Impressions of the Red Fort in Delhi

brownboy66

Tried searching around the forums for any write ups re the Red Fort - and didn't find too much....so thought I would put down a few impressions having visited yesterday. This was my first time to the Red Fort (although I have been to Delhi before) - whereas my wife visited the Fort almost 15 years ago.

Getting there

We live in South Delhi - so the trip to the fort by car took only 15 - 20 minutes at the most (so from the Railway station or Connaught Place - it would be even quicker). Going reasonably early in the morning (9.30ish) had a couple of advantages - less traffic and smaller crowds. Also at this time of year (Xmas/ New Year) the temperature is cool but certainly not chilly.

Travelling along the outskirts of Old Delhi to the fort is always an eye opener - so much going on. Also interesting to see Dilli Gate and the old section of wall next to it (giving you your first clue of what's in store).

On arrival

When we arrived there were no crowds at all. Can't imagine what it must be like when its really busy. We were dropped off on the main road out front and from there its 100 meters to the ticket outlet and the entrance. Security at the entrance consists of metal detectors and a pat down (divided into male and female of course).

This provided one of the funnier moments of our visit. Prior to going through the metal detector there is a small step up/ step down (not sure what its designed for). Our youngest (4 years old) got a clear view of what was happening to everyone else and duly took his turn walking through the metal detector and sticking out his arms to get a pat down. An army guard with a huge moustache flashed him a big grin, patted him on each side of the face, and quickly tickled him under the arms (to squeals of great delight)!

hmmmmm......pity the environment worldwide isn't like this, so that most you could expect anywhere when going through security somewhere is a pat on the cheeks and a tickle under your arms!

Inside the fort

We by-passed the shops immediately inside the entrance since we wanted to go to the inner enclosures as quickly as possible - and didn't really want to buy anything at that time - but there is certainly no shortage of mementos if you're looking for it! Also - should you want your own personal guide - this would be the place to get one (can't really avoid them)!

Once you're past the shops you start to hit the various building that make up the inner enclosure of the fort. I wont give away too much detail here so as not to spoil anyone else's first time there - but it certainly is a lovely, peaceful place. Three things stood out for us:

a) For my wife - there wasn't nearly as much access to buildings as there had been when see last visited. I didn't think that this detracted from the place at all, but for her standing behind a rope or looking through a window meant seeing it again was not nearly as memorable as it had been the first time.
b) Seeing the british built buildings next to some of the original palace buildings was an interesting contrast. In another time or place, the latter additions would be interesting buildings in their own right - but it this context they somehow looked invasive.
3) Oh to have seen it when there was water in the canals and pouring out of the fountains!

In addition to the palace buildings - there are also a few museums of sorts. We saw two of them - one with relics belonging to the various royal persons who have lived there - and another which was described as a "war memorial" museum. Both were interesting - but very small so no chance of getting lost for hours on end.

Touts

I have to say we met the nicest touts outside the fort. One of them even managed to pick our accents!. Not the least bit aggressive - very chatty - and very helpful (pointing out where our car was when it arrived to pick us up). I've been in a few places where you get grabbed, yelled at, etc - and this was pleasant by comparison.

So there it is - just a short note with a few impressions.

shashank.aggarwal

Good to hear hear some nice things about the place...its good that your young one had a good time..

I hope you did hire a guide, a good guide makes a lot of difference to the experience.

Few years Back I went to Agra fort and found is so enchanting that came back to Delhi and wanted to checkout red fort here as well. However Red Fort felt pale in comparison to Agra, Agra fort was much more clean and well maintained.

On Second thoughts our day of visit coincided with the visit of then tourism Minister. (The Dreaded JAGMOHAN, I hope all Indians on the board still remember him !!)

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Khandoma

Very nice write-up, Brownboy. I like it that you don't give away too much and leave room for discovery.
Glad you and the family enjoyed your visit !
And a very happy New Year to you and to all.

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Indojingai

From memory of a visit several (10+) years ago, I found it a bit dirty/dusty, lots of military. It looked better to me from the outside than inside.
Well, if it has changed now... good!

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capt_mahajan

Nice write up, BB.

If you haven't, do try and get back for the son et lumiere in the evenings.. in English, too.

Good way to get a lowdown of the history of Delhi.

bijapuri

"3) Oh to have seen it when there was water in the canals and pouring out of the fountains!"

Love what they've done at Humayun's Tomb. Perhaps you, as a Delhi Resident, can start a campaign for water in the Red Fort!

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machadinha

Is it not written in the Red Fort (among other places), "If there is a Paradise, it is here, it is here!"

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shashank.aggarwal

I guess that was said about Kashmir !!

machadinha

As I said, among other places, Shashank. Kashmir, too, indeed. I guess it's a classic and a fringe heretical saying at that, could do with some meditation/hermeneutics to make it come to life.

brownboy66

I'll be interested to make the same comparison - as that is next on the menu over the coming weekend - along with the Taj at dawn, and Fatehpur Sikri.

I'm not a good tourist really when it comes to visiting monuments, sites, interesting bits of geography, etc. Actually , I'm hopeless as I tend to visit places for the people rather that the monument, geography, etc - hence I'm very easily satisfied when it comes to looking at places. So for me, the burning memory of the red fort will always be the huge smile on the face of the army guard playing with my son.

and a happy new year to you as well!

I thought the place looked well kept (not perfect - but certainly clean). There was a lot of work going on inside the enclosure as well - and the various marble buildings, fountains, etc looked good. I sort of prefer that ancient/ historical sites look aged - not pristine - (one of my favourite trips a while back was having a rest and a snack inside one of the un-renovated ming tombs outside of Beijing, followed by a climb to one of the un-renovated parts of the great wall).

yes! that's on the agenda - minus the children (they might like it but then again I can't see them sitting still for it).

can you just imagine it though! to see the water coming out of the walls and spilling over the patterns. Really would make it seem kind of......whole.

I get the feeling thought that before the city could put water into the Red Fort - there would be a few words about getting a reliable water supply into the colonies first!

edwardseco

Terrorism and neglect have limited the access. Dalyrymple has a poignant section on the depradations of the British on the Red Fort after the 1857 tumolt in the introduction to The Age of Kali. That book is out of print here. But, a very kind friend had inadvertantly picked it up and gave it to me! The best kind of Brit, older generation, a class act, and still speaks English..

PeakXV

Not that I expected to sit in the Peacock throne and have a cup of Kawa ..... but every time I've gone the more interesting nooks & crannies have been 'off limits' to the plebs & tourists. Not to mention that I almost got truncheoned when pulling out my camera for a quick photo op in the museum. But aside from all that, if one has some imagine & sense of history, there is still some ambience & magic in strolling the grounds and reflecting back on what it might have been like in the glory days of Shah Jehan.


if there is Paradise on earth ...... there it was there it was there it was.

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jenk

We were a bit underwhelmed by the Delhi Red Fort - the last major visit on our India trip. Its a pity that the Pearl Mahal is closed here as in Agra and that the views of the various pavillions is so limited. Agree that a Humayun tomb type treatment would do wonders - forget about going to the restaurant- its pitiful.

In Agra the graffiti in the Red Fort was horribly upsetting. I was glad it petered out as we moved through the buildings.

paulie90

yes the Red Fort was great, especially walking through the neighborhoods getting there and then close by finding
Jama Masjid Mosque and then jumping on the metro to
head to the south end of town and the Raj Ghat
PS after Agra, don't miss Fatephur Sikri