RAS question
The Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri was built by Akbar to commemorate his victory over which region?
Correct answer: (C) Gujarat.
Akbar built the Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri to commemorate his conquest of Gujarat in 1573 CE.
Explanation
Buland Darwaza, the Gateway of Magnificence at Fatehpur Sikri, is linked to Akbar's Gujarat campaign, not to a general Mughal victory elsewhere. Encyclopaedia Britannica places Gujarat and Bengal under Akbar's expansion after Rajasthan and says Akbar conquered Gujarat at his second attempt in 1573, then celebrated by building the lofty Buland Darwaza, or High Gate, at his new capital, Fatehpur Sikri. The gateway was built in 1601 CE, stands 54 metres high, is regarded as India's tallest gateway, and carries an inscription reflecting the transitory nature of the world. The decisive association is Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri, Buland Darwaza, and Gujarat.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Bengal was a separate eastern campaign associated with Akbar's later consolidation, while the gateway is tied to the Gujarat conquest.
- (B) Mewar does not fit because Akbar did not fully conquer it; Rana Pratap's resistance continued, and Buland Darwaza is linked to Gujarat.
- (D) Malwa had been incorporated into the Mughal Empire earlier and is not the campaign commemorated by Buland Darwaza.
Concept
Mughal architecture in RAS preparation connects the political purpose of a monument with its patron, place, and commemorated victory. Monument-based study of medieval art and architecture links Buland Darwaza with Akbar's imperial expansion.