Buland Darwaza, the grand gateway built by Emperor Akbar, is located in which Indian state?

Introduction / Context:
Buland Darwaza is a famous monumental gateway built during the Mughal period. It is known for its impressive height and architectural style and is a major tourist attraction as well as a topic in Indian history and geography. Knowing its location helps you connect historical sites with present day Indian states. This question asks you to identify the state where Buland Darwaza stands today.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- The structure mentioned is Buland Darwaza, the grand gate associated with Emperor Akbar.

- The options list West Bengal, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh.

- It is assumed that you know Buland Darwaza is part of the complex at Fatehpur Sikri near Agra.

- The question expects state level identification, not the specific city name.

Concept / Approach:
Buland Darwaza is the main gateway to the Jama Masjid at Fatehpur Sikri, a historic city established by Akbar. Fatehpur Sikri is located near Agra in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Therefore, the state in which Buland Darwaza is located is Uttar Pradesh. Other options represent distant states that do not contain this Mughal monument. Recognising the connection between Fatehpur Sikri and Uttar Pradesh is the key to answering correctly.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Buland Darwaza is associated with Emperor Akbar and was built to commemorate his victory in Gujarat. Step 2: Remember that it forms the grand entrance to the palace and mosque complex at Fatehpur Sikri. Step 3: Identify Fatehpur Sikri as a historic town near Agra, which is in Uttar Pradesh. Step 4: Check the options and note that Uttar Pradesh is present, indicating that this is the likely correct state. Step 5: Recognise that West Bengal, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh do not include Fatehpur Sikri or Buland Darwaza within their boundaries. Step 6: Confirm by recalling that tourists who visit Agra often also visit Fatehpur Sikri and its Buland Darwaza during the same trip within Uttar Pradesh.

Verification / Alternative Check:
You can verify this by remembering standard tour circuits: Delhi Agra Fatehpur Sikri are grouped together in North India, all within or linked to Uttar Pradesh. History textbooks and travel guides also explicitly mention Fatehpur Sikri in Uttar Pradesh. None of them place Buland Darwaza in states like Gujarat or Tamil Nadu. This clear and repeated association with Agra and Uttar Pradesh confirms that Uttar Pradesh is the correct state for this question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
West Bengal has important monuments like Victoria Memorial and Dakshineswar temple but does not contain Buland Darwaza. Gujarat is linked to Akbar's victory that the gateway commemorates, but the monument itself is not located there. Tamil Nadu is in southern India and has its own Dravidian temple architecture, not this Mughal gateway. Madhya Pradesh has historical cities such as Gwalior and Mandu, but Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri is not in this state.

Common Pitfalls:
Because the gateway was built to celebrate a victory in Gujarat, some students confuse the campaign location with the monument location and wrongly choose Gujarat. Others may simply guess a state without linking Fatehpur Sikri to Uttar Pradesh. To avoid such mistakes, always try to recall the exact city connected to the monument and then map that city to its present day state. For Buland Darwaza, remembering the simple phrase Fatehpur Sikri near Agra in Uttar Pradesh makes the question straightforward.

Final Answer:
Buland Darwaza is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh at Fatehpur Sikri near Agra.