Panch Mahal
Topic: The Mughal Empire: Babur to Aurangzeb · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Panch Mahal ("five-level palace") is a five-storeyed open pavilion at Fatehpur Sikri, the city Akbar built near Agra. Each storey is smaller than the one below, so the building narrows towards the top. It stands on many carved pillars and has almost no walls, so air flows freely through it. It was probably used by royal women to enjoy the breeze and the views.
Example
The Panch Mahal stands in the palace area of Fatehpur Sikri, built by Akbar in the late 16th century. Its pillars are carved in different designs, showing how Akbar's builders mixed Indian and Persian styles.
Don't confuse with
- Panchayat or Panch Pir: names that sound alike but have no link to this building. Panch Mahal is a structure at Fatehpur Sikri.
Related concepts
- Fatehpur Sikri
- Buland Darwaza
- Ibadat Khana
- Din-i-Ilahi
- Maktab Khana
- Razmnama
- Hamzanama
- Daswanth and Basawan
- Navaratnas of Akbar
- Birbal