The landmark or Delhi, this massive fort is the most magnificent of all Indian royal palaces, is Shah Jahan’s elegant citadel in red sandstone Shahjehan ad citadel of Shahjahanabad built in near Chandni Chowk, at the estern extremity of the walled city, along the riverfront, the 7th Delhi founded by him self near. The river has since changed its course eastwards. The foundation stone of the fort was laid in 1639 A.D. and completed after 9 years and 3 months at an estimated cost of 9 crores of Rupees. The chief superintend under whose supervision the fort was completed, was the renowned architect Mukarmmat Khan. The fort is an irregular octagonal in Plan, with its two long sides on the east and west and six smaller ones on the north and south. The long ditch around it was filled with water during wartime.
After completion of the fort, emperor Shahnehan entered it with gorgeous ritual. Prince Dara scattered jewels, gold and silver coins over his father’s head till he reached the inner gate. All the palace buildings were already decorated. The floors were covered with magnificent carpets and ceilings, walls and colonnades, were wrapped with fine brocade silk and velvet. A gorgeous shamiayana (tent), costing one lakh of rupees was supported by 3000 Strong farrashes. The emperor gave alms with open heart. Princes, ladies of the harem, Ministers and other gained precious gifts and big titles, and Mukarmmat khan received the high rank of “Panch Hazari.”
Many historical events occurred in this fort. Three eventful courts were constituted in it. The first case was of the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zaffar in 1858 A.D. the second was the heroes of the Indian National Army and the third was of assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. The long felt desire of the Indians was fulfilled on the 15th August 1947 A.D., when the National Tricolour was unfurled by the Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru on the fort, and since then every year on this day the Tricolour in unfurled by the Prime Minister. Fort contents many fine buildings:-
The fort is entered from the Lohori Gate facing towards the Chandni Chowk, the city’s most crowded and diverse market and exited from Ring road side near Vijay Ghat. It is from the rampart of the Lahori gate the Prime Ministers of Independent India have made their historic speeches. The gate leads through Meena Bazar a place where in gone away days shopkeepers were women, to a roofed passage called Chatta Chowk now lined by antique stores. From here one passage leads to Swatantra Sangram Sanghralaya Museum, which is dedicated to the Indian Freedom Struggle. It has life-size plaster casts of freedom fighters. A well-preserved copy of Delhi Gazetteer of 1846-47 is worth seeing, and another leads to the Naqqar (Naubat) Khana, which was used to be a musician’s gallery, here the band was played at 5 auspicious times in the day to proclaim the emperor was in the palace. Through this entrance, none could pass mounted except Princes of Royal blood. The visitors have to pass through the entrance in order to see the palaces of the fort. The War Memorial Museum in now housed here at second story. From here a spacious lawn leads to Diwan-I-Am, the pillared hall of Public Audience. This red sandstone buildings stands on a plinth of stone. The pillars and ceiling of the Diwan-I-Am were richly decorated with gilded stucco the floors were covered with priceless carpets while heavily brocaded drapes enclosed the space. In the centre of the front wall inside the Diwan-I-Am is a marble recess. On its front wall in the mosaic work of Austin de Bordenux French artist of Genius, representing beautiful birds, flowers and fruits in the most natural manner. At the time of the Mutiny in 1857 many of these jewels and stones were picked out. This beautiful side is called Emperor’s throne. Daily in the morning the Royal Darbar was held here. Rand Mahal, decorated with colored jewels and stones, which are formerly adorned. The original ceiling was of silver and ornamented with golden flowers but in the region of Farrukhsyar it was taken and melted down. In the centre of the Rand Mahal is a tank in which there is a beautiful Lotus Flower, like a cup of marble. The sis main royal apartments starting from Mumtaz Mahal (which was part of the imperial seraglio at the southern end today it houses the delhi Museum of Archaeology) were built along the river from, with the Nahar-I-Bihisht, or the stream of Paradise flowing through them. Among these apartments in sheesh Mahal, studded with tiny mirrors, each of which reflected the light of a single candle burned in the room. Standing on a magnificent marble pavilion, Diwan-I-Khas is the hall of private Audience: here the emperor meets his private visitors. Its ceiling is supported by 32 richly carved pillars inlaid with precious gems. Over an arch in the central hall the famous in scription in Persian letter runs as-“If there be a paradise on the earth –It is this, It is this, It is This” The white marble dais, which formerly stood in the central chamber, is said to have supported the famous Takht-e-Taus of Shahjehan. This is where the legendary jewel-studded peacock Throne was placed. Its upper portion was inlaid with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and other valuable gems and the lower one was of gold set with topazes. Some fancy verses were written on it with green enamel.
It was here, where the emperor used to retire after his morning durbar in Diwan-I-Am, for confidential discussion with the privileged few. Many political events occurred in the Diwan-I-Khas. In fact this building is bound up with innumerable historical events. On the northern side of the Diwan-I-Khas, is the Khas Mahal, the set of threee marble apartments, communicating with each other. Tasvi-Khana, or the house or worship, Khawab-Gah, or the bedchamber and Baithak or the conversation house. From here the emperors and their wives witnessed elephant flights and the tricks of jugglers and acrobats below the walls of the In the middle of Tabi-Khana and Khawab-Gah is the Scale of Justice with moon and stars inlaid in gold over the beautiful carved marble screen. There is also a semi-octagonal tower, the Muthamman Burj, where the emperor made a brief, daily appearance. A balcony was later added, and it was here that king George V and Queen Mary appeared before the citizens of Delhi.North of the Diwan-I-Khas are the Hammams, the royal baths. Here even the floor is covered with “embroidery in stone”, as the marble inlay work has aptly been described. West of the royal ments is the exquisite Pearl Mosque, built in 1662 by Aurangeb the last of the “great” Mughals were made of heavily gilded copper, which were destroyed during the mutini, and later on marble domes were added. North of the mosque lies the Hayat Baksh, Gardens the mango trees of which were praised by the poets of medieval Delhi. The British added some buildings within the citadel when it was garrisoned and these continue to be used by the army.
A son et lumiere is presented at the fort every evening.
