When I entered the premises of Akbar’s Tomb and bought the ticket; a ruined tomb caught my attention. So far, the history behind this tomb is unknown. I visited it and then headed to Akbar’s tomb. I saw one more monument. I walked up to it, read the board, and got to know it was Kanch Mahal. So, Akbar’s tomb complex has three separate monuments. One is the unknown tomb, the second is Kanch Mahal and the third is the tomb of Akbar. The monument isn’t described a lot on the internet and very little information was available when I searched it online.
When I checked about the places to visit in Agra, nowhere I found Kanch Mahal of Sikandra. So, it was no less than a surprise when I visited here. It is obvious that in presence of some famous monuments, smaller monuments start to lose their significance, and thus, no attention is given. When people visit Qutub Minar complex, they usually skip other sites in the area.
A resort for royal ladies, Kanch Mahal Sikandra was built by Jahangir. It is believed to be constructed from 1605 to 1619. Jahangir used Kanch Mahal as a hunting lodge. This monument is surrounded by gardens and water channels which can be found around it. Archeological Survey of India now takes care of this monument.
Kanch Mahal was built as a harem quarter
It is believed that Agra’s Kanch Mahal was built by Jahangir, Akbar’s son. Harem means a building where women live. It was famous during the Mughal reign where the royal ladies used to live and spend time in the harem. This square building represents the Mughal architecture style with giant arched entrances. Built in red sandstone, the walls have been inlaid with white marble.
Architecture of Kanch Mahal
If we talk about the architecture of Kanch Mahal Sikandra, this square building measures 16.15X16.15m. There is a central hall and a vaulted soffit covers it. The monument has no dome. On the western and central side of the monument, the plinth of dalans is raised. The plinth supports octagonal pillars. The piers of the second storey are based on these pillars. The rooms of the second storey overlook the central hall which served as the inner court of the residential palace.
There are two entrances to the central hall which open to South and North. All four corners have four square rooms. Every room is connected with the side dalans. The monument has ample ventilation. Kanch Mahal of Sikandra represents the typical Mughal square plan which was often used in domestic planning. In correspondence to the ground floor, the second floor has rooms and is accessible by two stairways. There are jharokhas and balconies on the second floor.
(I have taken this information from the photo given below)
Timing and Ticket of Kanch Mahal
There is no separate ticket for Kanch Mahal. It is covered by the ticket of Akbar’s Tomb only. So the ticket price and timings are the same.
