History of Red Fort?

Bahadur Shah was tried in his own ancestral home by the British on charges of treason. The trial that took place in Diwan-i-Khas in front of British court found Shah Zafar guilty, after which he was stripped of his title and exiled to Rangoon (now Myanmar).

In 1760, when Ahmed Shah Durrani of the Durrani dynasty threatened to capture Delhi, the Marathas dug out the silver ceiling of Diwan-i-Khas to strengthen their army.

Rang Mahal was used by the wife and mistresses of the emperor. The palace is brightly colored and is decorated with mosaic. You can find a large marble pool inside. Khas Mahal is the apartment of the king. On the northern part of the audience hall, you can find a small court, which was used, as the hall of private audience.

Every year on Independence Day, our Prime Minister gives a speech and addressing the people of the nation and hoists the national flag at the Red Fort. This tradition has been continuing since the first Independence Day of India.

However, Ahmed Shah Durrani defeated the Marathas in the third battle of Panipat and took over the fort. The Marathas reconquered the fort in 1771 and stalled Shah Alam II as the 16th Mughal emperor.

The UNESCO has named the Red Fort as a world heritage site in 2007 for its historical and cultural significance. An architectural wonder India should be proud of.

The Red Fort, which is also known as the Lal Qila, was constructed by one of the most famous Mughal emperors, Shah Jahan. Built on the banks of river Yamuna, the fortress-palace was designed by architect Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.

In 1788, the Marathas occupied the fort and ruled over Delhi for the next 20 years before the British defeated them during the Second Anglo-Maratha War in 1803.

It took 8 years and 10 months to build the magnificent fort. The fort served as the royal residence of the Mughal emperors from 1648 to 1857. It took over the honor of royal residence from the famous Agra Fort when Shah Jahan decided to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi.

The fort now was occupied by the British, who even built a residence of their own within the fort. During the Indian rebellion of 1857, Bahadur Shah II, was arrested by the British and later exiled to Rangoon.

The Red Fort derives its name from the red-sandstone walls, which make the fort almost impregnable. The fort, which is located at Old Delhi, is one of the massive and prominent structures of India and is a fine example of Mughal architecture.

When the fort was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1648, it was white in colour – built with sandstones. Not only did the name, but the colour of the fort was also changed to red. All of it took place at the behest of the British. The Red Fort was originally made of lime stones. It was when the white stone began chipping off, the British had to paint it with red.

With Bahadur Shah II, the Mughal Empire came to an end and this opened a window of opportunity for the British to loot valuables from the fort.

It is often considered as the pinnacle of Mughal creativity. In modern times, the fort is of importance to the people of India as the Indian Prime Minister delivers his Independence Day speech from the fort, every year on August 15. In 2007, it was declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Do you know that the Red Fort was not always known by its current name? It was originally known as “Qila-e-Mubarak”. This name simplifies to “The Blessed Fort”. According to sources Shah Jahan built this fort when he made a decision to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi.

Shah Jahan, the then Mughal emperor decided to build the Red Fort as the citadel of Shahjahanabad, his new capital at Delhi. The fort, which was completely constructed in the year 1648, remained the residence of the Mughal emperors until 1857.

There’s no denying machinery and constructed used to be limited in those days, or shall we say, during the reign of Shah Jahan – the grandson of Akbar the Great.

It took 10 long years by Ustad Hamid and Ustad Ahmed – the pioneering architects during the time who began the construction in 1638 and completed it a decade later.

Post the reign of Aurangzeb, the Mughal dynasty grew weaker in every aspect and that started taking a toll on the fort. When Farrukhsiyar, the ninth Mughal emperor, took over the reign from Jahandar Shah after murdering him, the fort began to lose its luster, quite literally

Many would not know that the Kohinoor diamond was actually a part of the royal throne of Shah Jahan – located in the Diwani-i-Khas. Years later the priceless stone was robbed by Nadir Shah (the ‘Persian Napoleon’).

Studded with valuable stones like emeralds, pearls, diamonds and rubies, the throne was made of solid gold.

At present, the largest diamond in the world is adorning the crown of England’s queen.Well, there is no throne now neither there is the Kohinoor diamond, but you will be glad to soak yourself in several stories that will make your Delhi tour a memorable affair to remember.

The Red Fort (well-known for its breathtaking architecture) is compact with a multitude of palaces used once by a number of Mughal rulers. Rang Mahal, one of the most remarkable palaces in the fort, literally means “palace of colours”.

This palace was used by consorts of emperors and their maids. Khas Mahal, the stunning personal palace of emperor, is situated near Rang Mahal. It allowed the emperor to pay a visit to his queens anytime he wants. Except the princesses and queens, nobody had the permission to visit Khas Mahal.

During his reign, the silver ceiling of the fort was replaced with copper in order to raise money. This was probably the beginning of the plunder that would go on for years to come. In 1739, Nadir Shah, the Persian emperor defeated the Mughals and took with him some of the valuables belonging to the fort, including the famous peacock throne, which had served as the royal throne of the Mughals.

The weakened Mughals had no other option but to sign a treaty with the Marathas, who had promised to protect them and the fort. In 1760, when Ahmed Shah Durrani of the Durrani dynasty threatened to capture Delhi, the Marathas dug out the silver ceiling of Diwan-i-Khas to strengthen their army.

Two main gates at the magnificent Red Fort include the Delhi Gate and the Lahore Gate. Lahore Gate got its name as it opens towards Lahore. This is because India and Pakistan used to be one country at one time.

Ahmed Shah Durrani defeated the Marathas in the third battle of Panipat and took over the fort. The Marathas reconquered the fort in 1771 and stalled Shah Alam II as the 16th Mughal emperor. In 1788, the Marathas occupied the fort and ruled over Delhi for the next 20 years before the British defeated them during the Second Anglo-Maratha War in 1803.

On every Independence Day, the Prime Minister of India hoists the National Flag from the ramparts of Lahore Gate.Although the Delhi Gate looks as same as the Lahore Gate, it used to serve as the entrance gate for the public to the fort.