The Red Fort is one such monument that might have lost its opulent glory as the time past by but there are certain lesser-known facts about this magnanimous monument that will surely compel you to which this once again!
1. A Fort with Many Names
We all know that the monument was constructed when Mughal emperor Shah Jahan decided to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi. But what we all don’t know is that the Fort has been known by different names at different points of time. It has been as Qila-i-Mubarak (the Fortunate Citadel), Qila-i-Shahjahanabad (Fort of Shahjahanabad) or Qila-i-Mualla (the Exalted Fort.)
2. The Fort Has Got its Name by its Walls
The Red Fort owes its name to its walls of the boundary. What we see now as the red walls, the sandstones with which the Fort was built were once embellished with gilded designs and on which colourful flowers were painted. But with the decadence of the Mughals, the silver ceilings were stripped and replaced first with copper, then wood and no one had the resources or inclination to redo the gilding. Thus, Qila-e-Mubarak became Delhi’s Lal Haveli or Lal Qila.
3. The Flag Hoisting Place Since 1947
It was the place where the last Mughal emperor and the acclaimed leader of the 1857 revolt were tried and exiled, the place where the members of INA faced trial in 1945-46 and also the place where the first Prime Minister of independent India, Pt. Nehru spoke his iconic speech ‘Tryst with Destiny.” Therefore, Red Fort was chosen as the main site of public celebration as Fort had become an icon in India's struggle for freedom, and it was a dream come true for citizens to see India's first Prime Minister hoist the flag there!
4. Kohinoor and Red Fort
The Kohinoor diamond was actually part of Shah Jahan's throne. Made of solid gold and studded with precious stones, the extravagant royal seat stood in Diwan-i-Khas (the hall of private audience), flaunting the world's largest diamond.
5. The Shape of the Red Fort is Octagonal
The Red Fort is built in the octagonal shape, when taken a bird’s eye view of this marvellous architectural splendour you can see the huge walls of this fort are also of the same shape. Curtesy its historical significance, the Red Fort was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. It's also pictured on the back of India’s new 500 rupee note, issued post demonetization in late 2016.
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India is a vast country and a mystery to most. Those who live in it, those who now live outside of India or those who are just visiting. We, at NRIClub™, serve as a centralized hub of information for the residents, non-residents and travellers who are not familiar with various aspects of this great country.
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