Fatepur Sikri

Forgot to mention that between Agra and Jaipur I visited the abadoned city of Fatepur Sikri (sadly not so abandoned that there aren't still millions of street traders trying to flog their cra ... be polite ... wares, I got a candle holder, I don't know how I ever got by without it).

It wasn't the depth of the water that worried me!

The place has got a fascinating history. Towards the end of the 16th Century this Mughal Emperor called Akbar decided to move the capital from Agra to Fatepur Sikri, which is only an hour down the road. They spent about 15 years building it and then only about 15 years living there. The official reason is there was problems with the water supply (the guys in the hostel said this was true) even though there is a nearby lake. Another suggestion is it was for military reasons.

One wierd moment in the abandoned city's courtyard - which is surrounded by ceremonial and religious buildings, including a Mosque (in Fatepur Sikri, Hindu and Muslim buildings and architecture were fused, rather than competing as elsewhere in India) - went into small, seemingly religious building, followed by this guy who urges me to touch this bed in the centre of the room, which I do, but he says I got to touch it with my forehead (stop your dirty minds now). So I bend down and lay my forehead against the sheets - he starts whipping my back and legs with this brush. I'm not joking! I'm stunned. Then he asks for 200 rupees! I'm sure there are some places where people can charge high sums for those kinds of services, I just didn't think religious buildings were among them. I gave him 10 rupees, he wasn't impressed!

Anyway, typical example of the Indian paradox - they have this glorious, well-preserved basis for a village on their doorstep, but live in shanty towns on the outskirts. Granted, it would need additional development, and is probably too valuable now as a tourist attraction, but it does make you want to tear your hair out. Anyway, rather than describe it inadequately, I'll just publish pics, which still won't do it justice, it is magnificent, probably my favourite corner of India so far.