Hiran minar
S
anctuary for antelopes. The Fatehpur Sikri Hiran Minar is located in the midst of open plains. It got this name when Jehangir converted the polo grounds surrounding the tower into a sanctuary for hirans or antelopes. The tower’s entrance is a flat topped door which has sand stone panels as borders and is flanked by panels with arches which are closed.53 steps inside the tower lead you to the very top of the tower. Standing on the top of the tower provides a bird’s eye view of the whole of Fatehpur Sikri. The shape of the tower till a height of 3.91 m is octagonal in shape and the rest of the tower till the top is circular.
The Fatehpur Sikri – Hiran minar is placed on an octagonal platform, which is standing on another square platform. The lower square platform has a height of 21.96 m and the octagonal one has a height of 1.2 m. The octagonal platform has a cornice on the edge. There is a double flight consisting of 9 steps both on the eastern as well as northern side and the height is 3.05 m. The decorations on the tower consist of alternate rows of six pointed stars and hexagons. There are a large number of elephant tusks protruding from the centers of all stars and hexagons. The elephant tusks were later removed and replaced with stone tusks. Historians believe that the elephant tusks were used to symbolize the grandeur and novelty of the Mughal empire. The hiran minar is definitely worth a visit if you are on a tour of Fatehpur Sikri.
Access: See the Fatehpur Sikri Map. From the Elephant Gate there is a mud trail along the side of the Caravanserai (Karwan Sarai) towards the edges of the wheat fields. Avoid walking alone, esp. after sunset as it is a lonely location less frequented by people. You can get a view of Hiran minar from the watchtower near the Tomb of Salim Chisti inside the Jama Masjid complex.