{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O120329"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O120329/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AC4998/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AC4998/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AC4998","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O120329/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O120329","accessionNumber":"53270","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Gooroo-ki-Mandi, or Temple of the Hindoo Saint, Futtehpore Sikri","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"This photograph shows one of the structures inside the Imperial palace complex at Fatehpur Sikri. The city was built near Agra, north-west India, by the Mughal Emperor Akbar (ruled 1556-1605). Popularly known as the ‘Astrologer’s Seat’, the function of this building is open to debate. It may have been a place where Akbar or his principle treasurer sat and distributed coins to subordinate officers or to the poor. \r\n\r\nThe kiosk is three metres square. It has four pillars which are square at the base and then half-way up change to an octagonal shape and lead to a roof with eaves and a dome. The most striking element of this structure is the four intricately carved stone brackets.\r\n \r\nThe British photographer Samuel Bourne calls it the 'Temple of the Guru'. This is probably a reference to another popular notion of it as a place where the visiting or resident Hindu holy man sat.\r\n\r\nBourne lived and worked in India between 1862 and 1869. During this time he toured the Himalayas and travelled through the subcontinent, photographing its landscape, architecture and historical sites. He set up a studio in Simla with Charles Shepherd and sold his prints sold to an eager public both in India and Britain.","physicalDescription":"This photograph show a kiosk like structure which is popularly known as the Astologer's Seat. The kiosk has four pillars which are square at the base and then half way up change to octagonal and lead to a roof with eaves and a dome. The most striking element of this structure are four incredibly intricately carved stone brackets on each side of the kiosk. There are eleven bands of decoration carved on either side of each bracket. The serpentine brackets emanate from makara (open mouthed crocodile like creatures).\r\n\r\nThe kiosk stands in front of a bigger building, plainer than other buildings surrounding it, and has had several different functions ascribed to it. It is popularly known as the Ankh Michauli (blind man’s buff house). On the right hand side is the Diwan-i-Khas.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Bourne, Samuel","id":"A8171"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"Wet collodion process","id":"AAT133299"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Albumen print from a wet collodion glass negative","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Architecture","id":"THES48993"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AC4998"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES403839"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"India","id":"x29790"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1865","earliest":"1860-01-01","latest":"1869-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"28.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"photograph","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"23.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"photograph","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"33","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"mount","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"26.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"mount","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Signature and negative number in the bottom left hand corner","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"This photograph was initially part of the photographic collection held in the National Art Library. The markings on the mount are an indication of the history of the object, its movement through the museum and the way it is categorised. \r\nThe mount is green and has a lable on the right hand side with the title.\n\nHistorical significance: The buildings in this photograph are all part of the Daulat Khana. The Daulat Khana  meaning literally, ‘Abode of fortune’ of the Imperial Palace complex at Fatehpur sikri.  \r\n\r\nThis photograph shows a kiosk like structure, the function of which is open to debate. Popular tradition has ascribed to it the function of the ‘Astrologer’s Seat’. According to Rizvi it is likely to be the place where Akbar or his principle treasurer sat and distributed coins to subordinate officers or to the poor. The photographer, Samuel Bourne calls it the Temple of the Guru, probably referring to  another popular notion of it as a place where the visiting or resident Hindu holyman/yogi sat.\r\n\r\nThe kiosk is three meters square, it has four pillars which are square at the base and then half way up change to octagonal and lead to a roof with eaves and a dome. The most striking element of this structure are four incredibly intricately carved stone brackets on each side of the kiosk. Derived from Jain/Gujarati  architecture, for instance at Mount Abu. Also similar to toranas, ceremonial Hindu doorways. There are eleven bands of decoration carved on either side of each bracket. The serpentine brackets emanate from makaras (open mouthed crocodile like creatures).\r\n\r\nThe kiosk stands in front of a bigger building, plainer than other buildings surrounding it, and has had several different functions ascribed to it. It is popularly known as the Ankh Michauli (blind man’s buff house) and romantically described as the place where Akbar played hide and seek with the women of his harem. Nath  believes it to be the Diwan-I-Khass or hall of private audience while Rizvi states that it is the Treasury of gold and silver, hence the kiosk used to distribute coins.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph of Fatehpur Sikri, India by Samuel Bourne, 1860s.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Alfieri, B.M, Islamic Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent, London 2000,"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Archaeological Survey of India, Fatehpur Sikri, New Delhi, 2002"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Rizve, S.A & Flynn, V.N, Fathpur Sikri, 1975"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Asher, C, B, Architecture of Mughal India, The New Cambridhe History of India, , CUP, 1992"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"India","id":"x29790"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["53270"],"accessionNumberNum":"53270","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Negative number","id":"THES50273"},"number":"1273"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-05","recordCreationDate":"2006-01-09","availableToBook":true}}