Location: New Delhi
Founded By: Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
Founded In: 1638-1648
Status: UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Red Fort of Delhi serves as an articulate reminder of the grandeur
of the Mughals. It is also known as the 'Lal Quila' and finds a mention
in the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites list. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan got
the fort constructed, when he shifted from Agra, as the venue for his
new capital, Shahjahanabad - the seventh Muslim city in Delhi. The fort
was built, completely of red sandstone, at the eastern edge of
Shahjahanabad. Infact, Red Fort gets its name from the massive red
sandstone wall enclosing it.
The wall measures approximately 2.5 km in length, while its height
varies from 16 m on the riverside to 33 m towards the city. Situated
along the Yamuna River, the fort mostly stands surrounded by a moat that
was fed through the river. In the northeastern corner of Lal Quila, one
can see an older fort. Known as Salimgarh, this fort was built as a
protection by Islam Shah Suri, in the year 1546. The foundation of the
fort was laid down in 1638 and it took approximately 10 years to
complete it fully.
As per another belief, the old fort is the ancient city of "Lal
Kot', invaded by Shah Jahan. In the year 1783, Red fort fell to the
Sikhs, who entered it and occupied the Diwan-i-Aam. At last, the entire
city of Shahjahanabad was surrendered by the Mughal wazir in cahoots
with his Sikh Allies. The Revolt of 1857 saw the Red Fort of Delhi being
used as the headquarters. Later, British army claimed its occupation and
destroyed numerous pavilions and gardens. It was only in 1903 that
restoration program on the fort was undertaken.
Diwan-i-Aam of the Red Fort is a massive pavilion, where the Emperor
used to listen to the petitions of the public. In the middle of the
eastern wall of the pavilion, one can see an ornamented throne-balcony
that was used by the emperor. The design of the balcony was based on the
throne of Solomon. Just behind the throne are the imposing private
apartments of the Emperor. These apartments stand adorned with a row of
pavilions, which used to provide magnificent views of the Yamuna River.
An incessant water channel, known as the Nahr-i-Behisht or the 'Stream
of Paradise', runs through the center of all the pavilions, connecting
them in the process. The water channel draws water from the Yamuna
itself, with the help of a tower in the northeastern corner of the fort,
which is known as the Shah Burj. The basic architectural style of the
Red Fort of Delhi reflects Islamic influence. However, each of the
pavilions has some elements that are characteristic of the Hindu
architecture, which is a typical trait of Mughal buildings.
The two pavilions that lie in the southernmost corner of the fort used
to serve as the zenanas (or women's quarters). One of them is known as
Mumtaz Mahal and has been converted into a museum. While, the larger as
well as the more flamboyant one is the Rang Mahal (pleasure palace). It
stands festooned with a gilded ceiling and a marble pool, which is fed
by the Nahr-i-Behisht. The third pavilion from the south is known as the
Khas Mahal. This palace used to house the remarkable royal chambers.
It comprises of a suite of bedrooms, prayer rooms, a veranda and the
Mussaman Burj, a tower. The tower was used by the emperor to come in
front of his people in a daily ceremony. The next pavilion that you will
set your eye upon is the Diwan-i-Khas, the ostentatiously decorated hall
where all the private meetings of the Emperor, along with the
ministerial and court gatherings, used to take place. It is the most
magnificent pavilion in the entire Lal Quila and is festooned with
stone-studded and gilded patterns on the columns.
The original ceiling of this hall was made of silver and inlaid with
gold. However, this ceiling was later replaced with a painted wooden
one. The next pavilion in the fort comprises of the hammam, or the
Turkish style baths. Marble and colored stones were used to ornament the
entire structure. Moti Masjid, or the Pearl Mosque, lies to the west of
the baths and was added to the Red Fort in the year 1659. It was built
to serve as the private mosque of Emperor Aurangzeb, the successor of
The mosque is a small three-domed structure of white marble, with
exquisite carvings and a three-arched screen. The northern portion is
covered by a formal garden known as the Hayat Bakhsh Bagh, or the
'Life-Bestowing Garden'. In the middle of the garden are two bisecting
channels of water. On both the ends of the channel, we see pavilions.
The third pavilion in the garden is situated at the intersection point
of the channels and was built by Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal
Emperor, in the year 1842.
Lahore Gate provides the main entrance to the Red Fort. Flanked by
semi-octagonal towers, the gate is so named because it faces west,
towards the city of Lahore. Aurangzeb constructed the ramparts before
the original Lahore gate, with the aim of making entry into the fort
more difficult. It is at the top of this fortification that the Prime
Minister of India hoists the national flag every year, on the
In 1986, all the windows of this gate were blocked with red sandstone
for security reasons. In the year 1965, a lift was constructed just
before the Lahore Gate and is now mainly used during the Independence
Day celebrations. There are a number of structures inside the Lahore
Gate. The wooden doors of the Lahore Gate are covered with bronze. It is
said that these doors were so heavy that elephants were used to open and
Chatta Chowk comprises of the apartments that flank the passages one
comes into after entering the Lahore Gate. Another name for the chowk is
Meena Bazaar and it was one of the first covered bazaars of the 17th
century. During the Mughal era, shops were located on the upper as well
as lower arcades and used to sell silks, jewelry, gems, silver ware and
other artistic objects. However, today the shops occupy the lower arcade
only and the items sold by them include souvenirs, eatables and drinks.
Natural sandstone was used to make the arcades of the Chatta Chow. The
shops that were situated in the lower arcade had cusped arches.
Naubat Khana (Naqqar Khana)
Naubat Khana, also known as Naqqar Khana, is the Drum House that was
used for playing music in the Mughal era, five times a day. Large
musical instruments like kettledrums, hautboys (shehnai) and cymbals
were kept in the music galleries of the house. Another name for the
place was Hathipol as everyone, with the exception of royal princes, had
to dismount from their elephants (hathi) here only.
A red sandstone structure, it is rectangular in shape and is adorned
with carved designs that were originally painted with gold. In the
interiors of the Naqqar Khana, a combination of colors was used to paint
different layers. The first floor of the edifice has been converted into
a War Memorial Museum. It houses a rich collection of arms and armaments
that were once used by the Mughal Emperors. Along with that, one can
also see paintings of various kings and rulers and a brief narration of
the Revolt of 1857.
Sound and Light Shows
One of the major attractions of the Red Fort comprises of the Sound and
Light Shows that showcase particular phases of Delhi's history. The
shows are held both in Hindi as well as in English.