Fast Facts
Location : 10 kms north of Agra, Uttar Pradesh.
Built By : Akbar and Jehangir
Open to Visitors : From sunrise to sunset all weekdays.
Entry Fee : Rs. 10, on Friday entry is free.
Sikandra – Overview
Sikandara,
a historic town located 10 kms north of Agra is known as the place where the
Mughal Emperor Akbar lies in his eternal rest. Popularly known as Akbar the
Great, the Mughal Emperor ruled an empire that stretched across North India
from 1556 A.D to 1605 A.D. Following the death of his father Humayun, Akbar
came to the throne when he was just 13 - yrs- old, but his reign is
considered the pinnacle of Mughal dynasty in India.
Today, Sikandra, the peaceful resting place of the Akbar, is a site that
greets you to step back into history and get a glimpse of the eventful life
and period of Akbar the Great. Built in the Indo-Saracenic architectural
style, Akbar’s tomb has a towering arched gates, green lawns on which
you can see grazing deers. Moreover, on the road from Sikandra to Agra, you
can see numerous tombs and also two Kos minars ‘milestones’.
History of Sikandra
Historically, the name of Sikandra bears the memory of the Afghan general
Sikandar Lodhi who occupied Agra in the year 1492 A.D. Sikandar Lodhi
constructed a fort here and later a town grew up around it, which became
known as Sikandra. He also built the Baradi Palace inside the mausoleum
gardens but that is now a forgotten chapter of history.
Akbar’s Mausoleum
Akbar’s Mausoleum is the main attraction at the old town of Sikandra.
Mughal Emperor Akbar himself started the construction of his tomb in 1605
but he died and his son Jehangir completed it in 1613 A.D. Situated in the
centre of a large garden, Akbar’s mausoleum has four massive identical
entrances leading to the tomb complex. Made of red and white sand stone, the
four entrances were erected to represent the four essential religious creeds
such as the Hindu, the Muslim, the Christian and the Universal, Deen-e-Elahi
(preached by Akbar himself).
Enter through the Buland Darwaza, the towering main gate that opens on the
southern side and leads you to the great garden enclosure. Move further, at
the end of garden lies the four-storied, Akbar’s mausoleum, built after
the pattern of the Panch Mahal of Fatehpur Sikri. The 100 ft high mausoleum
has four minarets (towers) each containing a flight of 93 stairs. Akbar’s
tomb is situated in the basement and there is a cenotaph chamber around 30
ft above it. The entrance of the tomb is beautifully decorated with marble
inlay work, while the interior of the tomb’s dome is decorated with
images of flowers, geometric designs and Islamic calligraphy. Akbar’s
unique pyramidal tomb has an open terrace top contained within the massive
panels of jail screens. You can see Allah-o-Akbar (God is Great) and the
name of deities of 99 religious sects carved in the walls of the tomb. Close
to Akbar’s tomb lies the tomb of Mariam Zamani, Jehangir’ mother.
Architecture of Akbar’s Mausoleum
Akbar’s Mausoleum is combination of Hindu and Muslim styles of
architecture. Akbar was a great connoisseur of the arts and he was known for
incorporating various architectural styles into the designs of his
buildings. Actually, Akbar had a different architectural plan for his
mausoleum but he could not finish the construction. Later, Jehangir finished
the structure by using designs and methods not originally intended by Akbar,
like he left out a crowning dome. Interestingly, some of the designing
features of Akbar’s Mausoleum are similar to the design of the Taj
Mahal built later by Shah Jahan in Agra.
How to Reach
By Air : Nearest airport is located at Agra, which is
connected with Delhi, Varanasi, Khajuraho and other important cities of
India. From the airport, you have to take the road journey to reach Sikandra
which is 10 kms north-west of the Taj Mahal on the Delhi – Agra
highway.
By Train : Agra Cantt. Railway Station is the major
railhead near Sikandra. Several express, superfast and mail trains run from
various parts of the country to Agra. If you want to visit Sikandra from
Delhi, Taj Express and Shatabadi express are good options for you as they
run every day to Agra. From Agra railway station take bus, auto rickshaw or
taxi to reach Sikandra.
By Bus : Agra is well connected by National and State
Highways with important places of the country. As Sikandra is situated on
the Delhi – Agra Highway, so it is well-served by buses. If you are
visiting Agra from Delhi you may leave your bus at Sikandra.
Places Where You Can Stay
Agra is quite close to Sikandra and is best place to stay as enough
accommodation options are available there. You may choose from plenty of
hotels ranging from five star luxury hotels, four star, three star to budget
hotels as per your budget.
