The Red Fort began its life in the 10th century as a simple
mud and brick fortress along the banks of the Yamuna river. Under
Akbar (1564-1570s) of the Mughal dynasty it was rebuilt along the
lines of its predecessor, which accounts for its irregular outer
walls. Originally intended as a fortress, the site was partially
converted into a palace during the reign of Shah Jahan, who lived in
the fortress and died there - a prisoner of his own son.
The residential and defensive portions of the fortress can be
described separately. The outer walls, built during Akbar's time,
are penetrated by two gates, called the Amar Singh and the Delhi
gate respectively. The Delhi gate, to the west, was originally the
main entrance although the southern gate, the Amar Singh, is used
today. Both gates are sheathed in red sandstone and consist of an
enormous facade flanked by twin towers. Entry is on the diagonal,
and to foil invaders, visitors were originally forced to negotiate
several right-angled turns before reaching the gate.
Agra's history goes back more than 2500 years, but the it wasn't
until the reign of the Mughals that Agra became more than a
provincial city. Humayun, son of the founder of the Mogul empire,
was offered jewelry and precious stones by the family of the Raja of
Gwalior, one of them the famous Koh-i-Noor. The heydays of Agra came
with the reign of Humayun's son, Akbar The Great. During his reign,
the main part of the Agra fort was built. Construction of the fort
started in 1156 and was finished in 1605. Shah Jahan, who built the
Taj Mahal, erected most of the buildings inside the fortress.
The Red Fort is to be entered by the Delhi Gate to the west, which
pierces the outer wall. After this, one goes through the Hathi Pol
or Elephant Gate, which is a tiled and ornamented entrance that
pierces the inner wall. Once inside, one sees the Diwan-e-am and the
Diwan-e-khas which are pavilions where the king gave audience to the
common people and the elite respectively. The Rang Mahal is a
water-cooled apartment for the royal ladies and in the basement of
the fort there is a market where one can buy traditional Indian
goods at very competitive rates. The Khas Mahal and Sheesh Mahal are
exquisitely ornamented halls, which portray the brilliance and
splendor of Mughal royalty. There is also another entrance to the
Red Fort, which is the Lahori Gate. This entrance leads to the
well-known Chandni Market. In the evenings there is a special light
and sound show organized for tourists which is a must see.
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