Sikandra, Agra

The photograph is taken from the inside walls of the Akbar tomb in Agra (Sinkandra). Cloudy background gives the minarets and the wall a different appeal. The Akbar tomb is probably greener than Taj itself. It is in someways not really cropped and polished which gives the monument the atmosphere of a tomb than a palace or something (Taj actually gives you the feeling of grandeur fitting its creator than austerity of a tomb). Number of visitors are also meagre compared to Taj. The atmosphere is serene and calm. The tile and pattern work is intricate and ornamentative.

Sikandra, Akbar's tomb in the former Lodi capital, is a grand affair, much under-rated in comparison to the Taj Mahal. Akbar started building his mausoleum in the true Timurid tradition, but the actual monument was completed by his son Jahangir. He pulled down most of the earlier structure and redesigned it according to his wishes and the result is more than impressive. There is a huge gateway, Buland Darwaza, modeled on the famed victory gate at Fatehpur Sikri, leads to the great garden enclosure. The decoration on the gateway is strikingly bold, with its large mosaic patterns. The walled garden enclosure is laid out in the char bagh style with the mausoleum at the center.