The Red Fort, also known as 'Lal Quila' in Hindustani ('Lal' meaning red and 'Quila' meaning fort), is an example of excellent architecture perfected by Mughal architects. It served as the Mughal Emperor's home for about 200 years, until 1857. It gets its name from its towering red sandstone walls, but as the imperial family's dwelling, it was originally known as 'Qila-i-Mubarak,' or The Blessed Fort. The Agra Fort, also known as 'Lal Quila,' is located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, however its structure is inferior to that of the Red Fort. Today, the Red Fort, together with the nearby Salimgarh Fort, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, creating the Red Fort Complex.
The Red Fort's Brief History
In 1639, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan relocated his empire's headquarters from Agra to Delhi in order to boost his regime's renown and fulfil his ambitious building ambitions, establishing a new city called 'Shahjahanabad,' which is now known as Old Delhi. From 1639 to 1648, the foundation of a fort on the northern side of town was laid, which took over 9 years to complete. It is now known as the Red Fort, and it served as the capital and palace of the Mughal rulers until the reign of Bahadur Shah Zafar.
After the overthrow of Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1857, the British took over the Red Fort and used it as a military cantonment. It was utilised as a military cantonment after India's independence in 1947, with a substantial section under the authority of the Indian Army until December 22, 2003, when it was handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for repair.
The Red Fort is now a significant tourist destination, attracting thousands of visitors each year. Every evening, a light and sound performance about Mughal history is organised. Every year on August 15th, the Prime Minister hoists the tricolour national flag of India at the fort's main gate (Lahori Gate) and makes a nationally broadcast address from its ramparts.
The Red Fort's Location and Area
The Red Fort, located in the centre of Delhi's National Capital Territory, is the capital's greatest landmark, hosting a variety of monuments and museums. It covers 254 acres and is surrounded by 1.5 miles of defensive walls with towering turrets and bastions ranging in height from 18 metres on the Yamuna riverbank to 33 metres near the city. The fort is built following the ancient path of the Yamuna River, whose waters fed the moats that surrounded the walls. The wall at the fort's northeast corner adjoins the earlier Salimgarh Fort, which was erected in 1546 by Islam Shah Suri. The massive ramparts and extensive walkways on the summit transform the fort into a true city overlooking another city.
Red Fort Architecture
The Red Fort lavishly depicts the luxury and splendour of Mughal Architecture, notably the later Mughal Architecture during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan, typified by the fort's marble, floral embellishments, and twin domes. The construction features magnificent decorations, including the Koh-i-noor diamond, which was purportedly utilised in the furnishings. The artwork in the fort is a hybrid of Persian, European, and Indian styles, culminating in a distinct Shahjahani style rich in shape, emotion, and colour.
The massive fort complex includes a number of palaces and museums. In addition to housing the emperors and their royal families, it served as the Mughal government's ceremonial and political centre. The important structures it shelters, the walls and ramparts, the main gates, the spectators' rooms, and the imperial residences on the eastern riverside, make it stand out.
Diwan-i-Aam
The 'Diwan-i-Aam' (Hall of Public Audience) is a rectangular hall with a well-crafted front of arches and columns. The royal throne stood beneath a marble canopy in an alcove at the back of the hall, with an inlaid marble dais below for the emperor, from which he addressed state matters. Behind it is a courtyard that leads to the royal apartments.
Diwan-i-Khaas
An entrance to the north of the 'Diwan-i-Aam' leads to the 'Diwan-i-Khaas' (Hall of Private Audience), a highly adorned pillared hall with a flat ceiling, formerly silver restored in wood, supported by engrailed arches. Its marble dais is claimed to have held the famed Peacock Throne, which was taken away by the Persian conqueror Nadir Shah. The 'Diwan-i-Khaas,' one of the most beautiful buildings inside the Red Fort, is adorned with precious stones.
Nahr-i-Behisht
The imperial apartments are a row of pavilions on an elevated platform along the fort's eastern border, facing the Yamuna River. The waters of the Yamuna are gathered via the 'Shahi Burj' tower at the northeast edge and collected in the 'Nahr-i-Behisht' (Stream of Paradise), which connects the pavilions flowing through the centre of each. It fed the entire palace via several channels, supplying the fountains in the gardens, the pools with water lilies, and the baths. The palace was built to resemble paradise as mentioned in the Quran, and its two southernmost pavilions, Mumtaz Mahal and Rang Mahal, are the 'zenanas' (women's quarters).
Mumtaz Mahal
The Red Fort Archaeological Museum is housed in the Mumtaz Mahal.
Rang Mahal
The Rang Mahal was the residence of the emperor's wives and mistresses. It was brightly painted and ornamented with a mosaic of mirrors, giving it the name "Palace of Colors." It has a large hall with an arched entrance and vaulted rooms on both ends. The 'Nahr-i-Behisht' ran through it, with a marble basin in the centre and an ivory fountain.
Khas Mahal
The emperor's residence was the Khas Mahal, which was attached to the 'Muthamman Burj,' an octagonal tower where the monarch received his followers waiting on the riverfront.
Hammam
The imperial baths were known as the 'Hammam,' and they consisted of three principal chambers divided by passageways and domed roofs. The whole interior, including the floor, is made of white marble inlaid with coloured stones. The baths had hot and cold water, and one of the fountains in the easternmost room was believed to discharge rose water.
Moti Masjid
The 'Moti Masjid,' the Pearl Mosque, was erected later in 1659 as a private mosque for Aurangzeb to the west of the 'Hammam.' It is a tiny three-domed white marble mosque with a three-arched screen leading to the courtyard.
Lahori Gate
The Lahori Gate is the primary entrance of the Red Fort, named after the city of Lahore in Pakistan. The grandeur of the gate was ruined during Aurangzeb's reign by the erection of bastions, which Shah Jahan described as "a veil pulled across the face of a lovely woman."
The Delhi Gate
The Delhi Gate is the southern public entrance, and it is identical in layout and look to the Lahori Gate. Two life-size stone elephants confront each other on either side of the gate, which was rebuilt in 1903 by Lord Curzon after being destroyed previously by Aurangzeb.
Chhatta Chowk
The 'Chhatta Chowk', adjacent to the Lahori Gate, is a 'bazaar' (market) where silk products, jewellery, and other items for the imperial household were sold during the Mughal Empire. It leads to an open outside court and spans the vast north-south roadway that used to separate the fort's military operations to the west from the palaces to the east.
The Red Fort is further enhanced by bright Mughal gardens, one of which is the 'Hayat Bakhsh Bagh,' or "Life-Bestowing Garden," located in the complex's northeast corner. It is located north of the 'Moti Masjid' and its pavilions. The 'Zafar Mahal,' a red sandstone pavilion in the centre of the garden, was erected by Bahadur Shah in 1842. Smaller gardens, like as the 'Mehtab Bagh' (Moonlight Garden), were west of it, but were destroyed when the British barracks were constructed. They are undergoing restoration. The route to the north, beyond them, goes to an arched bridge and the Salimgarh Fort.
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