This bazaar has an excellent collection of antiques,
miniature paintings and skillfully crafted fake ivory
jewellery. The bazaar also sells some fabulous carpets
beautifully woven. Just beyond the Chhata Chowk, is
the heart of the fort called Naubat Khana, or the Drum
House.
Musicians used to play for the emperor
from the Naubat Khana, and the arrival of princes and
royalty was heralded from here.
The Fort sports all the obvious trappings
befitting a vital centre of Mughal governance: halls
of public and private audiences, domed and arched marble
palaces, plush private apartments, a mosque, and elaborately
designed gardens.
Even today, the Fort remains an impressive
testimony to Mughal grandeur, despite being attacked
by the Persian Emperor Nadir Shah in 1739, and by the
British soldiers, during the war of independence in
1857.
The Fort also houses the Diwan-i-Am or the Hall of Public
Audiences, where the Emperor would sit on a marbled
paneled alcove, studded with gems, and hear complaints
of the common people. The Diwan-i-Khas is the hall of
Private Audiences, where the Emperor held private meetings.
This hall is made of marble, and its centre-piece
used to be the Peacock Throne, which was studded with
rubies and gems and was carried away to Iran by Nadir
Shah in 1739. Today, although the Diwan-i-Khas is only
a pale shadow of its original glory, yet the verse of
Amir Khusro " If there is Paradise on the face of earth,
it is here, it is here, it is here" reminds us of its
former glory.
The Rang Mahal or the 'Palace of Colours'
as it is known, holds a spectacular Lotus shaped fountain,
made out of a single piece of marble, and housed the
Emperor's wives and mistresses. The palace was decorated
with excellent paintings, gold bordered projections,
mosaics of mirrors and the ceiling was made with gold
and silver which wonderfully reflected in a central
pool in the marble floor.
The other attractions enclosed within
this monument are the hammams or the Royal Baths, the
Shahi Burj, which used to be Shahjahan's private working
area, and the Moti Masjid or the Pearl Mosque, built
by Aurangzeb for his personal use.
Even today, the Lal Quila is an eloquent
reminder of the glory of the Mughal era, and its magnificence
simply leaves one awestruck. It is still a calm haven
of peace, which helps one to break away, from noisy
and busy life outside the walls of the Fort, and transports
the visitor to another realm of existence. Sound and
light shows or son et lumiere as it is better known,
highlighting particular phases of history are held here.
The shows are in Hindi and English with
tickets costing Rs. 20, available at the Fort. The English
seasons are from November to January at 7.30 p.m., in
January to April and September to October at 8.30 p.m.
and from May to August at 9 p.m.
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