Red Fort
Red Fort (Lal Qila)
The landmark of Delhi, this massive fort is the most magnificent of all Indian royal palaces, is Shah Jahan’s elegant citadel in red sandstone. Shahjahan as citadel of Shahjahanbad built it near Chandni Chowk, at the eastern extremity of the walled city, along the riverfront, the 7th Delhi founded by him self near. The river has since changed its course east-wards. The foundation stone of the fort was laid in 1639 A.D. and completed after 9 years and 3 months at an estimated cost of 9 crores of rupees. The Chief superintend under whose supervision the fort was completed, was the renowned architect Mukarmmat Khan. The fort is an irregular octagonal in plan, with its two long sides on the east and west and six smaller ones on the north and south. The long ditch around it was filled with water during wartime.
After completion of the fort, emperor Shahjahan entered it with gorgeous ritual. Prince Dara scattered jewels, gold and silver coins over his father’s head till he reached the inner gate. All the Palace buildings were already decorated. The floors were covered with magnificent carpets and ceilings, walls and colonnades, were wrapped with fine brocade silk and velvet. A gorgeous shmiayana (tent), costing one lakh of rupees was supported by 3000 strong farrashes. The emperor gave alms with open heart. Princes, ladies of the harem, Ministers and other gained precious gifts and big titles, and Mukarmmat Khan received the high rank of “Panch Hazari.”
Red Fort is indeed a very plain and unassuming name, but in its good days of departed glory it bore great names. Shahjahan and Aurangzeb called it “Qila-e-Mubarak” or the fortunate citadel. In the time of Akbar Shah 2nd and Bahadur Shah it was named as “Qila-e-Mullah” or the fort of exalted dignity. No one can describe the grandeur of the fort during the days of Mughals as after that it has undergone many vicissitudes. In 1719 A.D. the fort and its buildings were greatly damaged by earthquake shocks, in 1739 A.D. Nadir Shah carried away the famous Peacock Throne and the Palace Treasure to Persia, in 1759 A.D. serious havoc was wrought by Maratha and Jat assaults, in 1793 A.D. dreadful Rohilla, named as Gulam Qader set fire to the fort and withdrew, finally after the Mutiny of 1857 A.D. many gardens and building of the fort were demolished. Though the fort has greatly been reduced in size and splendor it is worth a careful visit as it still contains many interesting sites.
Many historical events occurred in this fort. Three eventful courts were constituted in it. The first case was of the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zaffar in 1858 A.D. the second was the heroes of the Indian National Army and the third was of assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. The long felt desire of the Indians was fulfilled on the 15th August 1947 A.D., when the National Tricolour was unfurled by the Prime Minister Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru on the fort, and since then every year on this day the Tricolour is unfurled by the Prime Minister.
The Fort contents many fine buildings : -
LAHORI GATE :
The main gate to the fort takes its name from the fact that it faces towards Lahori, now in Pakistan. The fort is entered from the Lahori Gate facing towards the Chandni Chowk, the city’s most crowded and diverse market and exited from Ring Road side near Vijay Ghat. It is from the rampart of the Lahori gate that the Prime Minister of Independent India have made their historic speeches. The gate leads through Meena Bazaar a place where in gone away days shopkeepers were women, to a roofed passage called Chatta Chowk now lined by lined by antique stores. From here one passage leads to Swatantra Sangram Sanghralaya Museum, which is dedicated to the Indian Freedom struggle. It has life-size plaster casts of freedom fighters. A well-preserved copy of Delhi Gazetteer of 1846-47 is worth seeing, and another leads to the Naqqar (Naubat) Khana, which was used to be a musician’s gallery.
NAUBAT KHANA :
Naubat Khana or Naqqar Khana (meaning the Drum House) is situated at the entrance of the palace area and it was here that music was played five times a day at the appointed hours. Also known as ‘Hathi Pol’ (Elephant Gate), visitors were obliges to dismounted from their elephants here. This three-storeyed rectangular building boasts of carved designs on its red stone walls. It is said that these carvings were originally painted with gold. The paintings were done on the interiors as well. It is believed that later Mughal kings such as Jahandar Shah (1712-13) and Farrukhsiyar (1713-19) were murdered here. It now houses the War Memorial Museum on its upper storey.
DIWAN-I-AM :
The “Hall of Public Audiences’ was where the emperor would sit to hear complaints or disputes form his subjects. This red sandstone building stands on a plinth of stone. The pillars and ceiling of the Diwan-I-Am were richly decorated with gilded stucco the floors were covered with priceless carpets while heavily brocaded drapes enclosed the space. In the center of the front wall inside the Diwan-I-Am is a marble recess. On its front wall is the mosaic work of Austin de Bordenux French artist of genius, representing beautiful birds, flowers and fruits in the most natural manner. At the time of the Mutiny in 1857 many of these jewels and stones were picked out. This beautiful side is called Emperor’s throne. Daily in the morning the Royal Darbar was held here. Rang Mahal, decorated with colored jewels and stones, which are formerly adorned. The original ceiling was of silver and ornamented with golden flowers but in the reign of Farrukhsyar it was taken and melted down. In the center of the Rang Mahal is a tank in which there is a beautiful Lotus Flower, like a cup of marble.
MUMTAZ MAHAL :
The six main royal apartments starting from Mumtaz Mahal (which was part of the imperial seraglio at the southern end today it houses the Delhi Museum of Archaeology) were built along the river-front, with the Nahar-I-Bihisht, or the stream of Paradise flowing through them. Among these apartments is Sheesh Mahal, studded with tiny mirrors, each of which reflected the light of a single candle burned in the room. Standing on a magnificent marble pavilion.
DIWAN-I-KHAS :
The ‘Hall of Private Audiences’ was the luxurious chamber where the emperor would hold private meetings. Centrepiece of the hall, until Nadir Shah carted it off to Iran in 1739, was the magnificent Peacock Throne. The solid gold throne had figures of peacocks standing behind it, their beautiful colours coming from countless inlaid precious stones. Between them was the figures of a parrot carved out of a single emerald. This masterpiece in precious metals, sapphires, rubies, emeralds and pearls was broken up, and the so-called Peacock Throne displayed in Tehran simply utilizes various bits of the original.
In 1760 the Marathas also removed the silver ceiling from the hall so today it is a pale shadow of its former glory. Inscribed on the walls of the Diwan-I-Khas is that famous Persian couplet :
If there is a paradise on earth
It is this, it is this, it is this.
It was here, where the emperor used to retire after his morning durbar in Diwan-I-Am, for confidential discussion with the privileged few. Many political events occurred in the Diwan-I-Khas. In fact this building is bound up with innumerable historical events. On the northern side or the Diwan-I-Khas, is the Khas Mahal, the set of three marble apartments, communicating with each other. Tasbi-Khana, or the house of worship, Khawab-Gah, or the bedchamber and Baithak or the conversation house. From here the emperors and their wives witnessed elephant fights and the tricks of jugglers and acrobats below the walls of the fort. In the middle of Tabi-Khana and Khawab-Gah is the Scale of Justice with moon and stars inlaid in gold over the beautiful carved marble screen. There is also a semi-octagonal tower, the Muthamman Burj, where the emperor made a brief, daily appearance. A balcony was later added, and it was here the King George V and Queen Mary appeared before the citizens of Delhi.
ROYAL BATHS :
North of the Diwan-I-Khas are the Hammams, the royal baths. Here even the floor is covered with “embroidery in stone”, as the marble inlay work has aptly been described. West of the royal apartments is the exquisite Pearl Mosque, build in 1662 by Aurangzeb the last of the “great” Mughals. The original domes of the mosque were made of heavily gilded copper, which were destroyed during the mutiny, and later on marble domes were added. North of the mosque lies the Hayat Baksh, gardens the mango trees of which were praised by the poets of medieval Delhi. The British added some buildings within the citadel when it was garrisoned and these continue to be used by the army.
MOTI MASJID :
Built in 1659 by Aurangzeb the Pearl Mosque is next to the baths. It is made of marble. The personal mosque of Aurungzeb, Moti Masjid or Pearl Mosque lies to the west of Hammam. Situated on a higher level than courtyards, the prayer-hall of the mosque has inlaid black-marble outlines of ‘musallas’ (small carpets for prayers) and is surmounted by three bulbous domes. It is said that these domes were originally copper plated and even the eastern door is plated with copper leaves. The ladies of the seraglio also used the mosque to offer their prayers to God.
SOUND AND LIGHT :
Shows or son et lumiere as it is better known, highlighting particular phases of history are held here. The shows are in Hindi and English with tickets costing Rs. 20, available at the Fort. The English seasons are from November to January at 7.30 p.m., in January to April and September to October at 8.30 p.m. and from May to August at 9 p.m.
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