Birth of Salim (Jahangir)
Akbar was a devout visitor to the holy places and tombs of Muslim saints. One of his prime objects was to secure an heir to the throne. Up to the 14th year of reign, none of his children could survive and he was told to visit a holy man dwelling at Sikri village near Agra.
This holy man Salim Chisti, who was one of the descendents of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti of Ajmer promised & blessed Akbar a son.
Akbar placed his wife Hura Kunwari or Jodha under the care of this saint. The Sikri, due to frequent visits of the emperor became a cradle of development activities and numerous palaces were erected.
Salim Chisti set up a new noble Mosque in Sikri and the emperor’s people built their palaces near this place. The Sikri village became the town of Fatehpur Sikri.
It was blessing of this holy saint Salim Chisti, that Akbar’s first son was safely ushered in this world. Akbar named this child as Salim, with due respect to the holy man. This offspring of the Great Mughal and a Rajput Princess later became Emperor Jahangir. The result of this auspicious event in Fatehpur Sikri was that Akbar showered all the taste and art of the age upon the adornment of this blessed town.
