Though romantics believe that Ankh Michauli (Blind
Man's Buff Hose) was used by Akbar to play hide and seek with the women
of his harem, there are no evidences to support their view. In fact, the
secret coffers and deep recesses in the walls of this building suggest
that perhaps it was a treasury for valuable things such as gold and
silver coins and secret documents. This building has three oblong halls
of equal size with the central hall placed horizontally and two other
halls placed at right angles on its either side. These halls have a
central court and are interconnected by corridors with extremely wide
openings. The walls are made up of rubble masonry and are very thick. It
is believed that while gold coins were stored in the coffers, the silver
was kept in bags heaped on the floor.
Being an official building, Ankh Michauli has been kept simpler.
However, it has high ceilings. The bottom of the struts in the central
hall supporting the beams of the ceiling have been beautifully molded
into the head of a truncated monster called 'Makar' in Hindu mythology,
who is believed to be the guardian of treasures. The halls of this
building also manifest simple moldings and carved brackets lending them
a grand look, while the wide chhajja around the central hall looks quite
imposing. The two stairways to the east lead one to the roof. There was
a two-storeyed gallery too but it has now been demolished.
Ankh Michauli at Fatehpur Sikri was an
important part of royal complex.