Symbol of power.
The Red Fort, also known as the Lal Qila, in Delhi, India was built by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahān and designed by the architect, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. The construction took about a decade to complete in the mid-17th century. It is called the Red Fort because it was made from red sandstone and brick boundary walls were used to secure the fort. The original name for the fort was called Qila-e-Mubarak, also known as “the blessed fort.” There is a famous couplet by Amir Khusro, a famous singer and poet, that reads, “Gar firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hami asto, hamin asto hamin asto,” which translates to “If there is a heaven on earth, it’s here, it’s here.” This quote is mistakenly associated with Kashmir, however, it was originally written for the Red Fort. A unique structure within the fort is Rang Mahal because it consisted of colorful interiors and mosaic mirrors.
The last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, was tried for treason in the Red Fort and then later exiled to Rangoon. Due to the Mughal dynasty being weakened, the British looted and destroyed the forts, palaces, harems, and gardens. As a result, the Kohinoor diamond, the Jade wine cup of Shah Jahān, the crown of the Bahadur Shah and other artwork was taken into possession.
An image of the Red Fort can be seen on the back of the 500 note of the Mahatma Gandhi New Series of the Indian rupee.
Since the Red Fort has endured chaos and destruction, it is known as a symbol of power.
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