RED FORT-LAL QUILA.

The largest of old Delhi's monuments is the Lal Quila, or the Red Fort, the thick red sandstone walls of which, bulging with turrets and bastions, have withstood the vagaries of time, and nature. The Lal Quila rises above a wide dry moat, in the northeast corner of the original city of Shahjahanabad. Its walls extend up to two kilometers, and vary in height from 18 meters on the river side to 33 meters on the city side.

Mughal Emperor Shahjahan started the construction of the massive fort in 1638, and work was completed in 1648. The fort sports all the obvious trappings, befitting a vital centre of Mughal government: halls of public and private audience, domed and arched marble palaces, plush private apartments, a mosque, and elaborately designed gardens. Even today, the fort remains an impressive testimony to Mughal grandeur, despite being attacked by the Persian Emperor Nadir Shah in 1739, and by the British soldiers, during the war of independence in 1857.

Entrance to the fort is through the imposing Lahore Gate, which as its name suggests faces Lahore, now in Pakistan. This gate has a special significance for India, since the first war of independence, and has been the venue of many an important speech, delivered by freedom fighters and national leaders of India.

The main entrance opens on to the Chatta Chowk, a covered street flanked with arched cells, that used to house Delhi's most skilful jewelers, carpet makers, weavers and goldsmiths. This arcade was also known as the Meena Bazaar, the shopping centre for the ladies of the court. Just beyond the Chatta Chowk, is the heart of the fort called Naubat Khana, or the Drum House. Musicians used to play for the emperor from the Naubat Khana, and the arrival of princes and royalty was heralded from here.

The Fort also houses the Diwan-i-Am or the Hall of Public Audiences, where the Emperor would sit and hear complaints of the common folk. His alcove in the wall was marble-paneled, and was set with precious stones, many of which were looted, after the Mutiny of 1857. The Diwan-i-Khas is the hall of private audiences, where the Emperor held private meetings. This hall is made of marble, and its centre-piece used to be the Peacock Throne, which was carried away to Iran by Nadir Shah in 1739. Today, the Diwan-i-Khas is only a pale shadow of its original glory, yet the famous Persian couplet inscribed on its wall reminds us of its former magnificence: "If on earth be an Eden on bliss, it is this, it is this, none but this."

The other attractions enclosed within this monument are the hammams or the Royal Baths, the Shahi Burj, which used to be Shahjahan's private working area, and the Moti Masjid or the Pearl Mosque, built by Aurangzeb for his personal use. The Rang Mahal or the 'Palace of Colors' housed the Emperor's wives and mistresses. This palace was crowned with gilded turrets, delicately painted and decorated with an intricate mosaics of mirrors, and a ceiling overlaid with gold and silver, that was wonderfully reflected in a central pool in the marble floor.

Even today, the Lal Quila is an eloquent reminder of the glory of the Mughal era, and its magnificence simply leaves one awestruck. It is still a calm haven of peace, which helps one to break away, from the frantic pace of life outside the walls of the Fort, and transports the visitor to another realm of existence.

The Red Fort of Agra is perhaps one of the most magnificent specimens of Mughal architecture which portrays their creative and artistic genius to the fullest. It took several decades to build this extraordinary monument. The credit for this work cannot be attributed to one person alone. Three emperors, Akbar, Jehangir and Shahjehan partook in the construction at different periods of time.

The first person to start a construction in the area was Sultan Sikander Lodi who named the fort “Badalgarh”. It was Akbar who tore it down and built in its place the high red sandstone ramparts, which give the fort its name. Legend says that Akbar built more than 500 buildings, palaces and pavilions overlooking the banks of the river Yamuna within the precincts of The Red Fort. These were mostly all torn down by his grandson, Shahjehan and only the “Jehangiri Mahal” still stands. The white marble palaces and courts that one sees today are mostly the work of Shahjehan.

Shahjehan completed the Red Fort, which is known as “Lal Qila” in Hindi, in 1648. The walls surrounding the fort extend for more than two kilometers and vary in height between 18 meters and 33 meters. Shahjehan built this fort because he wanted to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi. But, before he could do this, he was captured and imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb in the fort itself, where he stayed until he died.

The Red Fort is to be entered by the Delhi Gate to the west, which pierces the outer wall. After this, one goes through the “Hathi Pol” or Elephant Gate, which is a tiled and ornamented entrance that pierces the inner wall. Once inside, one sees the “Diwan-e-am” and the “Diwan-e-khas” which are pavilions where the king gave audience to the common people and the elite respectively. The “Rang Mahal” is a water-cooled apartment for the royal ladies and in the basement of the fort there is a market where one can buy traditional Indian goods at very competitive rates. The “Khas Mahal” and “Sheesh Mahal” are exquisitely ornamented halls, which portray the brilliance and splendor of Mughal royalty. There is also another entrance to the Red Fort, which is the “Lahori Gate”. This entrance leads to the well-known “Chandni Market”. In the evenings there is a special light and sound show organized for tourists which is a must see.