Backside of the grand gateway of Jodha Bai Mahal in Fatehpur Sikri

'Jodha Bai Mahal' also known as 'Jodh Bai Mahal' is the largest palace in Fatehpur Sikri commissioned by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1569 for his favourite queen consort, Mariam-uz-Zamani, commonly known as 'Jodha bai' .[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] This Mahal is the largest complex of the zenana (palace for women belonging to the royal household).[4] It is a masterpiece of the fusion of Hindu and Persian architecture made with red sandstone.[10]

History

Jodha Bai Mahal In Fatehpur Sikri

"Having conducted a matrimonial alliance with the Hindu princess, Akbar spared no pains in making her new home resemble her old as much as possible"

— Edmund W. Smith, Moghul Architecture of Fathpur Sikri (1973)[11]

Born as a Rajput princess, Mariam-uz-Zamani was married to Akbar in the year 1562 as a result of a political alliance between Akbar and her father, Raja Bharmal.[12][13] She gradually became his favourite wife and was the first wife of Akbar to honour the royal household with an heir.[14] In the year 1569, she gave birth to her third and first surviving child of Akbar, Prince Salim. Akbar shifted his capital from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri in acknowledgement of his faith in the efficacy of the holy man's prayer, Sheikh Salim Chisti, whose blessings he sought for the birth of an heir to his empire.[15] The construction in Sikri started in 1569 and a grand palace was established for the empress and her newborn son, prince Salim. This was the biggest residential palace in the city, and to this day it stands, though in ruins, as a monument of Akbar's love for the Amber princess.[16]

Architecture and ornamentation

The distinctive Hindu style temple inside the palace used by the queen for worshipping

Jodha Bai Palace was commissioned by Akbar in her honour and was the largest residential palace in his harem. It is also known as Raniwas and Zenani Dyodhi.[17] It shows the Rajput influence and is built around a courtyard, with special care being taken to ensure privacy. This palace building consists of a rectangular block with a single magnificent gateway on the eastern side, which was protected by guard rooms, and has triangular ceilings, and other apartments. The eastern gateway of the palace is exceedingly magnificent and is of typical Rajasthani architecture.

The majestic gateway of the Palace of Jodha Bai

The Khawabgah of this palace is a beautiful and spacious double-storey complex. The palace comprises a Hindu temple and a Tulsi math used by his Hindu wife for worship. This palace was internally also connected to the palace of Akbar.[10] Several Hindu motifs have been used in the building alongside Lord Krishna depictions on the walls, which confirms that the occupant of the building was a Hindu lady.[17]

This palace has distinct Gujarati and Rajasthani architectural patterns.[18] Many motifs can be found in the interior like swans, elephants, parrots, Srivastava marks, etc. The western suite in the palace which served as a temple contains vedikas and other Hindu motifs. It contains beautiful curvilinear pillars with brackets. The superstructure of the building comprises chhatris, pillars with wall brackets, semicircular domes, and several niches. The palace is built with red sandstone making it seem captivating.

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ Havell, Ernest Binfield (1907). A Handbook to Agra and Taj. p. 121.
  2. ^ Havell, E. B. (Ernest Binfield) (1918). The history of Aryan rule in India from the earliest times to the death of Akbar. The Library of Congress. New York, Frederick A. Stokes company. p. 463.
  3. ^ Foreign Department Of India (1905). References In The Press To The Visit Of Their Royal Highnesses, The Prince And Princess Of Wales To India, 1905-06. p. 421.
  4. ^ a b Lal, Muni (1977). Akbar. V.P. House Private ltd., Delhi. p. 179.
  5. ^ Agrawal, M. M. (2002). The Indian Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. Cosmos Publication, New Delhi. p. 4596.
  6. ^ "Jodha Bai's Palace Fatehpur Sikri".
  7. ^ Hunter, William W. (1881–1895). Lodge, Henry Cabot (ed.). The History of Nations: India and Modern Persia. Vol. 5. P.F. Collier & son, New York. p. 120. Mariam Zamani's palace in Fatehpur Sikri, mother of prince Salim, came to be known as Jodha Bai Palace. It stands as the biggest palace of Akbar's harem and is built as per distinctive Rajput architecture.
  8. ^ Smith, Vincent Arthur (1917). Akbar the Great Mogul, 1542-1605. Cornell University Library. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 106.
  9. ^ Smith, Edmund W. (1973). Moghul architecture of Fathpur-Sikri pt.2. p. 18.
  10. ^ a b Lal, Muni (1977). Akbar. V.P. House Private ltd., Delhi. p. 179. Akbar's Khwabgah—dream-cottage—-a song of love in red sand¬ stone and white marble was where the ceremony of the lifting of "the veil of every new wife he took was performed—and he took at least one every full moon. The guides in Fatehpur almost proudly stress that no woman—wife, concubine, or mistress—shared the Khwabgah with the Emperor twice In her lifetime. Jodha Bai was perhaps the only exception. The Padshah often invited her to the seclusion of the pleasure house "for the company and a game of chess."
  11. ^ Smith, Edmund W. (1973). Moghul Architecture of Fathpur Sikri, pt 2. p. 29.
  12. ^ Aftab, Tahera (2008). Inscribing South Asian Muslim Women: An Annotated Bibliography & Research Guide. Leiden: Brill Publishers. p. 44.
  13. ^ Sarkar, Jadunath. A History of Jaipur: C. 1503-1938. pp. 35 & 43.
  14. ^ Hindu Shah, Muhammad Qasim (1595–1612). Gulshan-I-Ibrahimi. Vol. 2. p. 143. Akbur, after this conquest, made a pilgrimage to Khwaja Moyin-ood-Deen Chishty at Ajmere and returned to Agra; from whence he proceeded to visit the venerable Sheikh Sulim Chishty, in the village of Seekry. As all the king's children had hitherto died, he solicited the Sheikh's prayers, who consoled him, by assuring him he would soon have a son, who would live to a good old age. Shortly after, his favourite sooltana, being then pregnant, on Wednesday the 17th of Rubbee-ool-Awul, in the year 997 was delivered of a son, who was called Sulim.
  15. ^ Ahmad, Aziz (1964). Studies of Islamic culture in the Indian Environment. Clarendon Press.
  16. ^ Lal, Muni (1980). Akbar. Vikas Publishing House. p. 170. ISBN 978-0-7069-1076-6.
  17. ^ a b "Jodha Bai's Palace Fatehpur Sikri".
  18. ^ "Jodha Bai Mahal".

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