Today I move from people to places, for the letter F kind of stumped me, at least as far as people from Indian history or mythology that I know or would love (or have enough information) to write about. So, a place it is and that place is fantastic Fatehpur Sikri saying forget me not through this list poem of sorts.

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Fantastic Fatehpur Sikri

The Fabled Fantastic Fatehpur Sikri
In Fatehpur Sikri, where the ancient walls stand tall,
There’s so much to see, it’s hard to list it all.
But here are some sights I think you should see
In this ancient beautiful historic city.

The Buland Darwaza, a triumphal gateway so grand,
Built to celebrate a victory, it proudly stands.
With intricate carvings and 54 metres tall
This gate stunningly welcomes one and all.

Through the grand gate, the Great Mosque you can see
A place to congregate, to be one with divinity
It is the Jama Masjid, with a unique design,
Where Islamic, Hindu, and Jain elements intertwine.

Tomb of Salim Chishti, a site of devotion,
The saint’s blessings, a much-sought-after notion.

The Diwan-i-Khas, the hall of private audience,
Here Akbar held court with unparalleled prudence.

The Panch Mahal, a five-storey tower,
A place for respite, for that leisure hour.

Jodha Bai’s Palace, a stunning fusion of cultures,
A beautiful blend of Mughal and Hindu architectures.

The Birbal Bhawan, where wit and humor had their say,
And the Anup Talao, a peerless pool where music and poetry held sway.

Khwab Bagh or the dream garden with its imperial bed,
And the Diwan-e-Aam where subjects would be heard.

Fatehpur Sikri is a place where history comes alive,
With stunning carvings and stories that thrive.
If you ever get a chance to visit this place,
Don’t miss it for the world, for it is sure to amaze!
~ Vidya Tiru @ LadyInReadWrites

Day 7 Prompt: My Take

The NaPoWriMo prompt for day 7 is: Start by reading James Tate’s poem “The List of Famous Hats.”  Now, write a poem that plays with the idea of a list. Tate’s poem is a list that isn’t – he never gets beyond the first entry. You could try to write a such a non-list, but a couple of other ideas would be to create a list of ingredients, or a list of entries in an index. A self-portrait (or a portrait of someone close to you) in the form of a such a list could be very funny. Another way into this prompt might be a list of instructions.

My Take: well, it is a list of the sights in Fatehpur Sikri!

And my Sikri experience: The city is fascinating indeed, and we visited it a few years ago on our trip to India. It is astounding to note that most of the city was built in a matter of three years, and Akbar made it his capital in 1571. However, it’s role as the capital city of the empire was short-lived, and in 1586, the Mughal capital was moved to Delhi because of Fatehpur Sikri’s inadequate water supply for its residents.

Sources and Additional Reading

• Fatehpur Sikri (Wikipedia)
• The Ancient Architecture of Fatehpur Sikri (Smithsonian)
• UNESCO page on Fatehpur Sikri
• Fatehpur Sikri: Akbar’s Magnificent City on a Hill by Subhadra Sen Gupta and Prakash Israni. I loved (and have a copy of) Gupta’s A Children’s History of India, and my preview of this book by her proves I will enjoy it too.

My F Books: The Forget Me Nots!

Forget Me Not

Oh my!! Talk about tugging at heartstrings. Totally recommend this heartwarming, inspiring, beautiful read told in two POVs (one in verse and the other in prose). It is one of those books that you keep turning the pages of when you get started, and before you know it, you are at the end and also teary eyed and feeling all the feels. A book that explores issues people with Tourette’s syndrome deal with (my first time reading a book based on this), about family and friendships, about fitting in new places, and more. I hope Terry writes more books so I can read them!

Forget-me-nots

I have read poems and compilations from this duo before and truly enjoyed them all, including some of their You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You series. This one is no different. Familiar poems sprinkled throughout had me nodding to them and saying a silent ‘hi’ while new discoveries (and there were many here) delighted on the rest of the pages. Enjoying memorizing some of them, like Laura Richards’ Eletelephony, Gwendolyn Brook’s Marie Lucille, Ogden Nash’s Sweet Dreams, and Hoberman’s How Far!

And Now, the End of This Post

Linking up to BlogChatterA2Z, Blogging from A-to-Z April Challenge, NaPoWriMo, and the Ultimate Blog Challenge.