Agra Fort

An era marked by invasions and fortifications, where power was symbolized by grand palaces
and grander fortsduring such time was built THE AGRA FORT.

Fortification has always been and still is the prerogative of the mighty; the dividing line
between the ruler and the ruled.

The mighty towers and overwhelming facades instilling fear and awe in the bravest of the
brave.yet there were the few who overcame the daunting adversities and made their mark in
history, a signature . that still exists.

Structures built as a sign of prowess remind us all of the grit and valour of the brave men and
women who captured, destroyed and built such overwhelming edifices.

The Agra Fort, also known as the Lal Qila,

Agra fort, one of the UNESCO World Heritage site, is located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
at 27.1795420N 78.0211010E. It is 2.5km NW of Taj Mahal and can be described as a walled city.
With the Taj Mahal overshadowing it, one can easily forget that Agra has one of the finest
Mughal forts in India. Construction of the massive red-sandstone fort, on the bank of the Yamuna
River, was begun by Emperor Akbar in 1565. The present-day structure was built by
the Mughals, though a fort had stood there since at least the 11th century. Agra Fort was
originally a brick fort, held by the Hindu Sikarwar Rajputs. It was mentioned for the first time in
1080 AD when a Ghaznavide force captured it. Sikandar Lodi (14881517) was the first Sultan
of Delhi who shifted to Agra and lived in the fort. He governed the country from here and Agra
assumed the importance of the second capital. He died in the fort at 1517 and his son, Ibrahim
Lodi, held it for nine years until he was defeated and killed at Panipat in 1526. Several palaces,
wells and a mosque were built by him in the fort during his period.

After the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, Mughals captured the fort and seized a vast treasure,
including the diamond later known as the Koh-I-Noor. The victorious Babur stayed in the fort in
the palace of Ibrahim and built a baoli (step well) in it. The emperor Humanyun was crowned
here in 1530. Humanyun was defeated at Bilgram in 1540 by Sher Shah. The fort remained with
Suris till 1555, when Humanyun recaptured it. The Hindu king Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, also
called 'Hemu', defeated Humanyun army, led by Iskandar Khan Uzbek, and won Agra. Hemu got
a huge booty from this fort and went on to capture Delhi from the Mughals. The Mughals
under Akbar defeated King Hemu finally at the Second Battle of Panipat in 1556.

The Agra Fort presents a formidable appearance with its vast walls, standing seventy feet in
height, and a mile and a half in circuit, with imposing turrets and gateways. The outer wall is
surrounded by a moat. The principal entrance to the Agra fort is the Delhi Gate. Crossing the
drawbridge over the moat and moving over a paved, inclined pathway reaches the Hathi Pol or
Elephant Gate. The gateway leading to the great courtyard of the Diwan-i-Am is reached by a
steep ramp after crossing the Amar Singh Gate and the second gate.

The beauty of this inner quadrangle is its fine proportions and rich ornamentation ,
enhanced by the wonderful rhythmic play of light and shadow, produced by the bracket form of
construction and the admirable disposition of the doors, windows, openings, and colonnades.
The northern side of the quadrangle is occupied by a pillared hall. The outer courtyard of the
Jahangiri Mahal facing the river is provided with an elegant porch. The court provides a
beautiful view of the surroundings, with the skyline towards the right being dominated by the
marble domes of the Taj Mahal. On the roof of the Jahangiri Mahal there are two fine pavilions
and a number of cisterns. The cisterns were used to supply water to the palace. Close to Jahangiri
Mahal are the ruins of Akbari Mahal, also known as the Bengali Mahal.

Behind the Diwan-i-Am is a grand courtyard surrounded by a two-storeyed, arcaded

enclosure, known as the Machhi Bhavan or The Fish Palace, which had a magnificent garden in
the central court, with flower-beds, water channels and fountains. The Diwan-i-Khas is to the
east of the Machhi Bhawan. The pavilion has a fine coved ceiling with intricate inlay work of
beautiful flower designs in colored stone, on a white marble base. A further corner of this
courtyard, on the left, leads to the Chittor Gate, the principal entrance to the Macchi Bhavan. The
Chittor Gate has its own importance; it was here that Akbar placed his trophies of victorious
campaigns. A small chamber overlooking the Diwan-i-Am was the one in which the deposed
Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son, Aurangzeb.The north gate of the grand court in front of
Diwan-i-Am leads to the Moti Masjid or The Pearl Mosque.
 The Agra Fort has strong and lofty surrounding walls. Each wall is 70m.high and is separated
by a 12 m. deep moat, near Amar Singh Gate with two lookout towers, forming the entrances to
the Fort. The supporting arch, of modest dimension compared to the structure, is crowned with a
large blind arch flanked by false painted windows. It is decorated with Hat relief and geometrical
designs.

The Fort is provided with four gateways. From the foundations to the battlements, the fortress
is composed of hewn stone, each polished to a mirror like sheen and with its red hue were so
well joined together, that it is said that even the end of a hair could not find place between
them. The Fort was completed in about eight years time (1565 -73) under the supervision of
Qasim Khan Mir Barr-wa-Bahr. The Agra Fort stands on a plain ground, unlike a hill fort, but is
structured to be impregnable by the skilful use of architectural stratagems. The lower ramparts , a
battlement parapet, has oblong merlons and slope forward to render scaling by besiegers
impossible and are alternated by embrasure machicolations. The judicious and harmonious
combination of these features gives this fort a substantial aesthetic character. Besides being a
strong military structure, it is also a good example of early Mughal architecture. The Agra Fort is
a reflection of Akbars personality; robust, dynamic and imaginative.
 It was the seat of power of the great Mughal Emperors, who lived here and governed the
country. The fort was rebuilt with red sandstone, involving a massive workforce of 14, 44,000
builders who toiled on it for eight years, completing it in 1573. With the kind of beauty, precision
and architectural nuances and detailing that have created the fort, it can be more accurately
described as a walled palatial city. The fort had the largest state treasury and mint. It has been
graced by the visits of foreign ambassadors, travelers and the highest dignitaries, who have been
an integral part of the history of India. An interesting mix of Hindu and Islamic architecture can
be seen here. The Islamic decorations here feature forbidden images of living creatures -
dragons, elephants and birds, instead of the usual patterns and calligraphy seen in Islamic surface
decoration.

Agra Fort is built on the KarmukaKhadaga plan, according to norms laid down in Shilp
Shastra. The plan is semicircular, like a bow, with the straight line of fortification running
parallel to the river Yamuna, Such a layout described as Karmuka [literally meaning a bow]
in the ancient Indian Vastu texts is regarded as best suited for a king since it is fortified by strong
walls with bastions and surrounded by a moat.