15th February 2014 (Day 7) Agra.

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The Red Fort in Agra, not to be confused with the Red Fort in Delhi, was one of the bastions of the Mogul Empire.

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There has been a fort here for a very long time. When Babur, the first Mogul Emperor, defeated the Lodi Sultans of Delhi, they were based in Agra and living in the fort. Humayan was also crowned here but the walls we see here are those built by Akhbar. Originally the fort was brick but Akhbar rebuilt it with a brick core and outer layers of red sandstone. It was completed in 1573 after eight years of construction.

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In Akhbar’s time there were 500 buildings in the fort. Shah Jahan demolished some of these to make way for his white marble palaces but most were demolished by the British to make way for barracks. There only thirty buildings left in the South-Eastern corner and this is the part of the fort that is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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When Shah Jahan’s favoured son Dara lost to Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan took refuge in this Red Fort.  Aurangzeb cut off the water supply and Shah Jahan had to surrender.

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This is Jahangir’s portable bath.  I kid you not.  He took it with him when he went on campaign.  Dating from 1610, it is five feet high and eight feet in diameter.  It has both external and internal stairs.

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This man requested a portrait for himself and his young son.  I presume I gave him a card so perhaps he will see this here.

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A view of the Taj Mahal from the Red Fort, such as Shah Jahan must have seen during his captivity.

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