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THE ARTS SOCIETY TOURSGOLDEN TRIANGLEVisit Fatehpur Sikri as part of Travelsphere’s ‘Taj Mahal, Delhi & Amber Fort’ tour. Offering a tantalising taste of India ideally suited for those new to the country, it features a rickshaw ride through Old Delhi and sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal, plus Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Jaipur, Agra and the fascinating stepwells of Abhaneri, one of the locations used in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Flights, most meals and 5* hotel accommodation are included.8 days from £1,14901858 898628travelsphere.co.uktraditional crafts, with workshops for literature and visual arts.Akbar made the city his home for 15 years, then left it for ever in favour of Lahore before settling for good back in Agra. Some say his departure from Fatehpur Sikri was because of an inadequate water supply, others believe it may have been a strategic move during a war in Kabul that he had become involved with. Equally, it is possible that Akbar just had too much money and was unable to make up his mind: for instance in 1565, he had ordered that Agra’s ruined fort (a huge palace complex containing thousands of buildings) be lavishly renovated, a task that took 4,000 daily workers eight years to complete – by which time of course he had turned his attention elsewhere.Whatever the reason, since 1585 Fatehpur Sikri has remained almost completely unoccupied, except for a brief period after the coronation of Muhammed Shah in 1719. This means visitors have a unique chance to experience the lavish and undiluted vision of a Mughal emperor – and to step back in time nearly 450 years. IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCKTRAVEL ADVERTORIAL63The Arts Society ReviewSummer 2017