Fatehpur Sikri Was Not Built by Akbar – It Was Taken Over
Akbar the Builder? Or the Usurper of Fatehpur Sikri?
- Ancient Jain and Hindu Temples
- Fatehpur Sikri was known as “Sikrigarh” and had flourishing Jain temples and Hindu shrines.
- A 12th-century Jain inscription was found near the fort, predating Akbar by centuries.
- The famous “Diwan-i-Khas” with its mysterious central pillar reflects Vedic or Jain cosmology, not Islamic design.
- Architectural Style
- The use of traditional Indian architectural elements, such as chhatris (domed kiosks), jalis (stone latticework), and mandapa-style pavilions, point to pre-Islamic Indian traditions.
- These styles contrast starkly with Mughal tomb architecture like Humayun’s Tomb or the later Taj Mahal.
- Etymology and Local Legends
- “Sikri” derives from “Shukri” or “Sanskriti”, meaning culture — linked to a flourishing spiritual center.
- Local folklore mentions the area being a center of learning and pilgrimage, long before Akbar arrived.
- Akbar’s Real Role?
- Akbar likely occupied and expanded the existing structures.
- As was common for Mughal rulers, he appropriated Indian heritage and claimed credit.
- He built walls, palaces, and mosques around the existing structures, projecting the illusion of founding a city.
Why Would History Be Manipulated?
- Colonial British historians, like Vincent Smith, aimed to glorify Islamic rulers while downplaying India’s native dynasties and culture.
- This rewriting of history served a political narrative of disunity, pitting Hindu and Muslim communities against each other.
- The erasure of India’s architectural and spiritual legacy was part of a larger plan — similar to the Aryan Invasion and Darwinian Evolution theories.
What Do Indian Texts Say?
- Hindu and Jain texts mention the region of Sikri as a center of sages and saints, with no mention of Akbar’s so-called foundation.
- It’s likely Akbar was told of its sacred power and attempted to leverage the spiritual energy of the area, hence shifting his court there.