A five storied palace standing majestically in Fatehpur Sikri in Uttar Pradesh India, The Panch Mahal is a splendid monument you should visit in Agra tour. The palace is also known as badgirwhich translates aswind catcher tower. The Panch mahal was treated as a palace for pleasure. It is located very close to the Zenanan quarters. The Panch Mahal lures travelers from across the globe mainly because of its magnificent structure.
The Panch Mahal looks absolutely splendid. It has columns dominantly supporting the structure. It comprises of several columns. There are four floors or storeys. Each storeydecreases in size appearing in an asymmetrical manner.Appearing like a pyramid above a ground floor. The ground floor comprises of nearly 84 columns. There are pillars that support the whole structure and initially had jaali (net) between them. The jaalis or the nets served as Purdah (curtain) for the queens and young princesses on the terrace where the female royals would come and enjoy a cool evening air. The ladies would also come to the terrace and catch a glimpse of the splendid surroundings, the view of the town settled on the foot of the ridge, the myriad forts towering high and more.
From the pavilion you can catch a majestic view of the fort which lies on the left. Thepavilion came into being under Akbar’sruler ship and demand. Given the time and period, this pavilion took only a decade to complete. The pavilion was built keeping in mind a Buddhist temple template. The Panch Mahal was also King Akbar’s palace of pleasure. King Akbar used the palace to relax and entertain himself. The pavilion also houses a pool right in front called Anoop Talao. Filled with water it would have served as a bridge or served as a perfect setting for a musical concert. Diwan-i-aam and diwan –i-khaas are two gardens known for their splendid outlay.
Chiefly used for recreational and amusement purposes, today the mahal is best seen during the winter seasons (November to February). The entire monument is extremely airy and will take you back to time when air conditioning did not exists but only natural means of cooling well incorporated in memorable structures like the Mahal. Historians state that Akbar along with his queens and female attendants often enjoyed a beautiful view of the surrounding especially the pool and Pachisi court.
Besides being a magnificent and wonderful place to visit, it is also understood from the study done by historians about the religious significance of the pillar and columns with Hinduism and religious belief based on the Hindu religion. From an amusement palace to holding religious significance- The Panch Mahal is indeed a place that’s worth visiting in Agra.
