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The
Delhi Fort, also known as the Red Fort, is one of the popular
tourist destinations in Delhi. The Delhi Fort is located in
Delhi, India. It is also known as Lal Qil'ah and the Red Fort.
History
Front View The Red Fort was the palace for Muslim 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 Red Fort stands at the eastern edge of
Shahjahanabad, and gets its name from the massive wall of red
sandstone that defines its eight sides. The wall is 1.5 miles
(2.5 km) long, and varies in height from 60ft (16m) on the river
side to 110 ft (33 m) towards the city. Measurements have shown
that the plan was generated using a square grid of 82 m.
The fort lies along the Yamuna River, that fed the moats that
surround most of the wall. The wall at its northeastern corner
is adjacent to an older fort, the Salimgarh, a defense built by
Islam Shah Sur in 1546.
The Red Fort was conceived as a whole, and subsequent modifications have
not taken away from the overall unity of the scheme. In the 18th
century, however, occupiers and looters damaged some sections of
the palace. After the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, when the Fort was
used as a headquarters, the British army occupied and destroyed
many of its pavilions and gardens. A program for restoring the
surviving parts of the fort began in 1903.
Architectural design
The Diwan I Khas, or Hall of Private Audiences. 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 bazaar 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. On axis
with the Lahore gate and the Chatta Chowk, on the eastern side
of the open space, is the Naqqar Khana ("drum house"), the main
gate for the palace, named for the musicians' gallery above it.
Beyond this gate is another, larger open space, which originally
served as the courtyard of the Diwan-i-Am, the large pavilion
for public imperial audiences. An ornate throne-balcony for the
emperor stands at the center of the eastern wall of the Diwan,
conceived as a copy of the throne of Solomon.
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
at its Shah Jahani peak.
Sound & Light Show
The eventful history Red Fort has been witness to is brought out
as a sound and light show every evening on the ramparts of the
Red Fort. For those desirous of delving into Delhi's glorious
and tumultuous past, Delhi Tourism puts on a spectacular sound
and light show at the Purana Qila bringing 5,000 years old
history of the city come alive. Special effects combine with the
unique ambience to make this show a hauntingly unforgettable
experience. The eternal Jamuna bears witness to the glorious and
tumultuous history of Delhi.
It
throws light on a history, which begins with the creation of
Indraprastha by the Pandavas and the transformation of this
barren gift of the Kauravas into an idyllic haven. This show
unfolds the history of Delhi. One is transported centuries back
in time to witness Draupadi being reduced to a dasi of
Hastinapur, the gallant Prithviraj Chauhan gallooping away with
Samyogita, Sher Shah Suri being blown to bits by misfired
cannon, the legendary Razia Sultan, Humanyun tragically tumbling
down the steps of his library, Bahadur Shah Zafar surrendering
to the British. This is the story of the city of cities - Delhi;
where a great empire rose and fell before the dawn of history;
citadels of emperors appeared and disappeared. But, combined and
integrated into one, these new cities have always been called
Delhi and Delhi has always been intrinsically identified with
power and imperial sway.
These and many more such episodes out of Delhi’s old saga can be
relived during this evocative 62 minutes son et lumiere.
Advanced technology has made it possible to add special effects,
combining with the unique ambiance to make this show a
hauntingly unforgettable experience. Shrouded in antiquity, the
lofty walls of the Purana Quila, rise on the sire of the ancient
city of Indraprastha. It is believed to be the site of the first
city of Delhi. The high-rise walls and imposing entrances to the
Quila are credited to emperor Sher Shah Suri. Purana Quila, now
the site for the sound and light show, has seen centuries of
history unfold before it. The show, inaugurated on 2nd October
1996, is perhaps the biggest of its kind in India. The show each
in Hindi and English is held after sunset except on days when it
rains. The shows, through skillful use of light and sound, bring
to life bygone days of Delhi's history from the Mughal period.
Modern day significance
The Red Fort is one of the most popular tourist destinations in
Delhi, attracting millions of tourists every year. The fort is
also the site from which the Prime Minister of India addresses
the nation on August 15, the day India achieved independence
from United Kingdom.
At one point of time, more than 3000 people lived within the
premises of the Delhi Fort complex. But after the Sepoy Mutiny
of 1857, the fort was captured by Britain and was made the
headquarters of the British Indian Army. After India achieved
independence in 1947, the Indian Army took control over the
fort. However, in December 2003, the Indian Army handed the fort
over to the Indian tourist authorities |
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