Places To Visit In Delhi - Red Fort

Places To Visit In Delhi -  Red Fort

The Red Fort or Lal Qila is a historic fort in Delhi, India, which historically served as the main residence of the Mughal emperors. Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the construction of the Red Fort on May 12, 1639, when he decided to move his capital from Agra to Delhi. Wikipedia

The Red Fort or Lal Qila (Hindustani: [laːl qiːlaː]) is a historic fort in Delhi, India, which historically served as the main residence of the Mughal emperors. Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the construction of the Red Fort on May 12, 1639, when he decided to move his capital from Agra to Delhi. Originally red and white, its design is attributed to architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori, who also built the Taj Mahal. The fort represents a highlight of Mughal architecture under Shah Jahan and combines Persian palace architecture with Indian traditions.

The fort was looted of its artwork and jewelry during Nader Shah's invasion of the Mughal Empire in 1739. Most of the fort's marble structures were later demolished by the British following the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The defensive walls The fort was largely undamaged and the fort was later used as a garrison.

On August 15, 1947, the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, hoisted the Indian flag over the Lahori Gate. Every year on India's Independence Day (August 15), the Prime Minister hoists the Indian tricolor flag at the main gate of the fort and delivers a speech broadcast nationally from its walls over the public address system of the fort. Indian Army Signal Corps.
The Red Fort was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 as part of the Red Fort Complex.

Etymology - Red Fort

The name Red Fort is a translation of the Hindustani Lāl Qila (Hindi: लाल क़िला, Urdu: لال قلعہ), which derives from its red sandstone walls. Lal is derived from Hindi meaning "red" and Qalàh is derived from the Arabic word meaning "fortress". As the residence of the imperial family, the fort was originally known as the "Blessed Fort" (Qila-i-Mubārak). Agra Fort is also known as Lāl Qila.

Places To Visit In Delhi -  Red Fort

History - Red Fort

Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the construction of the Red Fort on 12 May 1638, when he decided to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi. Originally red and white, Shah Jahan's favorite colors,[7] its design is credited to architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori, who also constructed the Taj Mahal.[8][9] The fort lies along the Yamuna River, which fed the moats surrounding most of the walls.[10] Construction began in the sacred Islamic month of Muharram, on 13 May 1638.[11]: 01  Supervised by Shah Jahan, it was completed on 6 April 1648.[12][13][14] Unlike other Mughal forts, the Red Fort's boundary walls are asymmetrical to contain the older Salimgarh Fort.[11]: 04  The fortress-palace was a focal point of the city of Shahjahanabad, which is present-day Old Delhi. Shah Jahan's successor, Aurangzeb, added the Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) to the emperor's private quarters, constructing barbicans in front of the two main gates to make the entrance to the palace more circuitous.[11]: 08 

Image shows Red Fort's long walls including the gates as seen from Jama Masjid's tower. The walls can be seen in the background extending a couple of thousand meters.

The walls of Red Fort (in the background) as seen from the top of Jama Masjid's tower

The administrative and fiscal structure of the Mughal dynasty declined after Aurangzeb, and the 18th century saw a degeneration of the palace. In 1712 Jahandar Shah became the Mughal Emperor. Within a year of beginning his rule, Shah was murdered and replaced by Farrukhsiyar. In 1739, Persian emperor Nadir Shah easily defeated the strong Mughal army of around 200,000 soldiers,[15] plundering the Red Fort, including the Peacock Throne. Nadir Shah returned to Persia after three months, leaving a destroyed city and a weakened Mughal empire to Muhammad Shah.[11]: 09  The internal weakness of the Mughal Empire made the Mughals only titular rulers of Delhi, and a 1752 treaty made the Marathas protectors of the throne at Delhi.[16][17] The 1758 Maratha victory at Sirhind aided by the Sikhs and successive defeat at Panipat[18] placed them in further conflict with Ahmad Shah Durrani.

In 1760, the Marathas removed and melted down the silver roof of the Diwan-i-Khas to raise funds for the defense of Delhi from the armies of Ahmed Shah Durrani. In 1761, after the Marathas lost the third battle of Panipat, Ahmed Shah Durrani raided Delhi. Ten years later, the Marathas, acting at the behest of the exiled emperor Shah Alam II, recaptured Delhi from the Rohilla Afghans. Mahadji Scindia, the commander of the Maratha army, restored Shah Alam II to the throne.

In 1764, the Jat ruler of Bharatpur, Maharaja Jawahar Singh (son of Maharaja Suraj Mal) attacked Delhi and captured the Red Fort of Delhi on 5 February 1765. Two days later, after receiving tribute from the Mughals, they brought out their armies from the fort and the Jats removed the throne of the Mughals, called the pride of the Mughals, and the gates of the Red Fort as a monument, and this throne is today enhancing the beauty of the palaces of Deeg. The gates are located in the Lohagarh Fort of Bharatpur.[25]

In 1783, the Sikh Misl led by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia and Baghel Singh Dhaliwal conquered Delhi and the Red Fort. Allied with a force of 40,000 men plundered the area from Awadh to Jodhpur. After negotiations, the Sikh forces agreed to abandon Delhi and reinstate the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II. The condition of his withdrawal included the construction of seven Sikh Gurdwaras in Delhi, including the Sis Ganj Gurudwara in Chandni Chowk.

In 1788, a Maratha garrison occupied the Red Fort and Delhi besides providing protection to the Mughal emperor. Mahadji Scindia signed a treaty with the Sikhs warning them not to enter Delhi or ask for Rakhi tribute. The fort came under the control of the East India Company after the Second Anglo-Maratha War in 1803.

During the Second Anglo-Maratha War, East India Company forces defeated Daulat Rao Scindia's Maratha forces at the Battle of Delhi; this ended Maratha's control over the city and their control of the Red Fort. After the battle, the British East India Company took over the administration of the Mughal territories and installed a resident at the Red Fort.[11]: 11  The last Mughal emperor to occupy the fort, Bahadur Shah II, became a symbol of the rebellion of 1857 against the British East India Company in which the residents of Shahjahanabad participated.

Despite its position as the seat of Mughal power and its defensive capabilities, the Red Fort was not a site of an engagement during the 1857 uprising against the British. After the rebellion was defeated, Bahadur Shah II left the fort on 17 September and was apprehended by British forces. Bahadur Shah Zafar II returned to Red Fort as a British prisoner, was tried in 1858, and exiled to Rangoon on 7 October of that year.[29] After the end of the rebellion, the British sacked the Red Fort before ordering its systemic demolition. 80% of the fort's buildings were demolished as a result of this effort, including the stone screen that connected the pavilions along the fort's river-facing façade, which was demolished.[30] All furniture was removed or destroyed; the harem apartments, servants' quarters, and gardens were demolished, and a line of stone barracks was built in their place.[31] Only the marble buildings on the east side at the imperial enclosure escaped complete destruction, although they were damaged by the demolition efforts. While the defensive walls and towers were relatively unharmed, more than two-thirds of the inner structures were demolished.[32][33]

Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905, ordered repairs to the fort including reconstruction of the walls and the restoration of the gardens complete with a watering system.[34]

Most of the jewelry and works of art located in the Red Fort were looted during Nadir Shah's invasion of 1747 and again after the Indian rebellion of 1857 against the British. They were eventually sold to private collectors or to the British Museum, the British Library, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. For example, Shah Jahan's jade wine cup and Bahadur Shah II's crown are currently in London. The British government has so far rejected several requests for restitution.[35]

1911 saw the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to the Delhi Durbar. In preparation for your visit, some buildings were restored. The Red Fort Archaeological Museum was moved from the drum house to the Mumtaz Mahal.

The INA trials, also known as the Red Fort trials, refer to the courts-martial of various officers of the Indian National Army. The first was held between November and December 1945 at the Red Fort.

On August 15, 1947, India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted the Indian national flag over the Lahore Gate.

After India's independence, the site saw little change and the Red Fort continued to be used as a military cantonment. A major part of the fort remained under the control of the Indian Army until 22 December 2003, when it was handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India for restoration. In 2009, the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), prepared by the Archaeological Survey of India under the directions of the Supreme Court, was announced to revitalize the fort.

References: From Wikipedia

• Address: Netaji Subhash Marg, Lal Qila, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi, 110006, India
• Built: 12 May 1639 – 6 April 1648; 376 years ago
• Height: 18–33 m (59–108 ft)
• Architect: Ustad Ahmad Lahori
• Phone: +91 11 2327 7705
• Architectural style(s): Indo-Islamic architecture
• UNESCO Site Id: 231

Google Map Location: 

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Red Fort - People also ask: 

What is the entry fee for Red Fort Delhi?

How to Reach Red Fort:

Opening Hours 9.30 am to 4.30 pm

Closed Days Monday

Entry Fee (Indian) ₹ 35

Entry Fee (Foreigner ) ₹ 550

How to visit Red Fort Delhi?

Red Fort (New Delhi) | Entry Ticket | Timings | Location ...

Red Fort is located 16 km from New Delhi Railway Station and can be easily visited by the following modes of transport:

• HOHO Bus.
• Delhi Metro: Take a Metro to Red Fort Metro Station and take a 2-minute walk to reach Red Fort.
• DTC Bus No 539.

How much is the ticket for Agra Fort?

Agra Fort (Timings, History, Entry Fee, Images, Built by ...

Agra Fort Timings and Entry Fees

The entry fee for Agra Fort is ₹50 per person for Indian citizens and ₹650 for foreign visitors. On Fridays, its ticket prices are ₹40 and ₹600, respectively.

What is the history of Red Fort Delhi?

Red Fort Complex | Ministry of Culture, Government of India

The Red Fort Complex was built as the palace fort of Shahjahanabad – the new capital of the fifth Mughal Emperor of India, Shah Jahan. Named for its massive enclosing walls of red sandstone, it is adjacent to an older fort, the Salimgarh, built by Islam Shah Suri in 1546, with which it forms the Red Fort Complex.

Is photography allowed in Red Fort Delhi?

Yes, there is no restriction on taking a phone or camera inside.

Is Red Fort worth visiting?

Is Red Fort worth visiting? - exploreepictraveling.com

Absolutely, the Red Fort is definitely worth visiting! It's an iconic landmark located in Delhi, India known for its unique architecture and historical significance.

Which side of Delhi is Red Fort?

Formerly known as Quila-e-Mubarak or the Blessed Fort, the Red Fort lies along the banks of the river Yamuna, whose waters fed the moats surrounding the fort. It was a part of the medieval city of Shahjahanabad, popularly known today as 'Old Delhi'.

Why is Red Fort Delhi famous?

Outstanding Universal Value. The planning and design of the Red Fort represents a culmination of architectural development initiated in 1526 AD by the first Mughal Emperor and brought to a splendid refinement by Shah Jahan with a fusion of traditions: Islamic, Persian, Timurid, and Hindu.