Fatepur Sikri, is regarded by some as a folly of Akbar the Great. Some 25 miles west of Agra, he built his capital at Sikri as a big "thank you" to the local holy man. Aged 26 and without an heir, as all his children had died in infancy, he consulted a local holy man at Sikri who predicted he would have 3 sons. As this predictation came true Akbar, in gratitutude built his capital at Sikri and named it Fatepur (victory). However, it was abandoned after 4 years when Akbar returned to Agra and it has been deserted since the early 1600s. We called here on a scorchingly hot afternoon on our way to Agra.

 Return to album