Wednesday 13 June 2012

Visit the Red Fort for a glimpse of Medieval Architecture and Moghul Grandeur!



The other  day we suddenly decided to visit the Red Fort in Delhi but didn’t realise how hot it would be. After a rather long walk from the car park we finally arrived at the ramparts of the Red Fort. The Majestic buildings and monuments within the Fort stand testimony to the glories of a by gone era when Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb, and later Bahdur Shah Zafar ruled as Emperors. The Red Fort was incidentally built by Shah Jahan. The carefully preserved  objects in the museums also speak of the finery of the dresses and clothes worn by the Aristocracy. We were also able to take a look at some of the weapons used in the past like daggers, scimitars, flintlock pistols and so on!



                Ramparts of The Red Fort

The long walk from the parking to the main entrance was no doubt tiring and with all that heat pouring down from the sky, it was really a task, especially for the little kids!

  Moghul Architecture                                Diwane Aam  
The building in the first photograph is where the emperor used to hold court, while the second photograph is of the interior of the same building.

                   The fountain at Diwane Khas
Diwane Khas                   Moghul Art
The first photograph is of the Diwane Khas, the private quarters. There was a stream of water flowing through these chambers.The second photograph is of the fountain through which the water spouted. The third photograph, (bottom right) is of a flower motif design adorning the roof of the Diwane Khas, while the fourth photograph( bottom left) is the point from which the water flowed out into the lawns.


The Meena Bazar at the entrance to the inner courtyard from the main entrance used to be a bazaar meant especially for the ladies of the Royal Court. All kinds of cloth were sold in the past. Today, the Meena Bazar continues to do brisk business although the clients are the tourists who come to visit the Red Fort!
Meena Bazaar                                  Meena Bazaar

Visitors to the Red Fort during the summer season should carry enough water in canteens and a pram for the little one will help. Also sunscreen lotion should be applied to avoid a sun tan. It would be a good idea to wear hats and goggles!


Some other attractions at the Red Fort are the different museums that have displayed some well preserved artefacts the section displaying philatelic exhibits is worth visiting. The Sound and Light show or the Son et Lumiere show is another popular tourist attraction as it describes and re-enacts some of the important historical events associated with the Red Fort and the Independence movement After visiting the Red Fort, the visitor could visit Chandni Chowk for authentic Mughlai gourmet food like Paranthas, and Halwa Sohan, and Rogan Josh!



Technorati Tags:

No comments:

Post a Comment