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Red Fort


The Red Fort in Delhi is one of the most famous historical monuments of India. It is a major tourist attraction in Delhi and forms the core of tourism in Delhi. The red sandstone fort is an imposing structure built by the Mughul Emperor Shahjahan, who is better known for building the world famous Taj mahal. Red Fort was the centre of the city of Shahjahanabad built by Shahjahan in the 17th century. This fort is one the highlights of tours of Delhi and should not be missed out at any cost.

Agra had long been the headquarters of the Mughuls. Akbar and his son Jahangir had ruled India from Agra, although Delhi had always remained an important city, always threatened by foreign invaders and intriguers. Shahjahan, who succeeded Jahangir to the throne, decided to shift his capital to Delhi, probably due to the rising threat from the North western frontier and Persia. For this purpose, the new city of Shahjahanabad was built with provisions for accommodating the entire retinue that would have accompanied the emperor and his imperial court.

The Red Fort was built from 1638 to 1648. The main building material was red sandstone, while white marble was used for the palaces and other structures in the interior of the fort. Like the red fort at Agra, the fort at Delhi is also built with a fine blend of Hindu, Islamic and Persian building patterns. This style came to be known as the Mughul style, as all the Mughul buildings reflect similar architecture.

The entrance to the Red Fort was offered by imposing gateways, each of which was named according to the famous city that they faced. Thus the gates had names like Lahori gate, Kashmiri gate, Kabul gate, Ajmeri gate and so on. Inside, the fort was a city in itself, with its own shopping arcades, roadways, and gardens. The marble palaces, the arched gateways, beautifully manicured gardens, and pillared halls showcase the grandeur of the fort. The following are the chief attractions of the Red Fort �

Naqqar Khana �
meaning the Drum House, this is the name given to the entrance of the fort encountered after passing the Lahori Gate. The musician�s gallery located above the gate gives it the name.

Diwan-e-aam �
this was the hall of public audience. The Emperor would address the grievances and other issues directly from the common public in this hall. The pillared hall is very similar to the hall by the same name in the Agra Fort as well.

Diwan-e-Khaas �
this was the hall of private audience. A few privileged members of the court were allowed here. Usually the important state matters were discussed here. Next to this lies the Hammams or the Turkish baths, with marble fountains and intricate ornamentations.

Nehr-i-Behest �
this is the continuous channel of water that runs through the pavilions of the imperial apartments. Water was drawn from the Yamuna, from a tower known as the Shah Burj, at the north eastern corner of the fort. It literally means stream of paradise and is intended to simulate a similar landscape in paradise as described in the holy Quran.

Moti masjid �
this is a later addition to the complex made by Aurangzeb, the successor of Shahjahan. Also called the pearl mosque, this small three domed mosque made of white marble served as the private place of worship for Aurangzeb, known as a very religious man.

The Khas mahal, Hayat bakhsh garden, and the Zenana comprising many palaces are among the other notable structures of the fort.

Besides being a major tourist attraction in Delhi, the Red Fort is also a national symbol. Every year on the anniversary of Indian independence, the fort is the venue of the Prime Minister�s address to the country. The fort has seen dramatic turn of events over the last three and a half centuries, including the end of the Mughul Empire after the British captured it in 1857 and exiled the last Mughul Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar.

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