A Walk Through the Old Fort
Delhi is a perfect blend of the old and the new. On the outside you see the flashy, urbanised metropolitan city, but if you have a closer look, you get to know about the past that the city holds in its heart. The landmarks of the history of the city can be witnessed by the amazing and architectural marvels located in the bylanes of the city. So I decided to visit one such landmark that is the Purana Qila.
Purana Qila is one of the oldest forts of Delhi. It was built by the Afghan King Sher Shah Suri in the 1530s. Humayun renovated the citadel it in 1533 which took 5 years to complete.
Purana Qila is one of the oldest forts of Delhi. It was built by the Afghan King Sher Shah Suri in the 1530s. Humayun renovated the citadel it in 1533 which took 5 years to complete.
Purana Qila is located in old Delhi on the banks of Yamuna.it is very easy to reach the fort. You can either do an auto-rickshaw from the nearest metro station i.e. Pragati Maidan or you can opt for buses which are easily available, so you don’t have to worry about reaching there at all. I chose to reach there by bus which I got within 2 minutes only. Once you reach the entrance, you have to take a ticket which is just Rs.5, from the ticket counter.
Just as I shifted my head to my right from the ticket counter I was facing the grand entrance of the fort which is a red stoned pillared structure built beautifully in Rajputana style known as the Bada Darwaza.
Though there are two other gates to the fort, namely, Humayun Gate on the south and the Talaqi or Forbidden Gate on the north, but the Bada Darwaza is the only gate which is currently in use.
All the gates of the fort are double storied red stoned pillared structures built in Rajputana style with influences from Mughal and Afghani architecture.
After entering the fort, there was a vast stretch of garden in front of me. On my right was the Archeological Mueseum which is very decently made with different remains of the fort from the Mughal period. On my left was a way leading to the other corner of the fort but was closed due to some repair work.
All the gates of the fort are double storied red stoned pillared structures built in Rajputana style with influences from Mughal and Afghani architecture.
After entering the fort, there was a vast stretch of garden in front of me. On my right was the Archeological Mueseum which is very decently made with different remains of the fort from the Mughal period. On my left was a way leading to the other corner of the fort but was closed due to some repair work.
When I walked a little into the fort, I could now see the walls surrounding the fort, standing 18 meters high. It was like in the movies. After walking around a little, I was now standing at a crossway. There were 3 pathways in front of me, the one straight ahead was leading to the Qilla Kuhna Masjid (mosque), the one on right to the Humayun Gate and Sher Mandal and the one on the left to the Talaqi or Forbidden Gate. I approached the way to Quila Kuhna Masjid.
The masjid is a magnificent structure, built in red sandstone with a contrast of white marble. I was very amazed looking the beauty of it. There are 5 gates to the prayer hall inside the masjid. All the 5 gates have domes and beautifully carved arches at the entrance. The Urdu verses carved on main gate of the mosque drew me a picture of the Mughal era and its buildings. The central hall of the masjid has a central mini mosque kind of structure built in white marble, where Humayun used to pray. There are window like structures on the inside wall of the doorways in white marble adding to the beauty of the mosque. I was taken aback with the marvelous architectural genius of that era.
On our way to next building in the fort that is Sher Mandal I, with my friends took an off route and explored the ruins of the fort, and I was glad we took that way.
Then I reached Sher Mandal which is a double storey octagonal tower built in redstone with stairs leading to the top. It was used as an observatory and later as a personal library for Humayun. This is also the building from where Humayun fell and died in 1556. The gates to the Sher Mandal were locked so I couldn’t go up. But the exteriors surely showcased the precision and perfection with which it was made.
Apart from these pillared structures, the old fort has a big garden area around. There is a lot of open space and the place is not so crowed. It is a fun place to come with friends and family and have a wonderful outing.
There is also a lake near the fort which also facilitates boating activity. I of course, took a ride. Though the lake is small, bit I enjoyed it to the fullest with my gang of friends. On my ride on the boat, I got a beautiful view of the fort on the outside. It was totally dramatic.
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| (Photo Credits: www.rediff.com) |
The main highlight of the Fort is the light and sound show which begins in the evening. The show presents you with the history of the Old Fort, along with a captivating show of water jets in the nine pools near the step. The show is presented in both Hindi and English language.
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| (Photo Credits: Google Images) |
Purana Qila is a nice place to befriend yourself with the glorious history of the city and witness the architectural marvels of the ancient era. Amidst of all the other monuments in Delhi, Purana Qila is worth a visit for sure. You would surely visit again the Purana Qila, if you visited once, I know I will :).
Place: Purana Qila
Location: Mathura Road, New Delhi-110003
Nearest Metro Station: Pragati Maidan
Timings:
Purana Qila: Open All Days, 8.00 A.M. to 6.00 P.M.
Light and Sound Show:
Feb-Apr- 7.00P.M.- 8.00 P.M. (Hindi), 8.3o P.M.- 9.30 P.M. (English)
Nov-Jan- 6.30 P.M.- 7.00 P.M. (Hindi), 7.3o P.M.- 8.00 P.M. (English)
Boating: 1st April to 30th September : 12:00 pm - 7:00 pm
1st October to 31st March : 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Tickets: Purana Qila: Rs.5 (Indians), Rs. 100(foreigners)
Light and Sound Show: Rs 60 (adults), Rs 20 (children)
Boating: Rs 100 per boat (1 boat=4 seats)
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