A visit to a historical town
Answers
Explanation:
319 Dayal Bagh
Agra
29th February, 2016
The Principal
St. Francis Inter College
Sanjay Place
Agra
Reverend Father,
I, Chinmay Jain, on behalf of class IX-B request you to give us the permission to visit Fathepur Sikri situated at a distance of about 55 km from Agra.
We want to visit this place because of its historical value. Secondly, we have learnt in our history books that it was built with a fusion of arts of different cultures, so we want to go and have a first-hand experience. It will be helpful for us to understand the chapter in a better way. Not only that, we will also be able to gather knowledge about the Mughal period.
We hope that you will think over our request and allow us to go on the educational tour to Fathepur Sikri.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Yours obediently,
Chinmay Jain.
Answer:
History stands testimony that the old brick fort of Sikandar Lodhi was dismantled by Akbar and a magnificent fortress of rust coloured sandstone was built. For the same reason, the ‘Fort of Agra’ is also known as ‘Lai Quila’. This fort was built by Akbar, in AD 1565. It took 8 years to be completed.
The fort is said to have 500 buildings in the style of Bengali and Gujarati architecture. This is what Akbar’s historian Abul Fazal had recorded. But unfortunately only a few survive today and the successors of Akbar too subsequently made a few changes and additions. The fort stands on the banks of the river Yamuna with double walls to protect it. These walls are very high.
The fort has four gates. Presently, the entry to the fort is allowed through the gate in the South of the fort called the Amar Singh Rathore Gate. Just outside the gate is a stone statue of a horse’s head built by Amar Singh Rathore of Jodhpur in remembrance of his faithful horse that had jumped the walls of the fort and lost its legs in order to save its master.