Red Fort of Delhi - लाल किले
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The Red Fort of Delhi is a massive monument built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. It took approximately 10 years to complete the Red Fort of Delhi that was started in the year 1638. Situated on the embankment of river Yamuna, the fort was constructed during the zenith of Mughal Empire. The Red fort was supposed to be the fortress of the Shah Jahan's new capital at Delhi, Shahjahanabad. Today, the Red fort serves as the venue for the Prime Minister's Speech that is given on the Independence Day of the country.
Lal Quila of Delhi is surrounded by a moat, now dry, and walls that stretch on for approximately two km. The width of the wall varies from 18 m on the riverside to 33 m on the city side. The fort comprises of a number of structures like Diwan-i-am (Hall of Public Audience), Diwan-i-khas (Hall of Private Audience), palaces, private apartments, Moti Masjid (mosque), etc. Chatta Chowk, once the market of the Delhi's most talented jewelers, carpet makers, weavers and goldsmiths, provides the main entrance to the Delhi Red Fort.
This market now mainly houses jewelry and ornaments for the purpose of the tourists. A little farther from the Chatta Chowk is the Naubat Khana or the Drum House, where the musicians used to play for the emperor. Other attractions of the Red fort of Delhi include Hamaam (Royal bath), Shahi Burj (Shah Jahan's private working area), Rang Mahal (Palace of Colors) etc. The Rang Mahal served as the palace of the wives and mistresses of the Emperor. Gild turrets, mirror work and gold and silver covered ceiling adorn the palace.
The Lahori Gate is the main entrance to the Red Fort. The gate faces the direction to Lahore (now in Pakistan), hence the name Lahori Gate. The gate forms a part of a massive stone fortification and is made up of dull pink sandstone. The grassy area above this massive gateway and below the tall ramparts of the fort is the place from where the prime minister of India addresses and leads the nation in celebrating the Independence Day.
Passing the Naubat Khana, one comes face to face with the Diwan-I-Aam (hall of public audience). It was in this flat-roof hall, having rows of cusped arches, that the emperor met his subjects. The emperor sat on a lavish marble-paneled throne set within an inlaid and painted alcove, built into the back wall of the hall. The throne was also studded with precious stones. A platform is located below the throne where the announcer read out royal farmans (royal edict) and list of gifts to be handed out to important people.
The Diwan-I-Aam served as a screen that protected the royal quarters behind it from the prying eyes of outsiders. The private quarters of the royalty consisted of a number of buildings. The Diwan-I-Khas (hall of private audience), made out of white marble, is a luxurious chamber where the emperor held private meetings with important people or with other members of the royal family. The roof and walls of this hall were painted and decorated with inlay work (pietra dura). Though precious stones from the inlay work have gone, the original splendor remains. The floral patterns that are still there reflect the high degree of skill of the Mughal artisans. The centerpiece of this hall was the magnificent Peacock Throne. It is said that the throne was built out of solid gold and had figures of peacocks standing behind it. However, presently, one can only see the marble pedestal on which the throne used to rest. The other important feature of this hall was that it had a ceiling made out of silver. Inscribed on the walls of the Diwan-I-Khas is the famous Persian couplet: "Gar firdaus, ruhe zamin ast, hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin asto" (If there is a paradise on the face of the earth, it is here, it is here, it is here.).
Next to the Diwan-I-Khas are the hammams or royal baths; these consist of three rooms topped by domes, with a fountain in the center. These rooms have floors and walls made of marble and inlaid with precious stones. Near the hammams is a three-story octagonal structure called the Shahi Burj (royal tower), which was emperor Shahjahan's private working area. The waterworks from this tower on the northeastern part of the fort go to the Rang Mahal (palace of the chief queen) in the south. To the west of the royal baths is the Moti Masjid (pearl mosque) built in AD 1659 by Aurangzeb (Shahjahan's son) for his personal use.
The Red Fort or the Lal Quila, situated on the western bank of the river Yamuna forms the majestic centerpiece of Mughal Emperor Shahajahan's medieval walled city 'Shah Jahanabad' (Old Delhi). This sandstone citadel encompasses grand audience halls, marble palaces ornamented with exquisite pietra dura once embedded with precious stones, a market place where the royalty used to shop, a mosque, gardens with marbled fountains, plazas, baths etc. The Red Fort is enclosed by nearly 2 1/2 km of battlement walls which vary in height from 18.5 m (60ft) at its highest watch towers on the river side to 33m on the city side and is surrounded by a 9m deep moat. It was here, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, unfurled the Indian flag on 15 August 1947 commemorating the end of the British colonial rule. Every year on Independence day, the Prime minister addresses a huge crowd assembled in the Maidan (ground) overlooking the fort, from its Lahore gate.
Shahjahan, started the construction of this massive fort in 1638, when he shifted the capital from Agra to Delhi. The fort was completed along with the huge city of Shajahanabad after nine years on 16th April 1648. The city was laid out with wide roads, residential quarters, bazars, mosques and enclosed in a rubble built wall with 14 gates, some of which still exists. The main street was Chandni Chouk with a tree lined canal flowing down its centre and the remarkable buildings which showed off the magnificence of Mughal style architecture were the Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India and the Red fort. Now Chandni Chowk is a crowded colourful market bustling with shops, craftsmen's workshops, hotels, mosques and temples.
The fort got its name from the ample use of red sandstone walls and is octagon in shape. The two main gateways are the Lahore Gate and the Delhi Gate. The entrance is through the Lahore Gate which forms a part of a massive stone fortification and is made up of dull pink sandstone. The path leads to the vaulted shopping arcade known as Chatta Chowk, lined with shops originally where the royal household used to shop for silks, brocades, velvets, gold and silver ware, jewellery, gems etc. The arcade was also known as Meena bazar which offered exclusive shopping, just for ladies of the court on Thursdays. Today the shops cater to tourists with souvenirs, antiques etc and the upper levels are the quarters of Indian Army families.
At the end of the Chatta Chowk is the Naubat Khana (Drum house) where ceremonial music was played by the musicians to glorify the emperor and special tunes were played to announce the arrival of the royalty and important dignitaries. The drum house has four floors and it also served as a gate house 'Hathi Pol' where the visiting dignitaries had to leave their horses and elephants. The red sandstone walls are beautifully decorated with floral designs originally painted in gold with an inner courtyard surrounded by galleries. But the galleries were removed as the fort underwent a number of changes when it became the British Army Headquarters. Just above the Naubat Khana is the Indian War Memorial Museum which has a collection of armours, guns, swords and other items related to war. There is the Swatantra Sangrama Sangrahalaya (Museum of the Independence movement) displaying letters, photos, newspaper cuttings located amongst the army buildings just before Naubat Khana.
Diwan-i-Am, Red fortFrom Naubhat Khana, a path runs east through wide lawns to the Diwan-i-Am (Public Audience hall). In this elegant hall, the Emperor sat daily on a royal marble throne with decorative marble panels behind, that sparkled with inlaid precious stones to hear complaints or disputes from his subjects and to deal with administrative matters. Some of these panels, removed by British soldiers during the Indian Mutiny of 1857, were discovered in London and restored 50 years later by Lord Curzon. The floral patterns that are still there reflect the high degree of skill of the Mughal artisans. Beyond Diwan-i-Am, entrance was allowed only to the royalty.
There is a large formal garden and a row of five small palaces along the east wall of the fort, behind the Diwan-i-Am. The palaces were beautifully decorated with silver ceilings ornamented with golden flowers and crowned with gilded turrets, delicately painted and decorated with intricate pieces of mirrors. Between the garden and the palaces there was a stream flowing Nahr-i-Bihisht (Stream of Paradise) with a network of lotus shaped marble fountains. The palace on the extreme south is the Mumtaz Mahal (Palace of Jewels), now the Red Fort Museum of Archaeology, (Open daily except Fri 9am-5pm) with six apartments displaying relics from the Mughal Period including numerous paintings, weapons, textiles, carpets, ornate chess sets, hookahs and metal work.
Close to the Mumtaz Mahal is the Rang Mahal ('Palace of Colors') once elaborately painted, where the emperors main wife resided and where the emperor ate most of his meals. The stream ran through the palace and ended in the lotus shaped central pool in the marble floor originally with an ivory fountain in the center. Hundreds of small mirrors were set into the ceilings of apartments on either sides known as the Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors).
On the northern side of Rang Mahal, is the Khas Mahal, the exclusive three roomed palace of the emperor. The southern chamber is the Tosh Khana (robe room), has a beautiful marble filigree screen on its north wall, carved with the scales of justice. Viewing the screen from the north you'll see suns surrounding the scales, but from the south these look more like moons. In the center is the Khwabgah (Palace of dreams) with an octagonal tower projecting over the east wall of the Khas Mahal where the emperor used to appear daily before throngs gathered on the riverbanks below. In 1911, when Delhi was declared capital, King George V and Queen Mary sat in the balcony here as the Durbar celebrated their coronation. The north chamber is the Tasbih Khana where the emperor used to worship privately.
The majestic Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of private audience), made of marble was where the Emperor held private meetings andDiwan-E--Khas received important guests seated on his priceless Peacock Throne. It is said that the throne which took 7 years to make, was built out of solid gold embedded with precious stones such as sapphires, rubies, emeralds, pearls and diamonds and had figures of peacocks standing behind. The throne was carried away to Iran by Nadir Shah when he sacked Delhi in 1739. Later it was broken up by Nadir Shah's assassins in 1747. Such was the splendor of those days that inscribed on the walls of the Diwan-i-Khas is the words of the famous Persian poet, Amir Khusrau - "If there is a paradise on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here". But today, the Diwan-i-Khas is only a pale shadow of its original glory.
Close to the Diwan-i-Khas is the Hammams or the Royal Baths with three apartments surmounted by domes, where royalty took hot saunas and perfumed baths. The apartments on either side had hot and cold baths and are separated by corridors with canals to carry water to each room. The room in the centre has three fountain basins which emitted rose water and it is reputed that four tonnes of wood were required to heat the water. The floors of these apartments are built with marble and were inlaid with floral patterns of multicoloured stones. The baths are closed to the public.
Pearl MosqueNext to the Hammam lies the Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque), built in 1662 by Aurangzeb (Shahjahan's son) for his personal use. The prayer-hall of the mosque stands on a raised platform and is inlaid with outlines of 'Musallas' (mats for prayers) in black marble. The small mosque is completely enclosed, made of polished marble with some exquisite decoration and has three domes. One peculiar thing is that the interior and exterior walls are not aligned with each other, while the exterior walls are in symmetry with the rest of the fort, the inner walls are positioned in such a way for the mosque to be correctly facing Mecca.
Shahi Burj (Royal Pavilion) the three storied octagonal tower, situated on the northeastern edge of the fort was the emperor's private working place. It was from the pavilion next to the tower that the stream begins flowing south along the royal terrace to the royal baths and the palaces. The tower is closed to the public. The Yamuna river used to lap the walls of the tower but now has retreated some distance away.
Shatabdi Express air-conditioned fast tourist train operates to Bhopal (via Agra, Gwalior, Jhansi), Lucknow (via Kanpur) and Chandigarh, provides access to some of the neighboring tourist centres.
Bus : Buses from all the major places in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are available for getting to Delhi. During the summer months, air-conditioned coaches are recommended. Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) operates special services from railway stations to different parts of the city.
The fort contains all the important buildings of Mughal government like the Halls of Public and Private Audience Diwan-I-Aam and Diwan-I-Khas, marble palaces, private apartments, a mosque and elaborately designed gardens. It was attacked by the Persian Emperor Nadir Shah in 1739 AD and by the British soldiers during the war of independence in 1857.
Entrance to the fort is through the imposing Lahore Gate, which takes its name from the fact that it faces Lahore, now in Pakistan. This gate was built by Aurangzeb during his reign and is also known as the Laj Ki Diwar. There is a story that the bazaar of Chandini Chowk was visible from the Diwan-I-Aam. The nobles had to mount down the horse while crossing the bazaar when the emperor was presiding over the hall. Aurangzeb got the wall constructed to make the nobles free from discomfort.
The main entrance of the Red Fort opens towards the Chatta Chowk, which was a covered street flanked with arched cells. The street used to house Delhi's most talented jewelers, carpet makers, weavers and goldsmiths. This arcade was also known as the Meena Bazaar and was the shopping center for the ladies of the court. Beyond the Chatta Chowk is the 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 other attractions within the Red Fort are the Royal Baths or Hammams, the Shahi Burj, Shahjahan'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 Colors was the living chamber of the Emperor's wives and mistresses. This palace was crowned with gilded turrets, delicately painted and decorated with an intricate mosaic of mirrors, and a ceiling overlaid with gold and silver that was reflected in a central pool in the marble floor.
The fort is octagonal in shape, like most Islamic buildings in India. The north of the fort is connected to the smaller Salimgarh fort. The Red Fort is an intimidating structure. It measures 900m by 550m, with its rampart walls covering a perimeter of 2.41km. It towers at a height of 33.5m. On the outside, you can still see the moat that was originally connected with the Yamuna River.
Every year, on the 15th of August, the National Flag of India is hoisted at the Red Fort by the Prime Minister , celebrating India's independence.
Fort of Salimgarh
The erstwhile city of Tughlaqabad was the third fort city of Delhi. The massive ramparts, battlements and the extensive stonework of this fort not only reflect the might of the Tughlaq dynasty but also speak highly of the engineering skills of the workmen who constructed it.
It is said that the ruin of Tughlaqabad fort and the death of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq were due to the curse of a Muslim Saint, whose wrath had been incurred by the insolent king. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq, who is also accused of having murdered his father Ghiyas-ud-din, built Adilabad and Nai-ka-Kot, two small fortresses adjacent to Tughlaqabad fort.
Adilabad became the fourth fort of Delhi and contained a grand palace of a thousand pillars and splendid halls within its periphery. Later, Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq went on to enclose the area lying between Siri (a fortress built by Ala-ud-din Khilji of the Khilji dynasty that ruled over the Delhi Sultanate before the Tughlaq dynasty), Tughlaqabad and the Qutab complex.
The city thus enclosed came to be known as Jahanpanah. Ruins of the gigantic ramparts of two of the fortresses and some portions of the Jahanpanah walls have survived the ravages of time and are still there. A small portion of the Jahanpanah watchtower Bijai Mandal still stands amidst the ruins dominating the landscape.
However, it is believed that Muhammad-bin Tughlaq himself brought about the ruin of his city by transferring the capital from Delhi to Devagiri in the Deccan (southern region of India), compelling the entire population including the sick, old and children to move on foot.
A few years later he ordered them back to Delhi. But the splendor and the soul of the city had been killed and Muhammad-bin Tughlaq earned the title of the mad king.
Ibn Batuta, the 14th century Moorish traveler and chronicler of Mohammed-bin Tughlaq, recorded the splendour of the hazar sutun palace (thousand pillared hall), where Muhammad-bin Tughlaq sat under a wooden canopy for public audience.
This grand palace has since been destroyed and the whole structural complex of the citadel reduced to unidentifiable ruins. Amongst these ruins is a small octagonal structure atop a set of oblong rooms, the Bijai Mandal.
The Bijai Mandal is an intriguing edifice, as it is neither a palace nor a tower and the purpose of building it still remains a mystery. From the top of this structure, Muhammad bin Tughlaq probably watched the movements of his troops, as it seems to be an observation post of considerable strategic importance. It could also have been the pavilion of winds, where the members of the royal family relaxed and enjoyed the panoramic view of the surroundings.
The sloping path skirting the structure was probably meant for the Sultan's walk back to his apartments. The rooms are now mere skeletons but on the floor one would not fail to notice two big holes, which led to the royal vaults or the treasury.
On a leveled platform in front of these rooms one can see holes on paved stones in regular lines. These holes secured the wooden pillars in place and are now the only indications of the existence of the magnificent structure here. Ruins of some residential structures that once formed part of the royal apartments are also there to the east of this mound.
Shah Jahan, incidentally was also the king who built the Taj Mahal of Agra. The fort has the Diwan-e-am, where the king would grant audience to the public to listen to their problems. The other feature is the Diwan-e-Khas (khas means special) where the king would grant audience to important people. Besides this, is the Rang Mahal, the water-cooled apartment for the royal ladies. In the basement of the fort is a market where several traditional Indian goods can be purchased at nominal rates. Another attraction is the Light and Sound Show held in the evenings.
Airport Coach (non-airconditioned) is operated by Delhi Transport Corporation (via Connaught Place and Railway Stations) to Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT), Kashmiri Gate and by Ex- Servicemen's Airlink Transport Service to Connaught Place. The coach covers all major hotels enroute.
Lal Quila of Delhi is surrounded by a moat, now dry, and walls that stretch on for approximately two km. The width of the wall varies from 18 m on the riverside to 33 m on the city side. The fort comprises of a number of structures like Diwan-i-am (Hall of Public Audience), Diwan-i-khas (Hall of Private Audience), palaces, private apartments, Moti Masjid (mosque), etc. Chatta Chowk, once the market of the Delhi's most talented jewelers, carpet makers, weavers and goldsmiths, provides the main entrance to the Delhi Red Fort.
This market now mainly houses jewelry and ornaments for the purpose of the tourists. A little farther from the Chatta Chowk is the Naubat Khana or the Drum House, where the musicians used to play for the emperor. Other attractions of the Red fort of Delhi include Hamaam (Royal bath), Shahi Burj (Shah Jahan's private working area), Rang Mahal (Palace of Colors) etc. The Rang Mahal served as the palace of the wives and mistresses of the Emperor. Gild turrets, mirror work and gold and silver covered ceiling adorn the palace.
Symbol Of Indian
The Red Fort (Lal Quila) is an important landmark of the city of Delhi. The Mughal emperor Shahjahan built it when he shifted the imperial capital from Lahore to Delhi. The Red Fort reflected the might of the Mughals in the past and is now symbolic of India's independence. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime Minister of India, unfurled the Indian tricolor on the ramparts of this magnificent fort on 15 August 1947 marking the end of the British colonial rule. Since then, on every Independence Day (15 August), a grand function is held at Red Fort, where the prime minister of India unfurls the Indian tricolor and makes a speech from its ramparts.Mughal Military Architecture
The Red Fort is a good example of Mughal military architecture. The tall ramparts, heavily fortified gateways, a moat surrounding the fort, etc., reflect the architectural skills of the Mughal rulers. The style of architecture followed in building the monuments within the periphery of this fort conforms to the Islamic style with liberal local influences. A good example of the Islamic style is the use of elaborate patterns and intricately carved marble screens (jali).Red Fort
Shahjahan, the fifth Mughal emperor and grandson of Akbar, moved the imperial capital back to Delhi from Lahore in 1638. Within eight years, Shahjahanabad was completed with the Red Fort-the then Quila-I-Mubarak (fortunate citadel)-ready in all its magnificence to receive Shahjahan. However, Shahjahan could not enjoy his new city as his son Aurangzeb imprisoned him in the Agra Fort, where spent the rest of his life. Though much has changed now because of large-scale demolitions during the British occupation of the fort, its important structures have survived. The Red Fort gets its name from the use of red sandstone in its construction. It is situated on the western banks of the Yamuna (which has since changed its course). The walls of this fort extend for 2 km and vary in height. The height of the walls is 18 m on the riverside, while it is 33 m on the city side. The fort has two important gateways-Lahori Gate and Delhi Gate.The Lahori Gate is the main entrance to the Red Fort. The gate faces the direction to Lahore (now in Pakistan), hence the name Lahori Gate. The gate forms a part of a massive stone fortification and is made up of dull pink sandstone. The grassy area above this massive gateway and below the tall ramparts of the fort is the place from where the prime minister of India addresses and leads the nation in celebrating the Independence Day.
Important Monuments Within The Fort
There are a number of important and interesting buildings within the Red Fort. As soon as one enters the Lahori Gate, one finds himself in a vaulted arcade-the Chatta Chowk-that is full of shops selling souvenirs and gift articles. During the time of the Mughals, the shopkeepers used to sell silk items, jewelry, and gold. This arcade of shops was then known as the Meena Bazaar. The arcade leads to the Naubat Khana (drum house), where musicians played for the emperor and announced the arrival of the royalty and important dignitaries.Passing the Naubat Khana, one comes face to face with the Diwan-I-Aam (hall of public audience). It was in this flat-roof hall, having rows of cusped arches, that the emperor met his subjects. The emperor sat on a lavish marble-paneled throne set within an inlaid and painted alcove, built into the back wall of the hall. The throne was also studded with precious stones. A platform is located below the throne where the announcer read out royal farmans (royal edict) and list of gifts to be handed out to important people.
The Diwan-I-Aam served as a screen that protected the royal quarters behind it from the prying eyes of outsiders. The private quarters of the royalty consisted of a number of buildings. The Diwan-I-Khas (hall of private audience), made out of white marble, is a luxurious chamber where the emperor held private meetings with important people or with other members of the royal family. The roof and walls of this hall were painted and decorated with inlay work (pietra dura). Though precious stones from the inlay work have gone, the original splendor remains. The floral patterns that are still there reflect the high degree of skill of the Mughal artisans. The centerpiece of this hall was the magnificent Peacock Throne. It is said that the throne was built out of solid gold and had figures of peacocks standing behind it. However, presently, one can only see the marble pedestal on which the throne used to rest. The other important feature of this hall was that it had a ceiling made out of silver. Inscribed on the walls of the Diwan-I-Khas is the famous Persian couplet: "Gar firdaus, ruhe zamin ast, hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin asto" (If there is a paradise on the face of the earth, it is here, it is here, it is here.).
Next to the Diwan-I-Khas are the hammams or royal baths; these consist of three rooms topped by domes, with a fountain in the center. These rooms have floors and walls made of marble and inlaid with precious stones. Near the hammams is a three-story octagonal structure called the Shahi Burj (royal tower), which was emperor Shahjahan's private working area. The waterworks from this tower on the northeastern part of the fort go to the Rang Mahal (palace of the chief queen) in the south. To the west of the royal baths is the Moti Masjid (pearl mosque) built in AD 1659 by Aurangzeb (Shahjahan's son) for his personal use.
Other Important Buildings
The Khas Mahal (special palace), to the south of the Diwan-I-Khas, was the emperor's private palace. It is divided into rooms for sleeping, living, and worship. Like the Diwan-I-Khas, the Khas Mahal has splendid cusped arches set in white marble. It is profusely decorated with inlay work and the apartment has windows with finely patterned trelliswork overlooking the river. The Rang Mahal (recreation palace) is to the south of the Khas Mahal. The rooms in this palace have exquisite archways, trellises, channels, and fountains for cooling the interiors. The marble lotus, a fountain in the center of Rang Mahal, carved out of a single slab, is a piece of sheer beauty. In its sculptured grandeur, the lotus is matched only by the trellis wall under the scales of justice in the Khwab Gah. Water flowing from the Shahi Burj used to end up here. The Rang Mahal was the residence of the chief queen. The Mumtaz Mahal (the palace of Mumtaz, the chief queen of Shahjahan) has now been converted into a museum and contains artifacts belonging to the Mughal era.The Red Fort or the Lal Quila, situated on the western bank of the river Yamuna forms the majestic centerpiece of Mughal Emperor Shahajahan's medieval walled city 'Shah Jahanabad' (Old Delhi). This sandstone citadel encompasses grand audience halls, marble palaces ornamented with exquisite pietra dura once embedded with precious stones, a market place where the royalty used to shop, a mosque, gardens with marbled fountains, plazas, baths etc. The Red Fort is enclosed by nearly 2 1/2 km of battlement walls which vary in height from 18.5 m (60ft) at its highest watch towers on the river side to 33m on the city side and is surrounded by a 9m deep moat. It was here, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, unfurled the Indian flag on 15 August 1947 commemorating the end of the British colonial rule. Every year on Independence day, the Prime minister addresses a huge crowd assembled in the Maidan (ground) overlooking the fort, from its Lahore gate.
Shahjahan, started the construction of this massive fort in 1638, when he shifted the capital from Agra to Delhi. The fort was completed along with the huge city of Shajahanabad after nine years on 16th April 1648. The city was laid out with wide roads, residential quarters, bazars, mosques and enclosed in a rubble built wall with 14 gates, some of which still exists. The main street was Chandni Chouk with a tree lined canal flowing down its centre and the remarkable buildings which showed off the magnificence of Mughal style architecture were the Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India and the Red fort. Now Chandni Chowk is a crowded colourful market bustling with shops, craftsmen's workshops, hotels, mosques and temples.
The fort got its name from the ample use of red sandstone walls and is octagon in shape. The two main gateways are the Lahore Gate and the Delhi Gate. The entrance is through the Lahore Gate which forms a part of a massive stone fortification and is made up of dull pink sandstone. The path leads to the vaulted shopping arcade known as Chatta Chowk, lined with shops originally where the royal household used to shop for silks, brocades, velvets, gold and silver ware, jewellery, gems etc. The arcade was also known as Meena bazar which offered exclusive shopping, just for ladies of the court on Thursdays. Today the shops cater to tourists with souvenirs, antiques etc and the upper levels are the quarters of Indian Army families.
At the end of the Chatta Chowk is the Naubat Khana (Drum house) where ceremonial music was played by the musicians to glorify the emperor and special tunes were played to announce the arrival of the royalty and important dignitaries. The drum house has four floors and it also served as a gate house 'Hathi Pol' where the visiting dignitaries had to leave their horses and elephants. The red sandstone walls are beautifully decorated with floral designs originally painted in gold with an inner courtyard surrounded by galleries. But the galleries were removed as the fort underwent a number of changes when it became the British Army Headquarters. Just above the Naubat Khana is the Indian War Memorial Museum which has a collection of armours, guns, swords and other items related to war. There is the Swatantra Sangrama Sangrahalaya (Museum of the Independence movement) displaying letters, photos, newspaper cuttings located amongst the army buildings just before Naubat Khana.
Diwan-i-Am, Red fortFrom Naubhat Khana, a path runs east through wide lawns to the Diwan-i-Am (Public Audience hall). In this elegant hall, the Emperor sat daily on a royal marble throne with decorative marble panels behind, that sparkled with inlaid precious stones to hear complaints or disputes from his subjects and to deal with administrative matters. Some of these panels, removed by British soldiers during the Indian Mutiny of 1857, were discovered in London and restored 50 years later by Lord Curzon. The floral patterns that are still there reflect the high degree of skill of the Mughal artisans. Beyond Diwan-i-Am, entrance was allowed only to the royalty.
There is a large formal garden and a row of five small palaces along the east wall of the fort, behind the Diwan-i-Am. The palaces were beautifully decorated with silver ceilings ornamented with golden flowers and crowned with gilded turrets, delicately painted and decorated with intricate pieces of mirrors. Between the garden and the palaces there was a stream flowing Nahr-i-Bihisht (Stream of Paradise) with a network of lotus shaped marble fountains. The palace on the extreme south is the Mumtaz Mahal (Palace of Jewels), now the Red Fort Museum of Archaeology, (Open daily except Fri 9am-5pm) with six apartments displaying relics from the Mughal Period including numerous paintings, weapons, textiles, carpets, ornate chess sets, hookahs and metal work.
Close to the Mumtaz Mahal is the Rang Mahal ('Palace of Colors') once elaborately painted, where the emperors main wife resided and where the emperor ate most of his meals. The stream ran through the palace and ended in the lotus shaped central pool in the marble floor originally with an ivory fountain in the center. Hundreds of small mirrors were set into the ceilings of apartments on either sides known as the Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors).
On the northern side of Rang Mahal, is the Khas Mahal, the exclusive three roomed palace of the emperor. The southern chamber is the Tosh Khana (robe room), has a beautiful marble filigree screen on its north wall, carved with the scales of justice. Viewing the screen from the north you'll see suns surrounding the scales, but from the south these look more like moons. In the center is the Khwabgah (Palace of dreams) with an octagonal tower projecting over the east wall of the Khas Mahal where the emperor used to appear daily before throngs gathered on the riverbanks below. In 1911, when Delhi was declared capital, King George V and Queen Mary sat in the balcony here as the Durbar celebrated their coronation. The north chamber is the Tasbih Khana where the emperor used to worship privately.
The majestic Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of private audience), made of marble was where the Emperor held private meetings andDiwan-E--Khas received important guests seated on his priceless Peacock Throne. It is said that the throne which took 7 years to make, was built out of solid gold embedded with precious stones such as sapphires, rubies, emeralds, pearls and diamonds and had figures of peacocks standing behind. The throne was carried away to Iran by Nadir Shah when he sacked Delhi in 1739. Later it was broken up by Nadir Shah's assassins in 1747. Such was the splendor of those days that inscribed on the walls of the Diwan-i-Khas is the words of the famous Persian poet, Amir Khusrau - "If there is a paradise on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here". But today, the Diwan-i-Khas is only a pale shadow of its original glory.
Close to the Diwan-i-Khas is the Hammams or the Royal Baths with three apartments surmounted by domes, where royalty took hot saunas and perfumed baths. The apartments on either side had hot and cold baths and are separated by corridors with canals to carry water to each room. The room in the centre has three fountain basins which emitted rose water and it is reputed that four tonnes of wood were required to heat the water. The floors of these apartments are built with marble and were inlaid with floral patterns of multicoloured stones. The baths are closed to the public.
Pearl MosqueNext to the Hammam lies the Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque), built in 1662 by Aurangzeb (Shahjahan's son) for his personal use. The prayer-hall of the mosque stands on a raised platform and is inlaid with outlines of 'Musallas' (mats for prayers) in black marble. The small mosque is completely enclosed, made of polished marble with some exquisite decoration and has three domes. One peculiar thing is that the interior and exterior walls are not aligned with each other, while the exterior walls are in symmetry with the rest of the fort, the inner walls are positioned in such a way for the mosque to be correctly facing Mecca.
Shahi Burj (Royal Pavilion) the three storied octagonal tower, situated on the northeastern edge of the fort was the emperor's private working place. It was from the pavilion next to the tower that the stream begins flowing south along the royal terrace to the royal baths and the palaces. The tower is closed to the public. The Yamuna river used to lap the walls of the tower but now has retreated some distance away.
The Sound and Light Show
Every evening a sound and light show recreates the Red fort's history. There are shows in English and Hindi, and tickets are available from the Fort. The English sessions are held at 7.30pm from November through January, at 8.30pm from February to April and September-October, and at 9pm from May to August. The show is highly recommended.Shatabdi Express air-conditioned fast tourist train operates to Bhopal (via Agra, Gwalior, Jhansi), Lucknow (via Kanpur) and Chandigarh, provides access to some of the neighboring tourist centres.
Bus : Buses from all the major places in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are available for getting to Delhi. During the summer months, air-conditioned coaches are recommended. Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) operates special services from railway stations to different parts of the city.
Red Fort or Lal Qila
Tour to Red FortThe Red Fort or Lal Qila was the part of the city of Shahjahanabad. The fort was started in 1638 AD and completed in 1648 AD by Shahjahan. It is built of red sandstone and has turrets and bastions. The fort is surrounded by a moat in the northeast corner of the city. The wall is two km long and varies in height from 18 m on the riverfront to 33 m in the city.The fort contains all the important buildings of Mughal government like the Halls of Public and Private Audience Diwan-I-Aam and Diwan-I-Khas, marble palaces, private apartments, a mosque and elaborately designed gardens. It was attacked by the Persian Emperor Nadir Shah in 1739 AD and by the British soldiers during the war of independence in 1857.
Entrance to the fort is through the imposing Lahore Gate, which takes its name from the fact that it faces Lahore, now in Pakistan. This gate was built by Aurangzeb during his reign and is also known as the Laj Ki Diwar. There is a story that the bazaar of Chandini Chowk was visible from the Diwan-I-Aam. The nobles had to mount down the horse while crossing the bazaar when the emperor was presiding over the hall. Aurangzeb got the wall constructed to make the nobles free from discomfort.
The main entrance of the Red Fort opens towards the Chatta Chowk, which was a covered street flanked with arched cells. The street used to house Delhi's most talented jewelers, carpet makers, weavers and goldsmiths. This arcade was also known as the Meena Bazaar and was the shopping center for the ladies of the court. Beyond the Chatta Chowk is the 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 other attractions within the Red Fort are the Royal Baths or Hammams, the Shahi Burj, Shahjahan'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 Colors was the living chamber of the Emperor's wives and mistresses. This palace was crowned with gilded turrets, delicately painted and decorated with an intricate mosaic of mirrors, and a ceiling overlaid with gold and silver that was reflected in a central pool in the marble floor.
Delhi Red Fort
Built during the reign of Shah Jahan, the Lal Qila (or Red Fort) has been a mute witness to innumerable conspiracies, scandals, battles..... Completed in a span of nine years, it cost about ten million rupees , with about half the sum going towards the building of palaces.The fort is octagonal in shape, like most Islamic buildings in India. The north of the fort is connected to the smaller Salimgarh fort. The Red Fort is an intimidating structure. It measures 900m by 550m, with its rampart walls covering a perimeter of 2.41km. It towers at a height of 33.5m. On the outside, you can still see the moat that was originally connected with the Yamuna River.
The Major Gateways
Besides the Lahori Gate, the entry point is the Hathipol (elephant gate), where the king and his visitors would dismount from their elephants. The other major attractions of the Red Fort are the Mumtaz Mahal, the Rang Mahal, the Khas Mahal, the Diwan-i-Am, the Diwan-i-Khas, the Hamam and the Shah Burj.Every year, on the 15th of August, the National Flag of India is hoisted at the Red Fort by the Prime Minister , celebrating India's independence.
Other forts of Delhi
Indraprastha Delhi Delhi is one of the oldest living cities in the world with almost 20,000 ancient monuments. Delhi has a rich history and the monuments of Delhi are its evidence. Delhi is not a single city but a combination of eight cities that have been established here at various point of time from as early as 900 BC to 1930 AD when the British completed the construction of Delhi as the capital of imperial India. It is, therefore, the monuments of Delhi successfully represent the development of several architectural styles in the country.Indraprastha
A history of Delhi begins with the creation of the Indraprastha by the Pandavas in c. 1450 BC. It was designed by the legendry architect Maya who made the magnificent palaces and courts for the Pandavas. Recent findings in the archaeological excavations have proved that the city of Indraprastha was located in the Purana Qila or the Old Fort area and was in continuous occupation up to 1000 BC. Delhi fell into oblivion with the decline of Buddhism and remained unimportant when the neighboring cities of Mathura and Kannauj flourished.Lal Kot or Qila-I-Rai Pithora
Lal Kot was built by the Tomar ruler Anangpal I in about 731 A.D and said to have been rebuilt by Anangpal II in 11th century when he transferred the Capital from Kannauj to Delhi. The Chauhans defeated the Tomars in 12th century AD. Prithviraj extended the old city of Lal Kot and added ramparts and moat. Prithviraj was also known as Rai Pithora and thus it came to be known as Qila-I-Rai Pithora, the first city of Delhi. Lal Kot was an oblong structure having seven gates-Sohna, Ranjit, Ghazni, Hauz Rani, Barka, Budaun and Maya. Only ramparts are visible near the Qutub Minar although it is said to have had several Jain and Hindu temples. Mohammad Ghori invaded India towards the end of the 12th century AD from Afghanistan and defeated Prithviraj and occupied Delhi. He, however, returned to Afghanistan after leaving his new kingdom in the hands of his slave Qutub-ud-din Aibak. The Lal Kot continued to be the capital till 1303 AD.Siri Fort
Tughlaqabad FortThe city of Siri was the second city of Delhi built by Ala-ud-din Khilji in 1311 AD. The fort had the Palace of Thousand Pillars, which is now in ruins. Only the embattlements have left of the entire fort. The story goes that Ala-ud-din got the heads of the infidels whom he had got killed dug in the foundation of the fort. The fort thus got its name as the Siri Fort. But there is no supporting evidence to believe this story. Ala-ud-din built a vast water reservoir, Hauz-I-Shamsi in the present Hauz Khas area to have a continuous supply of water in the city.Tughlaqabad
Ghazi Malik, famous as Ghiyas-ud-din, founded the Tughlaq Dynasty in 1321 AD. He built the strongest fort in Delhi at Tughlaqabad, which was completed a great speed of four years of his rule. Tughlaqabad is the third city of Delhi. The fort has slanting walls, double-storeyed bastions, gigantic towers, palaces, mosques and audience halls. It was deserted soon after the death of Ghiyas-ud-Din probably because of scarcity of water or because of the new capital built by Mohammad Bin Tughlaq.Jahanpanah
Muhammad Bin Tughlaq first built Adilabad then Nai-ka-Kot towards the south of Tughlqabad. They are two small fortresses. But he soon abandoned it. He built a new city by enclosing the areas lying between the cities of Siri, Tughlaqabad and Lal Kot. The city was named as Jahanpanah, asylum of the world in 1334 AD. The city had 13 gates. The ruins of gigantic ramparts of his two fortresses and some portions of the Jahanpanah walls have survived the ravages of time but are in ruins. The watchtower Bajai Mandal still stands in ruins in the city of Jahanpanah.Kotla Firoz Shah or Firuzabad
Kotla Firoz ShahFiroz Shah built a new capital city on the banks of the River Yamuna in 1351 AD and called it Firuzabad. The architecture of the fort was fairly simple and straightforward. The city had three palaces and a citadel known as Firoz Shah Kotla. The king's as well as his wive's quarters were situated along the riverfront. The structures within the enclosure walls of the fort were barracks, armories, servant's rooms, halls for audience, an imposing mosque as well as public and private baths and a stepped well or baoli. An Ashokan pillar brought from Topara, Ambala was mounted on top of a pyramidal three-tiered construction.Fort of Salimgarh
The Fort of Salimgarh is adjacent to the Lal Qila across the Ring Road. It was built by Sher Shah Suri's son Salim Shah. It was an island fort encircled by the river Yamuna. The bridge on the north connects the red Fort with the Fort of Salimgarh. It was used by the British as a prison for the freedom fighters. The fort was renamed as Swatantrata Senani Smarak after the Independence.
Fatehpuri Masjid
Fatehpuri Masjid The red sandstone Fatehpuri masjid stands on the western end of Chandini Chowk. It is topped off by a dome and is flanked by tall minarets. It was built by one of Shah Jahan's wives Fatehpuri Begum in 1650.Adilabad
The period of the Delhi Sultanate (AD 1191-1526) saw great building activity taking place in and around the present day Delhi. The building activity generally constituted construction of forts, palaces, mosques, administrative quarters, barracks etc. A number of forts were built by the Tughlaq rulers (AD 1321-1414) of the Delhi Sultanate in different parts of Delhi. Ghiyas-ud-din-Tughlaq, the founder of the Tughlaq dynasty, built the massive stone fortress of Tughlaqabad in the southeastern corner of Delhi.The erstwhile city of Tughlaqabad was the third fort city of Delhi. The massive ramparts, battlements and the extensive stonework of this fort not only reflect the might of the Tughlaq dynasty but also speak highly of the engineering skills of the workmen who constructed it.
It is said that the ruin of Tughlaqabad fort and the death of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq were due to the curse of a Muslim Saint, whose wrath had been incurred by the insolent king. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq, who is also accused of having murdered his father Ghiyas-ud-din, built Adilabad and Nai-ka-Kot, two small fortresses adjacent to Tughlaqabad fort.
Adilabad became the fourth fort of Delhi and contained a grand palace of a thousand pillars and splendid halls within its periphery. Later, Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq went on to enclose the area lying between Siri (a fortress built by Ala-ud-din Khilji of the Khilji dynasty that ruled over the Delhi Sultanate before the Tughlaq dynasty), Tughlaqabad and the Qutab complex.
The city thus enclosed came to be known as Jahanpanah. Ruins of the gigantic ramparts of two of the fortresses and some portions of the Jahanpanah walls have survived the ravages of time and are still there. A small portion of the Jahanpanah watchtower Bijai Mandal still stands amidst the ruins dominating the landscape.
However, it is believed that Muhammad-bin Tughlaq himself brought about the ruin of his city by transferring the capital from Delhi to Devagiri in the Deccan (southern region of India), compelling the entire population including the sick, old and children to move on foot.
A few years later he ordered them back to Delhi. But the splendor and the soul of the city had been killed and Muhammad-bin Tughlaq earned the title of the mad king.
Important Monuments Within Adilabad
The erstwhile medieval city of Jahanpanah had a number of important buildings within its precincts. The citadel palace within the walls of the fort was extremely impressive and commanded a great view of the rest of the city from its vantage point.Ibn Batuta, the 14th century Moorish traveler and chronicler of Mohammed-bin Tughlaq, recorded the splendour of the hazar sutun palace (thousand pillared hall), where Muhammad-bin Tughlaq sat under a wooden canopy for public audience.
This grand palace has since been destroyed and the whole structural complex of the citadel reduced to unidentifiable ruins. Amongst these ruins is a small octagonal structure atop a set of oblong rooms, the Bijai Mandal.
The Bijai Mandal is an intriguing edifice, as it is neither a palace nor a tower and the purpose of building it still remains a mystery. From the top of this structure, Muhammad bin Tughlaq probably watched the movements of his troops, as it seems to be an observation post of considerable strategic importance. It could also have been the pavilion of winds, where the members of the royal family relaxed and enjoyed the panoramic view of the surroundings.
The sloping path skirting the structure was probably meant for the Sultan's walk back to his apartments. The rooms are now mere skeletons but on the floor one would not fail to notice two big holes, which led to the royal vaults or the treasury.
On a leveled platform in front of these rooms one can see holes on paved stones in regular lines. These holes secured the wooden pillars in place and are now the only indications of the existence of the magnificent structure here. Ruins of some residential structures that once formed part of the royal apartments are also there to the east of this mound.
Red Fort
Another marvel of architecture is the Red Fort and it could perhaps be singled out as yet another monument, which should not escape the tourist's eyes. Known as lal qila (lal means red and qila means fort). It is laid out along the river Yamuna as an irregular octagon. It is surrounded by a wall of about 2.4 Kilometers in circumference and is built of Red Sandstone. The Mughal King Shah Jahan transferred his capital from Agra to Delhi and the fort was completed in 1648, nine years after the king shifted to this city. The fort has two main entrances, the Delhi Gate and the Lahori Gate, which faces the famed Chandni Chowk market.Shah Jahan, incidentally was also the king who built the Taj Mahal of Agra. The fort has the Diwan-e-am, where the king would grant audience to the public to listen to their problems. The other feature is the Diwan-e-Khas (khas means special) where the king would grant audience to important people. Besides this, is the Rang Mahal, the water-cooled apartment for the royal ladies. In the basement of the fort is a market where several traditional Indian goods can be purchased at nominal rates. Another attraction is the Light and Sound Show held in the evenings.
How to get there
Delhi is well connected by air, rail, and road with important centers of India. Tourists can reach the Red Fort in many ways. They can either take local buses from various points within the city, which is located near the Interstate Bus Terminus at Kashmere Gate in the heart of the city, or, alternatively, they can hire auto-rickshaws and taxis for the purpose. There are also regular buses from other important bus termini like the Interstate Bus Terminus at Sarai Kale Khan and Connaught Place to this monument. Local guided tours conducted by Delhi Tourism and private operators covers this important monument.Air
Delhi is the main gateway city for northern India with a modern airport. All major international airlines in the world fly through Delhi. Indira Gandhi International Airport is located at 23km southwest of Central Delhi and the domestic terminal at Palam is 5km away from the international terminal.Road
Taxi and coach transfer is available from both International and Domestic Arrivals. Pre-paid Taxi (a service with journey fare paid at the booking counter), air-conditioned and non- air-conditioned coach counters are located immediately outside the customs Hall in International Terminal and outside Baggage Claim area in Domestic Arrivals.Airport Coach (non-airconditioned) is operated by Delhi Transport Corporation (via Connaught Place and Railway Stations) to Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT), Kashmiri Gate and by Ex- Servicemen's Airlink Transport Service to Connaught Place. The coach covers all major hotels enroute.
Rail
Delhi is the hub of the Indian Railways network with Express trains to all parts of the country. The city has two major railway stations in Delhi and Old Delhi. Delhi station is within walking distance of Connaught Place and Main Delhi station is about 7km from Connaught Place. Delhi offers Express trains to all parts of the country. For the foreigners, tickets are available at the International Tourist Bureau (Ph: 011-3346804), located at Delhi station. The main ticket office is at the IRCA building on Chelmsford Road, Pahar Ganj, between Delhi station and Connaught Place.
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