The Agra Fort, one of the widely recognized architectural marvels of the Mughal period has its origin in the Badalgarh Fort.
The fort was besieged by Mahmud of Ghazni and was lost in times and it was only recognized after it was taken over by the Chauhan Rajputs. The earlier fort of Badalgarh was only altered by Akbar to suit his requirements is based on various assertions of historians and archeologists. The fort, as it stands today, was captured by Akbar is also clear from his own inscription.
Various dates ranging from 1567 to 1571 are traditionally assigned to the erection of the fort. The ‘Tuzuk-e-Jahangiri’ gives the period of construction as 15 to 16 years.
One of Jahangir's wives, a Rajput princess of Amber, lived in a part of the palace, and the room on the west side of the quadrangle, surrounded by a number of oblong niches, is said to have been her temple, in which the images of Hanuman and other Hindu gods were kept.
In front of the Samman Burj is a beautiful little fountain hollowed in the floor. On one side of the courtyard is a raised platform laid out in squares of black marble for the game of ‘Pachisi’ an Indian Backgammon, a favorite game of the Rajput rulers. [Ref; Forts and Palaces of India by P.V.Begde pg.143]
A Hindu temple, known as ' “Mandir Raj Ratna” or the Temple of the Royal Gem, is located towards the north-east of the Machhi Bhawan, beyond the enclosure. The temple is believed to have been built by the army commander of the Jats of Bharatpur who captured the fort in 1768 A.D.
Opposite to the Moti Masjid, an inclined passage on the left leads to an old gateway, known as the Darshan Darwaza. This gate faces the east. It was an old Rajput custom to worship the rising sun, and the gate was meant for this purpose.
It is said that the Amar Singh Gate was named after Amar Singh Rathore, the elder brother of Raja Jaswant Singh. He was famous for his uncontrollable spirit and gallantry. Emperor Shah Jahan employed him with a title of ‘Rao’, with a grant of Nagor as an independent domain under the crown.
The same arrogant and uncontrollable spirit which cost him the throne of Jodhpur was responsible for his tragic end. His favorite pastime was hunting. Once he did not attend the court for a fortnight as he was out on a hunting expedition. The emperor reprimanded him for neglecting his duties, and threatened him with a fine and ordered for Amar Singh's instant appearance in the court. Amar Singh obeyed, and after reaching the Diwan-i-Am, he unceremoniously passed the nobles, as if to address the emperor. As he reached near the throne, he pulled out his dagger and killed Bakshi Salabat Khan, who was standing below the throne. Drawing his sword, he made a blow at the emperor, but since the throne was at a higher level, the blow fell short of its target.
Arjun Gaur, the brother–in-law of Amar Singh under the pretence of cajoling him, inflicted a mortal wound, but Amar Singh continued to ply his dagger till he succumbed to his wounds and died. Amar Singh's wife, the princess of Bundi, came in person and carried his dead body and committed sati. The gate by which Amar Singh entered the fort before this event took place is believed to have been named after him.
History
Abul Fazal, the court historian at Akbar’s court mentions in his ‘Ain-a-Akbari’ that an old, Pathan Fort existed in Agra before the Mughals came to power.
Also, pulling down a fort and building a new one on its site involved a lot of labour and time and therefore it was quite understandable that the captured citadels were renovated and fortified as per the specifications and requirements of the new occupants ; which also applies to the Agra Fort.
The Agra Fort has withstood many sieges and the onslaught and ravages of times. A further input to fortify its existence to pre –Mughal period is mentioned in the ‘Tarik-i-daudi’, which states that this citadel was used as a state prison during the time of Kanishka.
The belief that the fort existed during the time of Ashoka the Great, is also given strength by the discovery of the remains of a short length of wall unearthed close to the Jahangiri Mahal, which is claimed to be of a Jain or Buddhist relic.
The fort belonged to a period prior to Akbar’s coming to power is also admitted in a publication which states…. ‘Traditions assert that the old fortress of Badalgarh was altered and adopted to his requirements by Akbar”. The “Badshahnama” and the Ai –i –Akbari, gives its time of completion as eight years in the period 1565 – 1571 AD.
Agra Fort Structure
The Fort is provided with four gateways. From the foundations to the battlements, the fortress is composed of hewn stone, each polished to a mirror like sheen and with its red hue were so well joined together, that it is said that even “the end of a hair could not find place between them”. The Fort was completed in about eight years time (1565 -73) under the supervision of Qasim Khan Mir Barr-wa-Bahr. The Agra Fort stands on a plain ground, unlike a hill fort, but is structured to be impregnable by the skilful use of architectural stratagems. The lower ramparts , a battlement parapet, has oblong merlons and slope forward to render scaling by besiegers impossible and are alternated by embrasure machicolations. The judicious and harmonious combination of these features gives this fort a substantial aesthetic character. Besides being a strong military structure, it is also a good example of early Mughal architecture. The Agra Fort is a reflection of Akbar’s personality; robust, dynamic and imaginative.
Here is main Architecture you can see in the Agra fort
- AMAR SINGH GATE
- THE SECOND GATEWAY
- SHAH JAHANI GATE
- AKBARI MAHAL
- AKBAR'S BAOLI
- -I-JAHANGIRI (Jahangir's Bath)
- JAHANGIRI MAHAL
- DIWAN-I-AM (Hall of Public Audience)
- DIWAN-I-KHAS (HALL OF PRIVATE AUDIENCE)
- KHAS MAHAL (AR ARAMGAH-I-MUQADDASA )
- ANGURI BAGH
- MUSAMMAN BURJ
- SHEESH MAHAL (TURKISH BATH)
- MOTI MASJID (PEARL MOSQUE)
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