Akbar Tomb Sikandra Agra This is the Tomb of Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar, son of Humayun and grandson of Babar, who was the greatest king of the Mughal Dynasty. He ruled from 1556 to 1605. He founded a vast empire which extended from Kabul to Assam and from Kashmir to Ahmednagar. His state functioned on the sound principle of peaceful co-existence with his non-believing subjects and was based on such secular institutions as the Mansabdari. He united the country under a uniform cultural, political and administrative system. He planted his kingship, in the Indian soil and made it an indigenous thing, thus earning the honorific epithet ‘Chakravartin’. He made a nation out of a mob, which is why he is styled: ‘Akbar The Great’.
He was also a great builder and raised a series of forts throughout the empire. He founded Fatehpur Sikri, and built its beautiful palaces in the composite style. He re-built Agra Fort and raised numerous palatial mansions in it. He also planned his own Tomb and selected a site for it, near the Jamuna river, at Sikandara which was renamed ‘Bahishtabad’ (The Heavenly Abode). He died in 1605 when its construction had just begun. It was completed by his son Jahangir in 1612, on the original design of Akbar.
10The Tomb is planned in the centre of a vast garden enclosed by high walls on all sides, with a monumental, building in the middle of each one; that on the south side being the gateway. The garden is divided into four equal quarters, on the char-bagh plan, each quarter separated by a high terrace or causeway of stone masonry of 75 feet width with a small water channel running in its centre and raised walk-ways on the sides. They are distinctly raised from the garden, from which they are approached by staircases with cascades and lily-ponds. There are no cypress avenues or flower beds rising above the channels on the causeways. Thus, though the Tomb structure has been presented in a beautiful garden-setting, it has a character full of dignity, sobriety, thoughtfulness and quietitude, rather than of delicacy, gaiety or splendour, in accordance with the personality of Akbar, it has been designed to be an elegy, rather than a lyric.
The gateway on the south side is two-storeyed. It has an iwan portal, 61 feet in height, each on its north and south sides, flanked by double alcoves. The whole exterior has been gorgeously finished in mosaic and inlay of colour stones in various designs. The most important feature of this gateway is the set of four circular, tapering minars of white marble which rise from the corners of its roof. Where normally chhatris would have been placed. Each minar is in three storeys separated by balconies and is crowned by a chhatri. This novel feature seems to have been inspired by the minarets of the Charminar of Hyderabad, built by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, C. 1591.
History of Akbar's Tomb
Emperor Akbar while he was alive selected the place for his final resting place, the design of the gardens around the tomb and took care of the construction of his own tomb. While the entire tomb was constructed and Akbar lived through it, his son, Emperor Jehangir famously known as Prince Salim constructed a floor of marble stone over the structure. Thus, he completed the structure of his Emperor father’s tomb.
Aurangazeb was known as a tough and strict or ruthless leader who offended the feelings of many Hindus. Many temples were destroyed during his reign and this led to a massive revolt by the Jats. To take revenge for the death of his father, the Raja Ram Jat ordered the revolt and attacks against this king. So, they attacked the massive Agra Fort and took away huge amounts of ornaments, jewelery, precious stones and precious metals, diamonds, carpets, etc. They also burnt and even cremated the bones of Emperor Akbar that was totally unacceptable.
Architecture
A perfect blend of Hindu, Christian, Islamic, Buddhist, Jain styles of architectures, Akbar's Tomb is just like the ideals of the great monarch himself an amalgamation of the positivities of different cultures. The most important aspect of the construction is that it shows the developing style of Mughal architecture. The tomb comprises of three-storey minarets on four corners which is perhaps the most characteristic feature of Islamic architecture. Another important feature of early Mughal architecture is also evident in its construction which is the combination of red sandstone and marble, a feature that was to be replaced completely by marble in the later period.
