From Khwabgah, the guide walked us in front of an elaborately decorated entrance. It was the residence of the infamous queen Jodhabai and the mother of Salim, the successor of the Mughal Empire. The story of Jodhabai and Akbar has been echoing through time and history. A Hindu Rajput Princess who married the Mughal Emperor Akbar to establish the political alliance between the Rajputs and the Mughals changed the course of history for India. After entering through the grand doorway, a vast courtyard came into sight with bordering cloisters that lead to multiple rooms. The place was palatial compared to the rest of the complexes. Also, It was considerably extensive than the other two queens' chambers.

But there is a story behind the design and architecture of the three chambers of the three queens. It's believed that Akbar had allotted an equal budget to all three queens to design their royal chambers as per their choice. The first two queens chose to decorate their royal abode with priceless jewels, expensive textiles, and heavy work of gold and silver. However, queen Jodhabai went with simple Rajputi architecture of red stone and intricate artisanal carving, allowing her to put her budget more into the architecture.

The guide explained how this place used to be heavily guarded and under surveillance. Being the first queen to provide an heir to the Mughal throne, Jodhabai was the most favoured consort of Emperor Akbar. She gave birth to Salim, who later came to be known as Jehangir. There were strict instructions to keep the premises safe and secured from any intruders and attacks. Those who failed to follow the instructions were indeed brutally punished.

Chambers of Jodhabhai's Palace

Jodhabai's palace exhibits Rajput architecture with minarets added at the top as Mughal touch. As you enter one of the rooms, you can feel the spaciousness within the chambers. They were all well planned as per the climatic conditions, airy and temperate as per the seasons, something not seen anymore around the metropolitan cities where we live. There are several cavities on the walls that were probably for storing decorate show items or personal belongings. At a certain height, sconces to hang flame torches were telling their age-old stories.

Beautiful floral and geometric sequences dressed the palace walls, hinting at the amalgamation of Rajput and Mughal architecture. A sturdy fortified wall ran around fencing the area, and many domed cupolas sit on the top. The queen had minutely planned her abode keeping all the needs in mind. From the servants' quarters to the storage to direct approach to Panch Mahal. And above that, all the areas of the fort had access from here. Today, the family of bats had taken over the rooms where royalty once lived. The simplicity of the floor plan was marvellous.

Hang on! There's a third chapter to this story. Continue the journey with the last stop at Salim Chisti Dargah at Fatehpur.

If you haven’t read the first segment of the story, go to Fatehpur Sikri.