Prelims 2014 · archive
EasyIbadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri was
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) the hall in which Akbar held discussions with scholars of various religions
The Ibadat Khana (House of Worship), built by Akbar at Fatehpur Sikri in 1575, was a hall where he held discussions with scholars and religious leaders of different faiths. It was neither a royal mosque nor a private prayer room, and it was for the emperor's debates, not for nobles to meet.
- ✗ (a) It was not a mosque for the royal household; it was a debating hall.
- ✗ (b) It was a place of open debate, not a private chamber.
- ✓ (c) Akbar held discussions here with Muslim divines and later with Hindu, Jain, Parsi and Christian scholars, which fed into his policy of sulh-i-kul.
- ✗ (d) The debates were held by Akbar with scholars; it was not a room for nobles to meet and discuss religion.
Remember · Ibadat Khana (1575, Fatehpur Sikri): Akbar's hall for debates among scholars of all religions; Din-i-Ilahi and sulh-i-kul followed.
Sources
- Archaeological Survey of India: Fatehpur Sikri ↗ “all Mughal institutions such as the ‘Ibadat-Khanah’, ‘Din-i-Ilahi’, ‘Tarikh-i-Ilahi’ , Jharokha-Darshan, the doctrine of Sulh-i-Kul”
- Britannica, Akbar ↗ · reference work “He gave further offense by the religious discussions he encouraged between Muslims, Hindus, Parsis, and Christians.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2014, General Studies paper. UPSC did not publish an answer key for 2014: the answer shown is the one the sources above support. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 24 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·