Fatehpur Sikri

37 kms. south-west of Agra lies the deserted capital of Moghal emperor Akbar. No visitor should leave Agra without seeing the ruins of Fatehpur Sikri.

The deserted city lies along the top of a ridge. This new capital of Akbar had to be abandoned only 14 years after it was created due to lack of water. But the splendid palaces and mosques remain as a vanquished dream.

The buildings in Fatehpur Sikri can be classified into religious and secular. On the one hand is Jami Masjid and the Durgah of Sheikh Salem Chishti. This dargah was built in 1570. Here childless women come for blessings of the saint. Even Akbar was blessed with three sons when he came here. The lattice work in the dargah is among the finest to be found any where in India.

Then there are varied Bai's Palace, Birbal's House, Mariam's House of the Turkish Sultana and the Panch Mahal.

However, this ghost city is worth a view and when you arrive, look for the Shahi Darwaza, the official entrance to the fort where licensed guides are available. At the Buland Darwaza, the gateway to the mosque and shrine, unlicensed guides will try to lure you into hiring them. The mosque and shrine are not inside the city walls; you have to go there separately.