Unravelling and exposing myths around Sikri

In this concluding part of Sikri myths, we take up four structures within the Sikri Palace Complex, namely the so-called School for Girls, Turkish Sultana’s Pavilion, Anup Talao and Deewan-e-Khas. 

In the two earlier pieces we had talked about the so-called Aankhmicholi, Jodhabai’s Kitchen, Birbal’s Palace and the Stables. The tales circulated about these structures are as bizarre as the stories about the four structures that we are going to share with you.

Girl’s School: The site identified, in popular imagination, as the school is located roughly in the middle of the quadrangle with Akbar’s Khwabgaah (sleeping quarters) at one end and the “Deewan-e-Khas” at the other. 

Any architect suggesting to Akbar that the school for the daughters of the support staff be placed midway from his private quarters and the administrative core of the palace would have been swiftly sent on a long journey. 

This clearly was never a school; the question is where did this story of the school have its origin? It has been suggested that the wife of one of the archaeologists, posted here for several years in the early days of the work of ASI, started a school for the children of the workers engaged in the restoration work at the site. It is possible, if this story is true, that some of the kids who studied at this informal school later joined the army of self-styled guides and one more tall-tale was absorbed by the ever expanding compendium of Sikriana. 

The structure identified as “The School” is in fact a pillared corridor at the ground floor with a more formal enclosed space at the floor above. The structure was known as the Abdarkhana and was in fact used for keeping, fruits, food, water and beverages for the Emperor. 

The Turkish Sultana’s Pavilion:  The story is again without any basis and defies logic. To begin with, no one in Akbar’s harem was known as the Turkish Sultana and even if there was a Turkish Sultana, she would not have her pavilion in a part of the palace reserved for men. Akbar’s senior queens stayed in palaces built for their exclusive use and junior queens and other women stayed inside the Shabistan-e-Iqbal or the Haramsara, now described by the “guides“ as Jodha bai’s Palace. 

The so-called Turkish Sultana’s Pavilion, according to research done by senior historians specialising in the mediaeval period, was in fact the Ibadatkhana – the place where Akbar had exchanges on spiritual matters with religious scholars. Some historians disagree and have identified other locations as the Ibadatkhana, one thing is however certain; the non-existent Turkish Sultana did not reside here.

The Anup Talao: the guides wax eloquent about Tansen sitting on the platform in the middle of the Anoop Talao regaling the emperor, who enjoyed the music from his Khwabgah. Very romantic and totally without any shred of evidence from any authentic source. 

The Talao is a square pond that was fed through a water channel and drained through another to ensure that there was no stagnant water in the pool. The pool has a square platform in the middle, approached through four causeways, this platform was perhaps topped with a pavilion, all traces of which have disappeared. 

Recent explorations have suggested that the platform was perhaps the ceiling of a chamber, accessible through a staircase from the platform. While the pool cooled the surrounding area, the inside chamber, surrounded as it was by water, became a cool chamber to escape the searing dry heat of Sikri.

The pond was constructed in 1576 and according to a mention made by Abul Fazl, there was a royal order two years later to fill the tank with copper silver and gold coins, these coins were later distributed to the poor by the emperor himself. Jahangir confirms this incident in his writings; a more recent research paper suggests that Jahangir did the same on an anniversary of his coronation. I remember reading somewhere recently that Jahangir records that he had, on that occasion, distributed a total of Rs 1,03,00,000.

This attempt by Akbar to build a chamber surrounded by water on all sides as an escape from the summer heat and the pond being filled with coins to be distributed among the needy are details that are, in my view at least, far more interesting than a great Dhrupad singer performing for an audience that consisted of just one Rasik, even if he was Akbar. 

And now the Deewan-e-Khas, most historians are not in agreement about the purpose for which this one pillared structure, popularly called the Deewan-e-Khas was constructed. All kinds of suggestions have been it has been suggested that this was part of the treasury, supported by existence of concealed chambers like the treasury and that Akbar would climb up and sit in the middle of the first floor, above the most intricately carved single pillar to inspect his collection of priceless Diamonds and rubies. There are other suggestions including speculation that this was the Ibadatkhana where he held theological discussions with a chosen few or he sat in the middle while his ministers reported to him. 

Akbar died in 1605, just 413 years ago, he left behind a large number of records, many of his contemporaries including Abul Fazl, Faizi, Badayuni, Father Monserrat, Jahangir and others, have left a rich body of textual references and yet we do not know enough about many structures. This perhaps happened, because the authors mentioned the buildings as the location of an event without describing the structure, this lack of architectural detail allows the ‘guides’ to create their own narratives. 

If self-proclaimed historians can do this to events that happened just 4 centuries before, imagine what they can do and are doing to events that took place a couple of thousand years ago.

The author is a historian, and organises the Delhi Heritage Walk for children and adults. Views are personal.