Last Sunday, I visited with my friends the famous Red fort. The largest of old Delhi’s monuments is the Lal quila, or the Red fort, the thick red sandstone wall of which, bulging with turrets and bastions, has withstood the vagaries of time, nature.
Mughal Emperor Shahjahan initiated the construction of the massive fort in 1638, and it 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, a mosque and elaborately designed gardens. 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 important speeches 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 jewellers, carpet makers, weavers and goldsmiths. This arcade was also known as the Meena Bazaar, the shopping centre for the ladies of the court.
The fort also houses the Diwan-e-ayam 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 panelled and was set with precious stones, after the mutiny of 1857. The Diwan-e-khas is the hall, where the emperor held private meetings. This hall is made of marble, and its centrepiece used to be the peacock throne, which was carried away to Iran by Nadir Shah in 1739.
Even today the Red fort is an eloquent reminder of the glory of the Mughal era and its magnificent simple leaves are awe-struck. With full of joy in heart, we returned to our homes at the end of the day.
Vocabulary
Goldsmith—a worker in gold
Awe-struck—shocked
