"Deserted Moghal capital" Fatehpur Sikri Tip by smirnofforiginal

An UNESCO World Heritage Site, Fatehpur Sikri, lies 40km from Agra and was once the capital of the Mughal Empire - from only 1571 to 1585 because of water shortages.
In the "royal" part of Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar built his for 1st wife (his Hindu and favourite wife) a massive and magnificent palace, for his 2nd wife (a Portuguese Christan from Goa) a palace with beautiful paintings and for his 3rd (muslim) wife a small but intricately carved palace. For himself he built an enormous stone bed which he enjoyed many a concubine with! The royal kitchens consist of two separate buildings. One kitchen was solely for preparing vegetarian food for the Hindu wife. The other kitchen prepared all the other dishes for the rest of the household.

Akbar loved his elephant and when it died he built a cmmemorative tower for it. The outside of the tower has what looks like hundred of elephant tusks all over it... but they are not real - made from stone. Akbar also liked to play a game similar to draughts. In the courtyard there are the markings to thsi game. The only difference is Akbar used real, live (and they had to be beautoiful) slave girls as his game pieces!!!

It is, in my opinion, worth taking a guide around the royal side of Fatehpur Sikri - our guide was very informative and we learnt a lot from him. His father had been a guide here and he had every intention for his sons to be guides here.

The other side to Fatehpur Sikri is the 'holy' side. Jama Masjid is huge and beautiful but be prepared... whilst the royal side is tranquil and seemingly empty, the mosque is overflowing with visitors and even moer annoying, it is a bubbling hot spot for sellers and beggars. Honestly there was no place to turn without somebody pestering me for something.
Inside the courtyard there is the tomb of Shaikh Salim Chishti. You can for a "donation" buy a piece of cloth (small, medium or large) to place over his tomb. The small cloths are Rs500. The cloth goes to the local poor women to turn into clothes. You lay the cloth over the shrine, scatter petals and then get given a piece of strong to tie around the jali and make a wish. Childless women apparently flock here to make wishes for families...
There is a locked entrance that apparently conseals a tunnel which (allegedly) leads all the way back to Agra!

Fatehpur Sikri also has the tallest gateway in India... it was for the common people.

It makes a good day trip from Agra... and a good en route to Jaipur one too.