Agra Fort
Agra fort with Sandeep |
Peacock throne |
Shahjahan’s Peacock throne cost was sixty million (6 crore). Read more
First time we hear about this Fort in history was 10th
century AD(1099-1115) when the town was then ruled by Rajput chief Jaipal. The
description of this fort is given in a book Qasida, composed in the praise of
Ghaznavid prince Mahmud bin Ibrahim. Read more
Later in 1503,SikandarLodhi, shifted his capital to Agra to keep an eye on Rajput kings. Sikandar
lodhi constructed his palace inside the Agra Fort.
First Mughal King Babur in 1526 also used the same Agra
Fort.
But Agra
became the grand city in the time of third Mughal King Akbar. Agra Fort was
renovated by King Akbar (1565-75). Four thousands active builders worked for
eight years to construct this fort. The circumference of the fort is one and
half miles. King Akbar lived here with his five thousand concubines. Each
Mughal concubine had her apartment and also these concubines were getting paid.
There were five hundred buildings in Agra Fort. Now only 27 buildings survive.
Akbar also renovated other palaces and fortress at five
different places within fifteen years, Agra ,
Fatehpursikri, Allahabad , Ajmer
and Lahore .
Existing palaces in the fort were demolished and new series of buildings,
ornamental gardens, pleasure pavilions were erected.
Each wall of Agra Fort is 20 m. high and separated by 12 m
deep moat. The outer moat was of full of water and elegaters.
AKBARI MAHAL
This palace was situated in the southeast corner of the Agra fort. This is the
oldest building of the fort. This building is contemporary of stepped well
(Baoli) and the rampart walks.
Near this palace there are series of stepped lavatory. These
were used by ladies of Mughal Harem. Behind the lavatory there is a long
service lane for cleaning the lavatory.
Step –wells
The step-wells were meant for supply of water and also were
used as retreats for the inmates from the heat of summer times. For convenience
a stairway leads down to the water level. The diameter of the well is 8 m. and
25 m. in depth. There are six storeys in this well each with a rotating
gallery. The first storey also has whispering galleries and a
corridor leading to a site of chambers.
The second and third storeys have two spacious octagonal
chambers on the east and west side. These rooms served as cool places of
retreat during the hot season.
Jahangiri
Palace
This palace was built by Akbar. The outer wall of this
palace is distinguished by the ornamental treatment.
On the entrance of this palace we see the six pointed star, lotus
buds, geometric designs, and elegant brackets. Six pointed star is also found
on the gate of Purana Qila of Delhi .
The outer design of the palace is called Bengali design. The
inner walls are beautifully decorated from Gujarati designs. Inner walls are
beautifully decorated with Gajalakshmi design an auspicious design for Rajput
rulers of India .
Brackets are decorated with parrots & peacocks.
Here we can see designs inspired from Guajarati temples like
Makra design.
Shah Jahan’s Apartment
Shah jahan first tried to convert the existing red sandstone
into white marble makrana. The white marble makrana is called the taste of
riches.
It is a large hall and a side room with an octagonal tower
overlooking the river.
This hall is also made of Lakhauri bricks and walls are
pasted with white stuccoed in fine lime plaster which is colorfully painted
with vegetal motifs.
Khas Mahal
This was the sleeping apartment of Shahjahan. It is also called
the place of rest (Aram
gah) according to bad shah nama.
This palace was gilded in gold. The walls have a number of
deep niches which have been decorated with the portraits of Mughal emperors
from Timur to Akbar and Jahangir.
Musamman Burj
According to Badshah nama, shahjahan demolished the previous
quarter and raised it for her beloved queen Mumtaz mahal (The lady of
Taj). This is also called jasmine tower
because of its exquisite work of marble inlay.
The dome of the Mussaman burj was gilded with gold on copper
sheets.
Emperor Shah jahah passed away in this octagonal chamber in
1666 .
Under ground Apartments or Tahkhana
An underground complex of stairways, corridors, tunnels, and
chambers exist beneath the palaces all along the riverside.
Akbar kept his own vigilance through this complex.
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