New Delhi, June 22: The magnificent Red Fort, citadel of power of Shah Jahan’s Capital, Shahjanabad, has captured popular imagination- and tourism revenue. Yet there is more to the Red Fort, nominated by India this year for World Heritage Status: Newsline takes you inside the Fort to reveal a little known, unique amalgamation of Mughal, British and Army Architecture and a chequered history few seats of power have enjoyed.

100 acres of Revenue
One of the most visited monuments in Delhi, the Fort earned Rs 2,21,54,345 in ticketed revenue in 2006-07 fiscal. A city unto itself, there are many palaces inside the complex — the eastern side next to the Yamuna, has Diwan-e-Aam (or public court) with a huge marble pavilion for the Emperor’s throne. The colour scheme of the pavilion, which opens out through a flashy House of Drums, used to play five types of drums when the Emperor arrived, is built with red sandstone and white marble, like other parts of the Fort.
Flanking the marble thrones are beautifully carved jharokhas for the Emperor’s favourite daughters — Jahanara and Roshanara. The Diwan-e-Khas, the Emperor’s special Court, is made of white marble, with silver and gold inlay on the roof. It housed the peacock throne with the Kohinoor diamond in it.
On one side of it is the Emperor’s personal spa bathroom, the Hammam, which had hot or cold, perfumed water running over marble.

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
Being a seat of power for the Mughals, the British (1857-1947) and finally the Indian Army (‘47- ‘03) has led to creation of several unique structures. For instance, the canal (Nahar-e-Bihist) that brings in the Yamuna into the Fort. Built in marble, it has some intricate pavilions and pillars.
After Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb built the Moti Masjid, near the Hammam, in pure white marble — structured like a pearl.
* Red Fort was the headquarters of the 1857 Mutiny, and when the British stormed in, they destroyed many palaces and colonnades. But post-1857, the British built several heritage structures in concrete and limestone, one of which houses a museum today. These buildings are a contrast to the red sandstone and Mughal architecture of the rest of the complex.

THE CHALLENGES
The Fort bears the marks of the Army’s stay for a century-and-a-half. Over 250 modern structures, including those built by the Army after Independence, mar the heritage. As do name plates of Army officers. The ASI plans to raze some of these structures. It has also plans to regulate type and quality of goods, and shopkeepers who hawk, at Meena Bazaar inside the Fort. The World heritage status deems that the environs in and around the structure have to be up to international mark.
* Some of the intricate jaali works in Diwan-e-Khas (see pic) have broken, and are crying for renovation.
* PWD plans to build a flyover on the Ring Road, near Salimgarh Fort that flanks the Red Fort. While ASI has in principle turned down this plan, It will have to stick by this stand if the Fort were to achieve World Heritage Status.

The UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee is slated meet at Christchurch, New Zealand, from June 23 to July 2.