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Construction of the Red Fort
Shah Jahan was one of the greatest rulers of the Mughal
Dynasty in India. In 1638 when the emperor moved the
capital of India from Agra to Delhi, a new royal palace
was constructed which was known as the Red Fort or Lal
Qila. The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan started construction
of the massive fort in 1638 and work was completed in
1648. The Red Fort served as the center of the Mughal
Empire for more than 200 years.
Architecture of the Red Fort
The Red fort is very powerful fort with immense
fortifications. The Lal Qila rises above a 9 m wide dry
deep moat, originally fed by the Yamuna River. The river
itself has now shifted more than 1 km to the East. This
fort is known so due to its massive red sandstone walls
which have withstood the vagaries of time and nature.
Its walls extend from two kilometers and vary in height
from 18 metres on the river side to 33 metres on the
city side. This fort is built in an octagon shape
measuring 900 m by 550 m. The fort contains some of the
buildings of the Mughal government which are Diwan-i-am
(Hall of public audience), Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of private
audiences), domed and arched marble palaces, plush
private apartments, a mosque and elaborately designed
gardens. Even today, the fort remains an impressive
testimony to Mughal grandeur, despite being attacked by
the Persian Emperor Nadir Shah in 1739 and by the
British soldiers during the war of independence in 1857.
The main entrance to the fort is through the imposing
Lahore Gate. This gate is named so as it faces Lahore,
now in Pakistan. Some important speeches have been made
here by freedom fighters and national leaders of India.
The Lahore Gate overlooks the large Maidan, the massive
open space. This maidan has been used for political
rallies ever since the time of the independence
movement. It is from here that the Prime Minister of
India address the people on 15th August, the
Independence Day.
Attractions within the Fort
The main entrance opens on to the Chatta Chowk. This
place was also known as the Meena Bazaar, the shopping
centre for the ladies of the court. This market houses
the Delhi's most talented jewellers, carpet makers,
weavers and goldsmiths. This bazaar has an excellent
collection of antiques, miniature paintings, ivory
jewellery and carpets. Just beyond the Chatta Chowk is
the heart of the fort called Naubat Khana or the Drum
House. The musicians used to play for the emperor from
the Naubat Khana and the arrival of princes and royalty
was heralded from here. The Fort also houses the
Diwan-i-Am or the Hall of Public Audiences where the
Emperor would sit and hear complaints of the common
people.
His alcove in the wall was marble-paneled and was set
with precious stones, many of which were looted after
the mutiny of 1857. The Diwan-i-Khas is the hall of
private audience where the Emperor held private
meetings. This hall is made of marble and its
centre-piece used to be the Shah Jahan's Peacock Throne,
which was carried away to Iran by Nadir Shah in 1739.
The palace is made of white marble and decorated in gold
and precious stones. On the ceiling above it are written
the famous verses of Amir Khusro in gold letters "If
there is a paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it
is this." Today, the Diwan-i-Khas is only a pale shadow
of its original glory, yet the verses of Amir Khusro
reminds us of its former glory. The other attractions
within this monument are the Royal Baths or hammams, the
Shahi Burj, which used to be Shah Jahan's private
working area and the Moti Masjid or the Pearl Mosque,
built by Aurangzeb for his personal use. The Rang Mahal
or the "Palace of Colours" housed the Emperor's wives
and mistresses. This palace holds a spectacular Lotus
shaped fountain, made out of a single piece of marble.
This palace was crowned with gilded turrets and
delicately painted and decorated with excellent
paintings, gold bordered projections, with an intricate
mosaic of mirrors, and the ceiling was overlaid with
gold and silver that was reflected in a central pool in
the marble floor. |
