Duration/Date Time: One day ride, 28-Nov-2010

Rider: Udhaya Kumar.V

Road Map/Status:

Noida –NH2à Faridabad -> Palwal -> Mathura -> Bharatpur -> fathepur sikiri  (215km)

Mathura to Bharatpur – Its bad road/slow road. Better instead of taking this deviation, keep riding towards Agra and take Agra ring road, ride back to Fathepur in Udaipur road. its very fast and good road to reach. If you want see Taj and Agra Fort, Better you can reach agra and ride back to Fathepur.

NH2 – we can find lot of local traffic in this road.

Total Distance: 450 KM (Round Trip)

Photo: http://picasaweb.google.com/udhaya.v/FatehpurSikri

Ride Log:

Agra having lot of great place(Taj, Agra Fort, etc) to see. I have visited to agra long back, but I missed to see Fathepura Sikiri. I am seeing lot of good review about this place, yes offcourse its listed under UNESCO World Heritage Place. So I decided to ride fathepur sikiri and spend one day. Any way its 200km from Noida. There is High way NH2 and Express High way(Yamuna Express HW) runs between Delhi and Agra. But Biks not allowed in Express High way. So I should go through NH2. After riding in NH2, I realized lot of local traffic on this road. Even till Faridabad plenty of construction happening in this road like Delhi Metro, Elevated High Ways, etc. Faridabad growing fast J Delhi Metro keep growing all the direction and reached Farridabad. I think every city defining own rule for elevated highway, in Faridabad bikes not allowed in this elevated highway, but buses allowed.

I reached Mathura and took deviation towards Bharatpur, After I realized its single and bad local road. But it will be good to see local villages also.

Fathepur Sikiri:

was constructed by Mughal emperor Akbar beginning in 1570, in honour of Sufi saint Shaikh Salim Chisti. Fatehpur Sikri sits on rocky ridge, 3 km. in length and 1 km. wide, and palace city is surrounded by a 11 km wall on three side with the fourth being a lake at the time. The buildings of Fatehpur Sikri show a synthesis of various regional schools of architectural craftsmanship. This was because indigenous craftsmen from various regions were used for the construction of the buildings. Influences from Hindu and Jain architecture are seen hand in hand with Islamic elements.

fathepur sikiri - Buland Darwaza (Victory Gate)

Jama Masjid at Fatehpur Sikri: Mughal emperor Akbar tried to integrate Indian three religious(Hindu, Muslim and Christian) in different ways. Even We can see this religious integration reflection in this Jama Masjid architecture at one place.

Jama Masjid at Fatehpur Sikri

Muslim architecture at Jama Masjid

Hindu architecture at Jama Masjid

Christian architecture at Jama Masjid

Natural AC: You can find very beautiful working natural AC in this architecture. its really works. There is the hole in the wall extending till top.

Natural working AC in the Architecture

Its like House window Mirror: We can able to see things from inside to outside. But from outside we can’t see anything in inside.

You can very well see things from inside. you can see anything from outside. its beautiful design.

Rain Water Harvesting: Beautiful rain water Harvesting design in the architecture. All the rain water will be routed through this pillar (this will be used as pillar and pipe also). This water will be routed and saved near place. Same as there is beautiful water drainage(waste water) system available to route to different place in this fort.

Rain Water Harvesting System

Udhaya Kumar.V

udhaya@udhaya.com

www.udhaya.com