Essay on Red Fort: The red sandstone monument in Delhi built in 1648 signifying the power and grandeur of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan is famous worldwide. It has been witness to many historical events in the country. The Prime Minister unfurls the national flag every year on 15th August, our independence day, and delivers the country’s ceremonial speech.
Essay on Red Fort 500 Words in English
Below we have provided Red Fort Essay in English, suitable for class 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8.
The Red Fort of Delhi, situated on the western bank of the river Yamuna, is one of the must-visit places of Delhi. It is the largest historical structure in Delhi. This incredible monument was established in 1638, by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan. This fort is often said to be the pinnacle of Mughal creativity. It has been around 380 years, but this monument has still passed the test of time and nature.
History of the Red Fort
When Shah Jahan, the 5th Mughal Emperor, shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi’s Shahjahanabad, he created there, the majestic palace of Red Fort. It is said that “Rome was not built in a day”, and neither was the Red Fort. It took 10 years of hard work and patience to build this fort. Its construction work started in around 1638 AD and got completed in 1648 AD.
Ustad Hamil and Ustad Ahmed were the chief architects of the fort. At that time, the name of the fort was given Qila-e-Mubarak, which translates to “Blessed Fort”. Also, this fort was originally white and not red, but it got its present name from the Britishers, who painted it red.
Architecture of Red Fort
The Red Fort, which covers 225 acres of land, is octagonal in shape when viewed from the top. It is surrounded by a 2.5 km long, red-sandstone boundary walls, which gives it the name “Red Fort”. What makes it the perfect example of “Unity in Diversity” is its architectural style, which is a mixture of Mughal, Persian, Timurid and Hindu architectural styles.
The whole Red Fort Complex consists of Shah Jahan’s palace and the adjacent Salimgarh Fort, which was built in 1546. There are 2 key chambers in the fort, Diwan-i-‘Am (Hall of Audience) and Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audiences). It was Diwan-i-Am, where the emperor would hear the complaints of his subjects, and it was Diwan-i-Khas, where Shah Jahan hosted his famous “Peacock Throne”, which also consisted the world’s largest diamond “Kohinoor”.
Prominent Structures within the Fort
- Rang Mahal: It, literally translates as the “Palace of Colours”, and was used to house the emperor’s wives and mistresses.
- Mumtaz Mahal: This palace, which translates to Jewel Palace, was one of the 6 palaces made facing towards the Yamuna river.
- Khas Mahal: This palace was used as the emperor’s private residence. It was mainly divided into 3 parts, namely, the chamber of telling beads, sitting room and sleeping chamber.
- Hira Mahal: This palace was built later on in 1842, and it is believed that Shah Jahan had hidden a diamond in this palace, which is not yet found and is said to be more precious than even the Kohinoor.
- Moti Masjid: The name translates to ‘Pearl Mosque’, it was built by Aurangzeb for his personal use.
- Hammam: These were the imperial baths, used by the emperors and surrounded by floral designs and white marbles.
Mughal palaces are famous for its grand gardens. The garden Hayat-Baksh-Bagh of the Red Fort, makes us feel heaven on earth. The water of Yamuna river was passed through a canal and turned to majestic fountains, known as ‘Nahr-i-Bahisht’ or ‘Stream of Paradise’.
The Fort also consists of two main gates, the Delhi Gate and the Lahori Gate. This Lahori gate opens at the Chatta Chowk, a covered street that used to house Delhi’s most talented jewellers, weavers, goldsmiths, etc. The Naubat khana is situated a few meters away from here, where musicians used to play music for the Emperor.
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