Pete & Diana's India Adventure
Chennai
Chennai sightseeing
IEEE Conference
Jodhpur
Jaswant Thada
Mehrangarh Fort
Umaid Bhawan Palace
Jodhpur
Ranakpur
Jain Temple
Ranakpur
Udaipur
Jadish Temple
City Palace
Monsoon Palace
Jag Mandir
Udaipur
Jaipur
The Pink City
Amber Fort
Jal Mahal (Water Palace)
Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds)
City Palace of Jaipur
Jantar Mantar Observatory
Royal Gaitor
Jaipur
Abheneri
Chand Baori (Step Well)
Abheneri
Agra
Fatehpur Sikri
Taj Mahal
Red Fort
Itmad-ud-Daula (Baby Taj)
Agra
Delhi
Old Dehli
Jama Masjid
Raj Ghat & Ghandi Smriti
Humayan's Tomb
Qtub Minar
National Rail Museum
New Dehli
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Old Dehli - Red Fort (Lai Qila) or Agra Fort, constructed between 1638 and 1648
Red Fort (Agra Fort) - the largest piece of Mughul architecture in Agra, built and rebuilt by several rulers over the years. In addition to serving as a massive fortress, the Lal Quila contained the palaces of Shah Jahan, and his successors, as well a several mosques. In an ironic twist, Shah Jahan never ruled from the Red Fort. He was captured by his son and spent his remaining days a prisoner in the fort that he constructed.
Red Fort (Agra Fort) - Amar Singh Gate was originally called 'Akbar Darwaza' and was reserved for Mughal emperor Akbar. Shah Jehan renamed it after the brave Rao Amar Singh of Jodhpur. According to the story, Amar Singh slew the chief treasurer of Shah Jehan in front of the emperor. Then he leapt with his horse over the high walls of the fort. The horse died and Amar Singh was arrested and put to death. However, his courage won the admiration of the emperor and the gate was renamed as Amar Singh Gate in his honor
Red Fort (Agra Fort) - Amar Singh Gate was originally known as 'Akbar Darwaza' and was reserved for Mughal emperor Akbar and his personal entourage
Red Fort (Agra Fort) - inner (second) gate set at a right-angle to the first gate and with a long, walled ramp to insure the fort was impregnable by attackers on elephants.
Red Fort (Agra Fort) - gate approaching Jalangiri Mahal, probably be the most noteworthy building inside the Agra Fort. The Mahal was the principal zenana (palace for women belonging to the royal household), and was used mainly by the Rajput wives of Akbar. The palace was built by Emperor Akbar as a token of love for his son Jahangir who later became Emperor. Mughal empress Nur Jahan used this as her residence.
Jehangiri Mahal - entrance to the palace of the Mughul emperor Jehangir.
Jalangiri Mahal - in front of Jehangiri Mahal is a bath vat which was built in 1610 A.D. It measures 5 feet high and 8 feet in diameter. The bathing urn that occupies the pathway leading to the main portal, and reputedly is a gift to the emperor from his queen, although some maintain it was Jehangir's gift to his queen. The bath basin is carved out of a single block of granite and was capable of being moved from one place to another. IThere is a huge bowl called Hauz-i-Jahangiri, that it is carved out of a single piece of stone. It was used as a container for fragrant rose water.
Inside Jahangiri Mahal
Painting fragments in Jahangiri Mahal
Inside Jahangiri Mahal - wall of arabesque niches
Taj Mahal from the river-side wall of Agra Fort
Taj Mahal from the river-side wall of Agra Fort
Taj Mahal from the river-side wall of Agra Fort
Taj Mahal from the river-side wall of Agra Fort
Inside Jahangiri Mahal (entrances to harem)
Pavilion inside Jahangiri Mahal
Khas Mahal - Built by Shah Jehan between 1631-40 for his two favorite daughters. It has a beautiful tank in front with fountains, white marble pavilions and open courts.
Khas Mahal - Built by Shah Jehan between 1631-40 for his two favorite daughters. It has a beautiful tank in front with fountains, white marble pavilions and open courts.
One of two pavilions flanking the Khas Mahal
Khas Mahal - Built by Shah Jehan between 1631-40 for his two favorite daughters. It has a beautiful tank in front with fountains, white marble pavilions and open courts.
Khas Mahal
Khas Mahal
Khas Mahal
Khas Mahal - the richly ornamented ceilings are flat and the complex has stylishly carved and molded brackets. The niches in the walls are believed to have contained portraits of Mughal emperors while the iron rings in the roof of the central hall were meant for the chandeliers.
Musamman Burj was built by Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan chose this site to erect the multi-storied marble tower inlaid with precious stones. It was built between 1631-40 and offers exotic views of the famous Taj Mahal.
Musamman Burj - the rectangular water fountain is made from recessed layers of marble which look absolutely flat when filled with water, creating an illusion of a carpet.
Musamman Burj is made of delicate marble lattices with ornamental niches so that the ladies of the court could gaze out unseen. The decoration of the walls is pietra dura. The chamber has a marble dome on top and is surrounded by a verandah with a beautiful carved fountain in the center. The tower looks out over the River Yamuna and is traditionally considered to have one of the most poignant views of the Taj Mahal. It is here that Shah Jahan along with his favorite daughter spent his last few years as a captive of his son. He lay here on his death bed while gazing at the Taj Mahal that he built in Agra.
Panaroma of Musamman Burj
The Musamman Burj tower looks out over the River Yamuna and is traditionally considered to have one of the most poignant views of the Taj Mahal.
The Musamman Burj tower looks out over the River Yamuna and is traditionally considered to have one of the most poignant views of the Taj Mahal.
Anguri Bagh - Shah Jehan built Anguri Bagh or the Garden of Grapes in 1637. With Khas Mahal to its east and red sandstone arcades on the other three sides, it was the principal square of the zenana apartments or the living area of the royal ladies. The tower in the back is Musamman Burj, the white marble octagonal tower.
Diwan-i-Am, Hall of Public Audience, constructed by Shah Jahan between 1631-40. It is believed that from here Shah Jahan addressed the general public as well as the nobility.
Diwan-i-Am, Hall of Public Audience, constructed by Shah Jahan between 1631-40. It is believed that from here Shah Jahan addressed the general public as well as the nobility.
Diwan-i-Khass, Hall of Private Audience - highly-ornamented pillared hall, with a flat ceiling supported on engrailed arches. The lower portion of its piers is ornamented with floral pietra dura panels, while the upper portion was originally gilded and painted. Over the marble pedestal in its centre stood the famous Peacock Throne which was removed in 1739 by Nadir Shah when he captured the fort.
Exit gate from the courtyard near Diwan-i-Am, Hall of Public Audience
Outside of palace exit gate (walls of fort in background)
The Fort uses a double moat system, with one water moat (reputedly filled with crocodiles) and a dry moat (populated with man-eating tigers). It is further protected by two sets of red sandstone walls, the outer one 40’ high and the inner wall 70’ high
Agra Fort - view of Jehangiri Mahal from back
Agra Fort - view of Khas Mahal from back
Agra Fort - view of Khas Mahal from back, with Musamman Burj (octagonal tower) where Shah Jahan was imprisoned