Shahjahanabad and Red Fort

Shahjahanabad, founded by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1639, was the seventh city of Delhi and served as the imperial capital of the Mughal Empire in the seventeenth century. At its heart stood the magnificent Red Fort (Lal Qila), one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture and urban planning. Together, Shahjahanabad and the Red Fort symbolised the zenith of Mughal power, aesthetic sensibility, and administrative sophistication, reflecting both political grandeur and cultural refinement.

Background and Foundation

Emperor Shah Jahan, renowned for his architectural patronage, decided to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi to establish a new centre of power that would reflect the might and majesty of his reign. The new city, named Shahjahanabad, was founded in 1639 and completed around 1648. It became the capital of Mughal India and remained so until the decline of the empire in the eighteenth century.
The site was strategically chosen along the western bank of the River Yamuna, ensuring access to water for the city and for the royal gardens and palaces. Shahjahanabad was designed as a walled city, covering about 1,500 acres and enclosed by massive stone walls with fourteen gates, the most famous of which were Kashmiri Gate, Delhi Gate, Ajmeri Gate, Lahori Gate, and Turkman Gate.

Urban Planning and Architecture

The layout of Shahjahanabad demonstrated careful planning and urban sophistication. At its centre stood the Red Fort, the royal citadel and symbol of Mughal sovereignty. From the fort extended the main street of the city, the Chandni Chowk, one of the grandest market avenues in Asia.
Key features of the city included:

• Chandni Chowk (Moonlit Square): The principal avenue that connected the Red Fort with the Fatehpuri Masjid. It was lined with shops, sarais (inns), and fountains, forming the commercial and social hub of the city.
• Jama Masjid: Commissioned by Shah Jahan between 1650 and 1656, it was the largest mosque in India and an architectural masterpiece of red sandstone and marble.
• Residential Quarters: The city contained well-planned mohallas (neighbourhoods), often organised along occupational or community lines, each with its own mosques, water tanks, and gardens.
• Gardens and Water Systems: The city incorporated numerous gardens based on the Persian charbagh layout, integrating water channels, fountains, and shaded avenues that reflected Mughal aesthetics and the Islamic vision of paradise.

The combination of religious, commercial, and residential spaces made Shahjahanabad both a political capital and a cultural metropolis, representing the height of Mughal urbanism.

The Red Fort: Imperial Citadel

The Red Fort, constructed between 1639 and 1648, was the architectural and ceremonial centre of Shahjahanabad. Built primarily of red sandstone, the fort combined Persian, Timurid, and Indian architectural traditions, symbolising the syncretic character of Mughal art.
Major structures within the fort complex included:

• Lahori Gate: The main entrance, facing the bustling Chandni Chowk, symbolised the connection between the ruler and the populace.
• Naqqar Khana (Drum House): The space where ceremonial music was played during court events and royal processions.
• Diwan-i-Aam (Hall of Public Audience): The public court where the emperor addressed petitions and grievances, embodying the Mughal ideal of justice (adalat).
• Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience): Lavishly decorated with inlay work and precious materials, this was the venue for private consultations with high officials and foreign envoys. The famous inscription “If there be a paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this” adorned its walls, epitomising the fort’s splendour.
• Mumtaz Mahal and Rang Mahal: The imperial palaces, richly decorated with marble carvings, floral motifs, and mirror work.
• Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque): Added later by Aurangzeb, the mosque is an exquisite example of Mughal religious architecture in white marble.

The fort was originally surrounded by a wide moat fed by the Yamuna River, enhancing its defensive capability and aesthetic charm.

Administrative and Cultural Role

Shahjahanabad served not only as the imperial capital but also as a centre of art, culture, and learning. It attracted poets, scholars, musicians, and craftsmen from across the empire. The Mughal court at the Red Fort became a symbol of refined etiquette, Persianised culture, and administrative excellence.
The city’s markets flourished, hosting trade from across Central Asia, Persia, and Europe. It also became a hub for Urdu poetry, music (ghazal and thumri), and calligraphy, nurturing a composite Indo-Persian culture that profoundly influenced North Indian society.

Decline and Transformation

The splendour of Shahjahanabad began to fade with the gradual decline of Mughal power in the eighteenth century. The invasions of Nadir Shah (1739) and Ahmad Shah Abdali (1757) inflicted severe damage on the city and its inhabitants. The Red Fort was plundered, and many of its jewels and treasures, including the Peacock Throne, were taken away.
By the nineteenth century, under the British East India Company, the city’s political prominence diminished, though it remained a symbolic seat of Mughal authority until the Revolt of 1857. During the rebellion, Delhi became the focal point of nationalist resistance, but the British recaptured it with great brutality. Following the suppression of the uprising, Emperor Bahadur Shah II (Bahadur Shah Zafar) was exiled to Rangoon, and the Mughal dynasty was formally ended.
The British subsequently undertook massive demolitions in and around the Red Fort and Shahjahanabad. Many Mughal-era buildings, gardens, and residential quarters were destroyed to make way for military installations and colonial administrative structures.

Architectural and Cultural Legacy

Despite centuries of decline, Shahjahanabad and the Red Fort continue to embody the grandeur of Mughal urban planning and architecture. The city’s basic street pattern, markets, and religious buildings have survived, forming the core of present-day Old Delhi.
The Red Fort remains one of India’s most iconic monuments and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its architectural brilliance and historical resonance make it a powerful national symbol. Since independence in 1947, the Prime Minister of India hoists the national flag from the Red Fort on 15 August each year, reaffirming its enduring association with sovereignty and national pride.