It’s been ages since I last visited Red Fort (Lal Qila), so this Sunday my sis and I decided to pay it a visit and indulge in a bit of photography. So here are few photographs of the Lal Qila and a background on the fort itself.
Red Fort (Lal Qila)
From being the epicenter of Mughal Empire to the Headquarters of British Indian Army to being the symbol of Independent India and a World Heritage Site, few monuments from India’s glorious past still hold such a symbolic value in today’s India as Lal Qila (Red Fort).
Constructed by Shah Jahan in 1639 A.D, the layout of the Red Fort was organized to retain and integrate this site with the Salimgarh Fort. The fortress palace is an important focal point of the medieval city of Shahjahanabad. The planning and aesthetics of the Red Fort represent the zenith of Mughal creativity which prevailed during the reign of Emperor Shahjahan.
The Red Fort was the palace for Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan's new capital, Shahjahanabad, the seventh Muslim city in the Delhi site. He moved his capital from Agra in a move designed to bring prestige to his reign, and to provide ample opportunity to apply his ambitious building schemes and interests.
The fort lies along the Yamuna River, which fed the moats that surround most of the wall. The wall at its north-eastern corner is adjacent to an older fort, the Salimgarh Fort, a defense built by Islam Shah Suri in 1546. Construction on the Red Fort began in 1638 and was complete by 1648. However, it is believed that it is the ancient city of Lal Kot which was captured by Shah Jahan since Lal Kot literally means Red (Lal) Fort (Kot). Lal Kot was the capital city of Prithviraj Chauhan in the late 12th century.
Lahor Gate is the main entrance to the Lal Qila (Red Fort):
Diwan-I-Am was the place where Mughal Emperor used to conduct his darbar, here is a brief history of it:
This large and magnificent hall was the Mughal Emperor’s Hall of Public Audience. It contained delicately inlaid and carved marble Jharoka or the Imperial Throne. It was here that the celebrations of the inauguration of the fort took place.
This hall was originally covered over with a coat of burnished white shell lime plaster, its ceiling and columns were painted with gold. The emperor in his throne was separated from the courtiers in the hall by a gold plated railing and a silver railing was erected on the three side of the hall.
The Diwan-I-am consists of a front hall open on three sides, backed by a set of rooms faced in red sandstone. The hall is divided into 27 square bays on a system of columns which support the arches. The roof is spanned by beams of sandstone.
Interior view of the Diwan-I-Am
This is the Marble Jharoka or the Imperial Throne of Mughal Empreor in Diwan-I-Am in Red Fort.
The Diwan-I-Khas or the Hall of Private Audience was used by the Mughal Emperor for giving private audience to the courtiers and state guests. The marble piers of the hall bear excellent inlay work and painted designs. The ceiling, which was originally inlaid with silver and gold, was painted in 1911.
The celebrated Peacock throne which was removed by Nadir Shah in 1739 once stood on the marble pedestal in the hall.
Interiors of the Diwan-I-Khas
Photograph of the Marble Pedestal in Diwan-I-Khas (Lal Qila), where the celebrated Peacock throne which was removed by Nadir Shah in 1739, once stood.
Moti Majid (Pearl Mosque) was built in Red Fort in1659 as a private mosque for the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
Remains of the army barracks in Red Fort (?)
A shop in Red Fort selling jewelry and souvenirs.
Handicraft shop in Red Fort selling expensive handicrafts and souvenirs
Few of the handicrafts on sale at Red Fort
CISF's quick reaction team keeping a vigil on the Red Fort and its visitors. The first line of defense for the ancient fort, which even today occupies a significant place in modern India.
Ps. a big thanks to my sis for tolerating me as I spent a little over two hours photographing Red Fort (clicked close to 300 photographs
).
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