After Taj celebrations, will it be Akbar's turn?
Vijay Upadhyay
Agra. No sooner had the 350th anniversary celebrations of the Taj Mahal ended, the tourism industry of Agra has begun to demand the celebration of the 400th death anniversary of Emperor Akbar, that falls in October. 
Representatives of the tourism organisations of Agra met the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister during his recent Agra visit and discussed the possibilities of holding the 400th death anniversary celebrations of Emperor Akbar in Agra, linking it with the construction of Sikandra, Akbar's mausoleum located on the Agra-Delhi highway.
According to the tourism industry sources, Emperor Akbar was the first Mughal ruler to have conceived the idea of amalgamating all that was best in Hinduism, Islam and other religions, to form a completely new religious philosophy called "Din-e-Ilahi". He was also the first Mughal ruler to have shifted the capital from Delhi to Agra, building the first Mughal monuments - the forts of Agra and Fatehpur Sikri, which were also the venues for the Taj anniversary celebrations, setting forth an architectural lineage which ultimately led to the construction of the majestic Taj Mahal.
Soon after his death on 27th October 1605, Akbar was interred at Sikandra, on the Agra-Delhi highway, where he lies in a modest grave, in sharp contrast to the opulent and bejeweled burial chamber of his grandson, Shahjahan.
According to the tourism guild, it was the right time for the people of Agra to show their gratitude to the Emperor, who gave this town two world heritage monuments and again formed a link with the long-lost history of the Mughal era by observing the 400th death anniversary of Akbar.
Judging by the bad experience, the UP Government had in organising the Taj Mahal's 350th anniversary fest, Mulayam Singh did not appear too keen on embarking yet another journey fraught with problems, without the cooperation of the Centre and refused to make any commitment.
Representatives of the tourism organisations of Agra met the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister during his recent Agra visit and discussed the possibilities of holding the 400th death anniversary celebrations of Emperor Akbar in Agra, linking it with the construction of Sikandra, Akbar's mausoleum located on the Agra-Delhi highway.
According to the tourism industry sources, Emperor Akbar was the first Mughal ruler to have conceived the idea of amalgamating all that was best in Hinduism, Islam and other religions, to form a completely new religious philosophy called "Din-e-Ilahi". He was also the first Mughal ruler to have shifted the capital from Delhi to Agra, building the first Mughal monuments - the forts of Agra and Fatehpur Sikri, which were also the venues for the Taj anniversary celebrations, setting forth an architectural lineage which ultimately led to the construction of the majestic Taj Mahal.
Soon after his death on 27th October 1605, Akbar was interred at Sikandra, on the Agra-Delhi highway, where he lies in a modest grave, in sharp contrast to the opulent and bejeweled burial chamber of his grandson, Shahjahan.
According to the tourism guild, it was the right time for the people of Agra to show their gratitude to the Emperor, who gave this town two world heritage monuments and again formed a link with the long-lost history of the Mughal era by observing the 400th death anniversary of Akbar.
Judging by the bad experience, the UP Government had in organising the Taj Mahal's 350th anniversary fest, Mulayam Singh did not appear too keen on embarking yet another journey fraught with problems, without the cooperation of the Centre and refused to make any commitment.
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