Red Fort

The Delhi Fort also known as Lal Qil'ah, or Lal Qila (Hindi: लाल क़िला, Urdu: لال قلعہ) meaning the Red Fort, located in the walled city of Delhi, India and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.

History

The Red Fort and the city of Shahjahanabad was constructed by the Emperor Shah Jahan in 1639 A.D.

The Red Fort was originally referred to as "Qila-i-Mubarak" (the blessed fort), because it was the residence of the royal family. The layout of the Red Fort was organised 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. This Fort has had many developments added on after its construction by Emperor Shahjahan. The significant phases of development were under Aurangzeb and later Mughal rulers. Important physical changes were carried out in the overall settings of the site after the First War of Independence during British Rule in 1857. After Independence, the site experienced a few changes in terms of addition/alteration to the structures. During the British period the Fort was mainly used as a cantonment and even after Independence, a significant part of the Fort remained under the control of the Army until the year 2003.

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.The construction of the Red Fort began in 1638 and was completed by 1648.

On 11 March 1783, Sikhs briefly entered Red Fort in Delhi and occupied the Diwan-i-Am. The city was essentially surrendered by the Mughal wazir in cahoots with his Sikh Allies. This task was carried out under the command of the Sardar Baghel Singh Dhaliwal of the Karor Singhia misl.

The last Mughal emperor to occupy the fort was Bahadur Shah II "Zafar". Despite being the`seat of Mughal power and its defensive capabilities, the Red Fort was not defended during the 1857 uprising against the British. After the failure of the 1857 rebellion, Zafar left the fort on 17th September. He returned to Red Fort as a prisoner of the British. Zafar was tried on in a trail starting on 27th January 1858, and was exiled on 7 October.

On 15 August 1947, India became an independent nation. This was marked by Jawahar Lal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India, unveiling the flag of independent India on 15 August 1947. This practice of unfurling the national flag with a speech by the Prime Minister on Independence Day continues to this day. Just after World War II, the Red Fort had been the scene of the famous trial of the Indian National Army.

Architectural Design

Red Fort showcases the very high level of art form and ornamental work. The art work in the Fort is a synthesis of Persian, European and Indian art which resulted in the development of unique Shahjahani style which is very rich in form, expression and colour. Red Fort, Delhi is one of the important building complexes of India which encapsulates a long period of Indian history and its arts. Its significance has transcended time and space. It is relevant as a symbol of architectural brilliance and power. Even before its notification as a monument of national importance in the year 1913, efforts were made to preserve and conserve the Red Fort, for posterity.

The walls of the fort are smoothly dressed, articulated by heavy string-courses along the upper section. They open at two major gates, the Delhi and the Lahore gates. The Lahore Gate is the main entrance; it leads to a long covered bazar street, the Chatta Chowk, whose walls are lined with stalls for shops. The Chatta Chowk leads to a large open space where it crosses the large north-south street that was originally the division between the fort's military functions, to its west, and the palaces, to its east. The southern end of this street is the Delhi Gate.

Important Buildings Inside Fort

Diwan-i-Aam

Beyond this gate is another, larger open space, which originally served as the courtyard of the Diwan-i-Aam, the large pavilion for public imperial audiences. An ornate throne-balcony (jharokha) for the emperor.the columns were painted in gold and there was a gold and silver railing separating the throne from the public

Nahr-i-Behisht

The imperial private apartments lie behind the throne. The apartments consist of a row of pavilions that sits on a raised platform along the eastern edge of the fort, looking out onto the river Yamuna. The pavilions are connected by a continuous water channel, known as the Nahr-i-Behisht, or the "Stream of Paradise", that runs through the center of each pavilion. The water is drawn from the river Yamuna, from a tower, the Shah Burj, at the northeastern corner of the fort. The palace is designed as an imitation of paradise as it is described in the Koran; a couplet repeatedly inscribed in the palace reads, "If there be a paradise on earth, it is here, it is here". The planning of the palace is based on Islamic prototypes, but each pavilion reveals in its architectural elements the Hindu influences typical of Mughal building. The palace complex of the Red Fort is counted among the best examples of the Mughal style.

Zenana

The two southernmost pavilions of the palace are zenanas, or women's quarters: the Mumtaz Mahal (now a museum), and the larger, lavish Rang Mahal, which has been famous for its gilded, decorated ceiling and marble pool, fed by the Nahr-i-Behisht.

Moti Masjid

To the west of the hammam is the Moti Masjid, the Pearl Mosque. This was a later addition, built in 1659 as a private mosque for Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan's successor. It is a small, three-domed mosque in carved white marble, with a three-arched screen which steps down to the courtyard.

Hayat Bakhsh Bagh

To its north lies a large formal garden, the Hayat Bakhsh Bagh, or "Life-Bestowing Garden", which is cut through by two bisecting channels of water. A pavilion stands at either end of the north-south channel, and a third, built in 1842 by the last emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, stands at the center of the pool where the two channels meet.

The Fort Today

The Red Fort is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Old Delhi, attracting thousands of visitors every year. The fort is also the site from which the Prime Minister of India addresses the nation on 15 August , the day India achieved independence from the British. It also happens to be the largest monument in Old Delhi.

At one point in time, more than 3,000 people lived within the premises of the Delhi Fort complex. But after the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, the fort was captured by Britain and the residential palaces destroyed. It was made the headquarters of the British Indian Army. Immediately after the mutiny, Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried at the Red Fort. It was also here in November 1945, that the most famous courts-martial of three officers of the Indian National Army were held. After India gained independence in 1947, the Indian Army took control over the fort. In December 2003, the Indian Army handed the fort over to the Indian tourist authorities.

The fort was the site of a December 2000 attack by terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba which killed two soldiers and one civilian in what was described in the media as an attempt to derail the India-Pakistan peace process in Kashmir.

References

Шаблон:Reflist

External links

Шаблон:Sisterlinks

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
Kapil Kawatra
23 November 2015
The main architects of this monument were Ustad Ahmad and Ustad Hamid. During the times of Mughal, it was called Qila-i-Mubarak (the blessed fort).
Kushal Sanghvi
20 October 2021
It’s definitely one of those places that you must visit if you’re Delhi the first time. Takes good 3 hrs to see the entire fort,there are sections inside that have a confluence of architecture styles
Chetu19
21 July 2015
Walking distance from Chandni Chowk Metro stn. Cloak room available. 10 bucks for Indians. You can spend nearly 2-3 hours in this fort. Its pretty huge. Light show happens during evening hours.
HISTORY TV18
23 January 2013
The Red Fort is a 17th century fort complex constructed by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan in the walled city of Old Delhi. The construction of the Red Fort began in 1638 and was completed by 1648.
Vimal Prakash
24 May 2013
Get ready for a vryy long walk for atleast 3-4kms. The parking is away from entrance and the emperor had built this in serious huge size. Expect some leg pain, do take sme good photos.
Gato Monge
18 July 2013
RED FORT COMPLEX DELHI - World Heritage UNESCO The Red Fort Complex was built as the palace fort of Shahjahanabad – the new capital of the fifth Mughal Emperor of India, Shah Jahan.
Load more comments
foursquare.com

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
WelcomHeritage Haveli Dharampura

starting $139

Aiwan-e-Shahi

starting $30

Hotel Al Gulzar

starting $28

Hotel Tara Palace Chandni Chowk

starting $28

Hotel Arina Inn

starting $26

Hotel Wall City

starting $36

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Moti Masjid (Delhi)

The Moti Masjid (Hindi: मोती मस्जिद, Urdu: موتی مسجد, translat

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Nigambodh Ghat

Nigambodh Ghat is located on the banks of the Yamuna river coast in

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Jama Masjid, Delhi

The Masjid-i Jahān-Numā (Persian: مسجد جھان نما, the 'World-refle

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Fatehpuri Masjid

Fatehpuri Masjid is located at the western end of the oldest street of

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Raj Ghat and associated memorials

Raj Ghat (Hindi: राज घाट) is a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. It is a bla

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Agrasen ki Baoli

Agrasen ki Baoli (also known as Agrasen ki Baoli), designated a

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Hanuman Temple, Connaught Place

Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place, New Delhi, is an ancient (pracheen

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Triyuginarayan Temple

Triyuginarayan Temple (Sanskrit:

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Agra Fort

Agra Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Agra, India. The

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Lahore Fort

The Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila (Urdu: شاهی قلع

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Lekh Castle

Lekh Castle (Azerbaijani: Löh qalası), sometimes named Lev Castle is l

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Belém Tower

Belém Tower (in Portuguese Torre de Belém, pron. Шаблон:IPA2) is a fo

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
San Juan National Historic Site

San Juan National Historic Site in San Juan, Puerto Rico, includes

See all similar places