The History of India is one such thing of which we can boast of with great pride in front of our generations to come. There are numerous monuments in India that reminisce us of our glorious past - the past, which even today dazzles like a diamond and illuminates the life of millions, because its rightly said that past is the very foundation of our future. Agra Fort, one of the great cenotaphs of India is situated in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is less than 2 km away from the impressive Taj Mahal. The construction of this historical fort was initiated by Mughal emperor Akbar and was taken to the zenith of perfection by his son Shah Jahan. The fort is a veritable treasure trove of the Mughal architectural tradition.

Agra Fort - A Bird's Eye View

Agra Fort is the pride owner of a maze of buildings that form a small city within a city. The many splendid mosque and palaces that it holds show the superb creativity of the builders of that era. The walls of the fort rise up to 69 feet in height. The wall has 2 main gates - The Amar Singh Gate and the Delhi Gate. Public reach is almost confined to the southern part of the fort which includes many notable sites of tourist interest. To mention are :

Jehangiri Mahal - This is one of the noteworthy buildings inside the Agra Fort. This palace was built by Akbar as a residence for his son Jehangir, which is a perfect amalgamation of Hindu and Central Asian architectural styles. The inner courtyard of the fort is adorned by beautiful halls, exuberant carvings on stone, heavy Gujrathi brackets exquisitely carved with animal and floral motifs, piers and other gilded decorations. This is said to be the most important building of the Akbari Period in the Agra Fort. To the right of Jahangiri Mahal is a simple palace of Akbar's favourite queen Jodha Bai.

Khas Mahal - Both Shah Jahan and Jehangir were bewithched by white marble which made them demolish several Akbar's red stone's structures. Built entirely of marble by Shah Jahan in 1637, the Khas Mahal or the Private Palace showcases a distinctive Islamic-Persian features. The enclosure has three pavilions overlooking the Yamuna, with a fountain opposite the central pavilion. The central pavilion an airy edifice, used by the emperor as a sleeping chamber has three arches on each side, five in front, and two turrets rising out of the roof. It overlooks the Angoori Bagh (grape garden). The Khas Mahal provides the most successful archetype of painting on a white marble surface.

Musamman Burj- This octagonal tower with an open pavilion was built by Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is made of delicate marble lattices with ornamental niches for the ladies of the court to gaze out, unseen. This is where Shah Jahan spent his last few years as a captive of his son Aurangazeb and where he lay on his death bed, gazing at the Taj.

Diwani-i-Khas- Diwan-i-Khas (hall of private audience) was constructed by Shah Jahan in 1636-37 and was used to receive kings, dignitaries and ambassadors. It is a three sided pavilion with a terrace of fine proportions. Outside the structure is the marble throne terrace, where a pair of thrones were kept. The black throne belonged to Jehangir. These days entry is restricted in Diwan -i - Khas.

Diwan -i -Am - Diwan -i -Am (hall of public audience ) holds prime importance because here was kept the precious and glorious Peacock throne ordered by Shah Jehan.

Sheesh Mahal- Opposite to the Mussaman Burj lies the Sheesh Mahal or the Glass Palace. It was once a royal dressing room and its walls are inlaid with tiny mirrors, one of the best specimens of glass-mosaic decoration in India. The Sheesh Mahal is composed of two large halls of equal size, each measuring 11.15m x 6.40 m. Both are connected in the centre by a broad arched opening and on the sides by two narrow passages.

Macchhi Bhawan- Opposite to the Diwan-i-Khas lies the Macchhi Bhawan, a grand enclosure meant for harem functions. The emperor sat on the white marble platform of the Diwani-i-Khas facing this courtyard. It once contained pools and marble fountains which were carried off by Jat Raja Surajmal to his palace at Deeg. On another side stands a small mosque built for Shahjahan by his son Aurangzeb.

Moti Masjid - The Moti Masjid (pearl mosque), its three domes in white marble raising their heads over the red sandstone wall. Moti Masjid is known for its sheer grandeur and perfect proportions.

Year Of Kudos

The magnificent Agra Fort was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1983. It is enjoying an important place in the holiday list of many.

Peppery Bulletin

• Agra Fort has been certified by various monograms like Lal Quila, Red Fort of Agra and Fort Rouge.
• Agra fort is also a site of one of the battles during Indian Rebellion of 1857, which caused the end of the British East India Company's rule in India.
• The Agra Fort was featured in the music video for Habibi Da, a hit song of the Egyptian pop star Hisham Abbas.
• The Delhi Gate of Agra Fort is considered to be the grades gates, however it is not opened for public entrance.
• Indian Military , in particular, ( The Parachute Brigade ) uses the northern portion of the Agra Fort.
• Around more than 4,000 workers were involved in the completion of the Agra Fort.
• A sound and light show is also held in the fort at 7. pm.

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