Visit to Delhi and Agra Fort

I had to attend a NGO meet at Delhi in last week of august. I took an early morning Air Deccan flight to Delhi from Bangalore. Surpisingly the flight was on time and it reached Delhi at 8:30am. I got a detailed map of Delhi with tourist information at Tourism desk. I asked which railway station, I should go if I have to reach to Agra. The lady there told me to take the train at New Delhi Railway station. I took a prepaid taxi at the counter in Airport which came out to be rupees 175 ($4.5). I did not get the taxi whose number was mentioned on the prepaid receipt and the traffic police official manning the counter outside the airport suggested me to take any other taxi in that line. Finally, I could get into one. But the trafic was pretty bad. I started at 9:15 am and it took almost an hour to reach railway station. It was about 31 degree C and bit humid in sharp contrast to temperature at Bangalore. I reached the railway station and had to walk almost 100 meters into it.

The guy’s name is Pappu khan. He took me to the backside of Taj and waited there and told me to walk upto the Yamuna river. I did the same and could see taj from backside. i could also see the Agra fort from a distance, The water was not much clean. I hoped the people to keep it all clean at least within 1 km of Taj mahal.After 1 hour, I told the guy to take me to Agra fort. The ticket was Rs.10 on fridays for Indians and Rs.250 for foreigners (other days it is Rs.20). I walked into the fort which looked majestic. A guy approched me as a guide and told that the price is Rs.50. I took him as it would be very difficult given very few sign boards inside. The guy told me about the steep passage way meant to stop enemy and pour hot oil on invading troups. He took me to the palace. 75% of the fort is with Indian army and is not accessible to public. He took us to the pallace, where the emperor Shah Jahan, his queen and daughters used to live. He also showed the palace where Shah Jahan was imprisoned for 8 years by his son Aurangjeb and from the widow through which he used to see Taj Mahal. One can see the view of Taj Mahal from the fort and palaces. He showed me the emperor’s courts Diwan-i-aam and Diwan-i-Khas. Diwan-i-Khas is on top of the palace mainly meant to be used in Winters. The Court hall Diwan-i-aam has 32 pillars. Some rooms in the palace are water cooled (ie. hot or cold water was made to flow in winter and summer within the walls). Aurangjeb, son of emperor Shah Jahan killed couple of his brothers and rebelled against his father. He seiged the Agra fort and cut the water supply from the river. The emperor had to surrender as he could not drink the well water.

Most of the palaces inside the fort does not have doors and in stead curtains were used. The palace rooms had stone carving, have precious stones embedded alonmgwith gold art work. Much of this gold artwork is not intact now. The guide showed me the rooms where the record books of the empire were kept. There is a moat all around the fort tto prevent the attacking enemy and Aurangjeb had built one more wall inside the main wall to make it even more impregnable. Maratha leader, chief of Maratha rebellion and later leader of powerful maratha kingdom in south India had met emperor Aurangjeb at Diwan-i-Khas and he was deceived and was imprisoned in this fort alongwith his son by Aurangjeb. But, Shivaji and his son could escape from the fort.The palace rooms had stone carving, have precious stones embedded alonmgwith gold art work. Much of this gold artwork is not intact now. The guide showed me the rooms where the record books of the empire were kept. There is a moat all around the fort tto prevent the attacking enemy and Aurangjeb had built one more wall inside the main wall to make it even more impregnable. Maratha leader, chief of Maratha rebellion and later leader of powerful maratha kingdom in south India had met emperor Aurangjeb at Diwan-i-Khas and he was deceived and was imprisoned in this fort alongwith his son by Aurangjeb. But, Shivaji and his son could escape from the fort. Aurangjeb, son of emperor Shah Jahan killed couple of his brothers and rebelled against his father. He seiged the Agra fort and cut the water supply from the river. The emperor had to surrender as he could not drink the well water. Most of the palaces inside the fort does not have doors and in stead curtains were used. The palace rooms had stone carving, have precious stones embedded alonmgwith gold art work. Much of this gold artwork is not intact now. The guide showed me the rooms where the record books of the empire were kept. There is a moat all around the fort tto prevent the attacking enemy and Aurangjeb had built one more wall inside the main wall to make it even more impregnable. Maratha leader, chief of Maratha rebellion and later leader of powerful maratha kingdom in south India had met emperor Aurangjeb at Diwan-i-Khas and he was deceived and was imprisoned in this fort alongwith his son by Aurangjeb. But, Shivaji and his son could escape from the fort.