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FACTS
& FIGURES
Built in : 1638–46
Built by : Shahjahan
Location : Delhi
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.
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