant arched gate was built in a victory celebration.
Why did Akbar build Buland Darwaza? History and Facts
Akbar built this magnificent gate to commemorate his victory over Gujarat in 1573. Buland means victorious. So when Akbar won over Gujarat, he thought to build something remarkable as a memorial. That’s how the idea of building this gate was worked out at Fatehpur Sikri. He had already made the city his capital. The gate is said to have been built in 1601 but in some places, you will also find 1602.
Akbar was a devotee of Sufi Saint Salim Chishti who predicted that Akbar would be blessed with a son and he would bring him a fortune. Jahangir was born and Akbar named him Salim after the saint. He also constructed Jama Masjid at Fatehpur Sikri in honor of the saint. That’s where he built Buland Darwaza. The gateway represents the valor of Mughals and how beautiful the architecture is. It is said that it took almost 12 years to completely build this structure.
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Design and architecture of Buland Darwaza
It wasn’t the part of Jama Masjid initially. Located on the southern end of the mosque, Buland Darwaza is an excellent piece of Mughal architecture. The design and decoration are impressive enough to leave you in shock. The entire structure is majorly built with buff and red sandstone. The walls are decorated with inlays of white and black marble. The symmetry is superb and attention to detail is mind-blowing.
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The monument has free standing chhatris on the top. The Darwaza stands 40 meters high and additional 10 meters from the ground and the total height is 54 meters. It is a 15 storeyed monument and one needs to cover 42 steps to enter the mosque courtyard. Buland Darwaza is built in an octagonal plan and is topped by three kiosks with 3-storeyed wings on both sides. The gateway is surrounded by smaller turrets.
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Inscriptions on Buland Darwaza
Buland Darwaza has been intricately decorated with inlays and carvings. A Persian inscription on the gate is about Akbar’s victory over Gujarat and UP. The central face of the gateway has an inscription which reads his inclination towards all religion and his religious tolerance. A Persian text on the main gateway translates to
“Isa (Jesus) son of Mary said: The world is a Bridge, pass over it, but build no houses upon it. He who hopes for a day may hope for eternity, but the world endures but an hour. Spend it in prayer for the rest is unseen.”
Quran verses have also been carved on the gate in Naskh, by the disciple of Sheikh Samil Chishti, Khawaja Hussain Chishti.
This 17th-century imperial gate represents the glorious past. The best time to visit Buland Darwaza is from October to March, avoid in hot seasons. There is no special entry ticket.
