2016-05-13 Fri

On the auspicious day of Muharram, the construction of Red Fort began. Supervised by the emperor Shahajahan himself, the foundation of the fort was laid on 13th may 1638. Built up by red sand stone, the name Lal – Quila speaks for itself.

In 1638 Shahjahan transferred his capital from Agra to Delhi and laid the foundations of Shahjahanabad, the seventh city of Delhi. Enclosed by the stone walls and gates, the royal residence – Lal Quila or Red Fort stands impenetrably by the North Frontier of the City.

The imperial apartments consist of a row of pavilions, connected by a water channel. The fort complex is considered to represent the zenith of Mughal creativity under Shah Jahan and although the palace was planned according to Islamic prototypes, each pavilion contains architectural elements typical of Mughal buildings that reflect a fusion of different architectural tradition.

The Red Fort not only is fine specimen of architecture, but also a sturdy witness of the history of India. Being the capital place of the Mughal Empire, the Red fort silently speaks about the rise and fall of the Empire, celebrations of festivals, and periods of crisis and declarations of the wars. The fort also witnessed zenith of the Mughal Empire as well as the domination by the Maratha Empire and finally the captivity by the British. The Fort still stands valiantly and proudly sees the hoisting of “Tiranga” on 15th of August every year since 1947.

This Heritage Monument of utmost importance appears on only on Indian Stamps but also on the stamps of USSR. An Rs.2 stamp from 1st definitive series on Archaeological Monuments features Red Fort as well as an Rs.5 stamp issued on the world philately exhibition of 1987 depicts Diwan – I – Aam.

A stamp of 5K depicts Red Fort in Delhi on 1987 USSR postage stamp, dedicated to the Festival of the India in USSR; whereas, in 1972 stamp issued to commemorate India’s Independence also depicts Red Fort