Red fort and rastrapati bhavan compare and comparision

INDIAN HISTORY AND CULTURE
RED FORT AND RASTRAPATI BHAVAN
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
BACHELOR WITH HONOURS IN
COMMERCE
Group Members:

Aman Gupta (8298)
Anish Kumar Agarwal (8312)
Ambuj Singh (8326)
Abhishek Vaid (8253)
Ahsan Haider (8263)
Arpan Kumar (8267)
Akhil (8287)
Aditya Utkarsh (8328)
Supervisor : Dr. Manish Kanwar
Shyam Lal College (Evening)
University of Delhi
Session 2013-14
(Semester-I)

RED FORT AND RASTRAPATI BHAVAN COMPARE AND CONTRAST
October 20th, 2013Abstract
Well as our topic donates the comparison and contraction between Red Fort and
Rastrapati Bhavan , so we have discussed about each and every aspect of Red Fort as well as
Rastrapati Bhavan.
Firstly we have discussed about the Red Fort which is situated at Old Delhi, we have
discussed about its history as well as its present situation.
Secondly we discussed about the Rastrapati Bhavan also known as president house. We
have elaborated it by its plan and architectural designs.
Well at end we have discussed environment nearby the Red fort and Rastrapati Bhavan.

We are very thankful to Dr. Manish Kanwar Sir our History teacher who gave his
valuable time and also motivated us in finishing our project. He made us so enthusiast towards
the project.
Thank you sir for giving your valuable time to us for the completion of the project work.
And as well as thanks for motivating us towards the project work.

2


Table of Contents
Sno

Topic

Page No

1.

Introduction

3

2.

History of Red Fort

5

3.

Architectural designs

6

4.

Lahore gate

7

5.

Diwan-i-Aam

8

6.

Diwan-i-Khas

9

7.

Moti Masjid

10

8.

Others

11

9.

History of Rastrapati Bhavan

12

10.

Plan of Rastrapati Bhawan

13

11.

Architecture designs

15

12.

Dome

17

13.

Mughal Gardens

18

14.

Major Issues/Problems

20

15.

Suggested solutions/ our learning

21

16.

Observations and Discussion

23

17.

Conclusion

24

18

Personal Experience

25

19

References

26

Introduction
Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official home of the President of India. It may refer to only the
mansion (the 340-room main building) that has the President's official residence, halls, guest
rooms and offices; it may also refer to the entire 130 hectare (320 acre) President Estate that
additionally includes huge presidential gardens (Mughal Gardens), large open spaces, residences

3


of bodyguards and staff, stables, other offices and utilities within its perimeter walls.
The Red Fort, known locally as Lal Qila is a 17th-century fort complex constructed by
the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan in the walled city of Old Delhi (in present day Delhi, India) that
served as the residence of the Mughal Emperors. The design is commonly credited to Mughal
architect Ustad Ahmad. The fort was the palace for Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan's new capital,
Shahjahanabad, the seventh city in the Delhi site. He moved his capital here from Agra in a
move designed to bring prestige to his reign, and to provide ample opportunity to apply his
ambitious building schemes and interests. It served as the capital of the Mughals until 1857,
when Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled by the British Indian government.
The fort lies along the Yamuna River, which fed the moats that surround most of the
walls. The wall at its north-eastern corner is adjacent to an older fort, the Salimgarh Fort, a
defence built by Islam Shah Suri in 1546. The construction of the Red Fort began in 1638 and
was completed by 1648. The Red Fort has had many developments added on after its
construction by Emperor Shah Jahan. The significant phases of development were under
Aurangzeb and later under later Mughal rulers. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in 2007. The earlier Red Fort was built by Tomara king Anangpala, now known as the Qulb
Mosque.

Both these institutions are in Delhi and are related to the politics of india ...........as rashtrapati
bhavan is the official residence of president of india and on 15th aug i.e on independence day the
prime minister addresses the nation from red fort !

4

Both are related to office of the highest administrative heads of a nation.One represents king ship
and another democracy. One is built by red stone another with granite.

HISTORY OF RED FORT:Analyzing the red fort history, we have found various facts about the monument in a
wonderful manner. It was built by the legendary Mughal King called Shahjahan, who was an
amazing admirer of the medieval architecture.

5

As per the information about red fort, it is located near the river called Yamuna
which is very famous in the history of India. Shahjahanbad was the place where the fort was
constructed in an impeccable style.
There are different perspectives about the red fort in terms of size and specifications.
It is very long and is considered to be 2 kilometers in length which provides it an amazing
appearance. People are amazed by the height of the fort because it is said to be more than 100
feet and was built to ward off invaders in an amazing manner.
Red fort history has been quite intriguing because it has been witness to crucial
events in the past. Different designers were used to build the place and they used a fabulous
square grid to achieve the task in a wonderful style.
After Indian Independence, the site experienced few changes in terms of addition or
alteration to the structures. The Red Fort continued to be used as a cantonment even after
Independence. A significant part of the fort remained under the control of the Indian Army until
22 December 2003, when it was handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India for
restoration.

Architectural designs:The Red Fort covers a total area of about 254.67 acres enclosed within 2.4
kilometres of defence walls. The walls are punctuated by turrets and bastions. They vary in

6

height from 18 m on the river side to 33 m on the city side. The fort is shaped like an octagon
with the north-south axis longer than the east-west axis. The use of marble, floral decorations,
double domes in the buildings inside the fort exemplifies the later phase of Mughal architecture.
It showcases a very high level of art form and ornamental work. It is believed that
the Kohinoor diamond was a part of the furniture. The art work in the Fort is a synthesis of
Persian, European and Indian art which resulted in the development of unique Shahjahani style
which is very rich in form, expression and colour. Red Fort is one of the important building
complexes of India which encapsulates a long period of Indian history and its arts. Even before
its notification as a monument of national importance in the year 1913, efforts were made to
preserve and conserve the Red Fort, for posterity.
The walls of Lahore and Delhi gates were for the general public and Khizrabad Gate
was for emperor's personal use.The Lahore Gate is the main entrance leading to the domed
arcade containing shops called the Chatta Chowk (covered bazaar). Silk, jewellery and other
items which catered to the royal household were sold in Chatta Chowk in the Mughal period.
Chatta Chowk leads to a large open space where it crosses the large north-south street that was
originally the division between the fort's military functions, to its west, and the palaces, to its
east. The southern end of this street is the Delhi Gate.

Lahore gate:-

7

The Lahore gate is the main gate to the Red Fort named after its orientation towards
Lahore, Pakistan. It is said that during Aurangzeb's reign the beauty of both the gates was spoiled
by adding bastions: "The vista like a veil drawn across the face of a beautiful woman". Every
year since Indian Independence Day 1947, the national flag has been raised and the Prime
Minister has made a speech from the ramparts at the Lahore Gate. In the 1980s, the security of
the area was increased by blocking the tower windows as a security measure against sniper
attacks. A lift was also added to the gate.

Diwan-i-Aam:-

8

In the Diwan-i-Aam (or the Hall of Public Audiences) the Emperor, seated in a
canopied alcove, would hear complaints and pleas of the commoners through a jharokha
(balcony). The hall was ornamented with stuccowork and featured a series of gold columns. It
also included a large railing that separated the commoners from the emperor. The Diwan-i-Aam
was also used for state functions.[25] The spacious mardana or courtyard behind the Diwan-iAam is surrounded by several interesting structures.

9


Diwan-i-Khas:In the Diwan-i-Khas( or the Hall of Private Audiences) the Emperor held private
meetings with courtiers and state guests. The hall comprises a rectangular chamber with
engraved arched openings supported on piers, on all of its sides. Each of the piers is gilded,
painted and decorated with floral designs. Pillared chatris (umbrellas) cover the corners of the
roof. At the centre of the chamber, the famous Peacock Throne throne was placed over a marble
pedestal. The throne was looted in 1739 by Nadir Shah. Two of the marble pedestals were taken
away by Captain Tytler from the fort after the 1857 uprising and one of these is located at the
New York Metropolitan Museum.
In 1760, the Marathas removed and melted the Silver ceiling of the Diwan-i-Khas to
generate funds for the defence of Delhi from the Afghan invader Ahmed Shah Durrani. Nahr-iBihisht or the "stream of paradise" flowed through the centre of the hall. The arches at the corner
of the walls contain the inscription of the famous verse of the 9th century Persian poet Ferdowsi,
which reads– "Agar Firdaus Bar Rooe Zaminast Haminasto Haminasto Haminast" ("If there be a
paradise on the earth, it is this, it is this, it is this").

10


Moti Masjid:To the west of the hammam is the Moti Masjid, the Pearl Mosque. This was a later
addition, built in 1659 as a private mosque for Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan's successor. It is a small,
three-domed mosque carved in white marble, with a three-arched screen which steps down to the
courtyard.
The Moti Masjid measures approximately 12 × 9 metres, with a height of nearly 8
metres.

11


Others:Other attractions within Red Fort include:
 The Hammams (Royal Baths)
 The Muthamman-Burj was the octagonal tower where the emperor appeared before the
commoners.

12

 The Rang Mahal (Palace of Colours) housed the Emperor's wives and mistresses. This
palace was crowned with gilded turrets. It was painted and decorated with an intricate
mosaic of mirrors. It also had a ceiling overlaid with gold and silver that was reflected in
a central pool, which was located in the marble floor of the palace.
 Naqqar Khana (Drum House) was located at the entrance point of the Rang Mahal. Music
was played at specific times in the day alongside a large gate. People who visited the fort
and would come on elephants, would get off of at this gate.

History of Rastrapati Bhavan:When the plan for a new city New Delhi adjacent to and south of Old Delhi was
developed in the beginning of the 20th century, the Governor-General's House was given an

13

enormous size and prominent position. About 4,000 acres of land was acquired to begin the
construction of the Viceroy's House and adjacent Central Secretariat between 1911 and 1916.
The British architect Edwin Landseer Lutyens, a major member of the city-planning
process, was given the primary architectural responsibility.
Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official home of the President of India. As the plan for
New Delhi was developed, the Governor-General's residence was given an enormous scale and
prominent position.
Meanwhile, between 1911 and 1916, 300 families were evicted under the "1894
Land Acquisition Act" from Raisina and Malcha villages, thus clearing about 4,000 acres to
begin the construction the Viceroy’s House. Lutyens and Baker who had been assigned to work
on the Viceroy's House and the Secretariats, began on friendly terms. Baker had been assigned to
work on the two secretariat buildings which were in front of Viceroy's House.
The original plan was to have Viceroy's House on the top of Raisina Hill, with the
secretariats lower down. It was later decided to build 400 yards back, and put both buildings on
top of the plateau. While Lutyens wanted the Viceroy's house to be higher, he was forced to
move it back from the intended position, which resulted in a dispute with Baker. After
completion, Lutyens argued with Baker, because the view of the front of the building was
obscured by the high angle of the road.

Plan of Rastrapati Bhawan:-

14

Rashtrapati Bhawan is the house of the President of India. It is a real masterpiece
that was built in the British period. It is the focal point of New Delhi and situated in the Raisina
Hills.
The plan of the building is designed around a massive square with
multiple courtyards and open inner areas within. The plan called for two wings; one for the
Viceroy and residents and another for guests.
The residence wing is a separate four-storey house in itself, with its own court areas
within. This wing was so large that the first Indian governor-general, Chakravarti
Rajagopalachari, opted to live the smaller guest wing, a tradition that has since been followed by
subsequent presidents. The original residence wing is now used primarily for state receptions and
as a guest wing for visiting heads of state.

The centre of the main wing of the building, underneath the main dome, is the
Durbar Hall, which was known as the Throne Room during British rule when it had thrones for
the Viceroy and Vicereine (his wife). The interior of this room and almost all the rooms of the
palace are bare, relying on stonework and shapes to show austerity rather than intricate
decoration.
In the hall, the columns are made in Delhi order which combines vertical lines with
the motif of a bell. The vertical lines from the column were also used in the frieze around the
room, which could not have been done with one of the traditional Greek orders of columns. The
hall has a 2-ton chandelier which hangs from a 33-metre height. The two state drawing rooms,
the state supper room and the state library are each on the four corners of the hall. There are also

15

other rooms such as many loggias (galleries with open air on one side) which face out into the
courtyards, a large dining hall with an extremely long table, sitting rooms, billiards rooms, and a
large ball room, and staircases.
Water features are also through the palace, such as near the Viceroy's stairs, which
has eight marble lion statues spilling water into six basins. These lions were symbolic of the
heraldry of Great Britain. There is also an open area in one room to the sky, which lets in much
of the natural light.

16


Architecture designs:Various Indian designs were added to the building. These included several circular
stone basins on top of the building, as water features are an important part of Indian architecture.
There was also a traditional Indian chujja or chhajja, which occupied the place of a
frieze in classical architecture; it was a sharp, thin, protruding element which extended 8 feet (2.4
m) from the building, and created deep shadows. It blocks harsh sunlight from the windows and
also shields the windows from heavy rain during the monsoon season. On the roofline were
several chuttris, which helped to break up the flatness of the roofline not covered by the dome.
Lutyens appropriated some Indian designs, but used them sparingly and effectively throughout
the building. There were also statues of elephants and fountain sculptures of cobras in the gar of
the retaining walls, as well as the bas-reliefs around the base of the Jaipur Column, made by
British sculptor, Charles Sargeant Jagger. The column has a "distinctly peculiar crown on top, a
glass star springing out of bronze lotus blossom“.
There were grilles made from red sandstone, called jalis or jaalis citation
needed.These jalis were inspired by Rajasthani design. The front of the palace, on the east side,
has twelve unevenly spaced massive columns with the Delhi Order capitals.[citation needed]
These capitals have a fusion of acanthus leaves with the four pendant Indian bells. The bells are
similar in style to Indian Hindu and Buddhist temples, the idea being inspired from a Jain temple
at Moodabidri in Karnataka. One bell is on each corner at the top of the column. It was said that
as the bells were silent British rule in India would not end. The front of the building does not
have windows, except in the wings at the sides. Lutyens established ateliers in Delhi and Lahore

17

to employ local craftsmen, The chief engineer of the project was Sir Teja Singh Malik, and four
main contractors included Sir Sobha Singh.
Lutyens added several small personal elements to the house, such as an area in the
garden walls and two ventilator windows on the stateroom to look like the glasses which he
wore. The Viceregal Lodge was completed largely by 1929, and (along with the rest of New
Delhi) inaugurated officially in 1931. Interestingly, the building took seventeen years to
complete and eighteen years later India became independent. After Indian independence in 1947,
the now ceremonial governor-general continued to live there, being succeeded by the president in
1950 when India became a republic and the house was renamed "Rashtrapati Bhavan".

18


Dome:The dome in the middle involved a mixture of Indian and British styles. In the centre
was a tall copper dome surmounted on top of a drum, which stands out from the rest of the
building, due to its height. The dome is exactly in the middle of the diagonals between the four
corners of the building. The dome is more than twice the height of the rest of the building.
The height of the dome was increased by Lord Hardinge in the plan of the building
in 1913. The dome combines classical and Indian styles. Lutyens said the design evolved from
that of the Pantheon in Rome, while it is also possible that it was modelled partly after the great
Stupa at Sanchi. The dome is supported by evenly spaced columns which form a porch with open
area between the columns. In the New Delhi summer heat haze this gives an impression of the
dome being afloat. The reinforced concrete shell of the outer dome began to be formed at the
beginning of 1929. The last stone of the dome was laid on 6 April 1929.

19


Mughal Gardens:The Mughal Gardens situated at the back of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, incorporates
both Mughal and English landscaping styles and feature a vast variety of flowers. The
Rashtrapati Bhavan gardens are open to public in February every year.
Main garden: Two channels running North to South and two running East to West
divide this garden into a grid of squares. There are six lotus shaped fountains at the crossings of
these channels. Wheresas the energetic fountains rising up to a height of 12 feet create soothing
murmur that enthralls the visitor, the channels are so tranquil in their movement that they seem
frozen. In the channels at appropriate times of day can be seen reflections of the imposing
building and the proud flowers. There are wooden trays placed on stands in the centre of the
channels where grain is put for the birds to feed upon.
Terrace garden: There are two longitudinal strips of garden at a higher level on either
side of the Main Garden forming the Northern and Southern boundary. The plants grown are the
same as in the Main Garden. At the centre of both the strips is a fountain which falls inwards

20

forming a well. On the Western tips are located two gazebos and on the Eastern tips two ornately
designed sentry posts.
Long Garden or the 'Purdha Garden': This is located to the West of the Main Garden,
and runs along on either side of the central pavement which goes to the circular garden. Enclosed
in walls about 12 feet high this is predominantly a rose garden. It has 16 square rose beds
encased in low hedges. There is a red sandstone pergola in the centre over the central pavement
which is covered with Rose creepers, Petrea, Bougainvillea and Grape Vines. The walls are
covered with creepers like Jasmine, Rhyncospermum, Tecoma Grandiflora, Bignonia Vanista,
Adenoclyma, Echitice, Parana Paniculata. Along the walls are planted the China Orange trees.
Around the circular garden there are rooms for Office of the horticulturist, a green
house, stores, nursery etc. Here is housed the collection of Bonsais, one of the best in the
country.
All the presidents who have stayed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan have taken keen
interest in the maintenance and upkeep of the Mughal Gardens. All have contributed in their own
way. The underlying themes however have remained unaltered.

21


Major Issues/Problems
There were no as such problem but the major issue was that as many people to whom we
communicated at Red Fort were not aware about the current situation of Rastrapati Bhavan and
people at Rastrapati Bhavan were not aware about Red fort’s current situation.

22

This was the major issue at both the places as when we talk to people at Red Fort like we
say sir have you visited Rastapati Bhavan, they just say no so we were not able to put another
question.
Even when we have communicated to shopkeepers they were also not aware about both
the places.
So ultimately we have to put ours personal experience.

Secondly inside the museum at the Red Fort photography is banned so we could not show the
equipment’s and several other things of Shah jahan;s time.

Third the Mughal garden is open in the month of February and so we were no able to go there.

23


Suggested solutions/ Your learning
According to us there should be a film studio at a historical monument like Red Fort where a
film should be shown regarding all historical monuments so that the people who are unaware
about the historical monuments would go to any historical monument and could get the
information and could say that yes I have gone there.

We learned several things after visting the physical aspects of Red Fort as well as Rastrapati
Bhavan.
The house that houses the President of India and the house that boasts of having
welcomed the most powerful men in history. The Rashtrapati Bhavan was designed by Edwin
Lutyens and built in 1931, to be the central point of the British power in Delhi. Originally called
the Viceroy's House, the Rashtrapati Bhavan covers an area of 4.5 acres of land. It has 340
rooms, 37 salons, 74 lobbies and loggias, 18 staircases and 37 fountains. The most magnificent
room in the Rashtrapati Bhavan is the Durbar Hall, which lies directly beneath the main dome.
All important Indian State and Official ceremonies are held here. To the west, is the famous and
beautifully landscaped Mughal Gardens, designed after the terraced gardens the Mughals built in
Kashmir. The garden is famous as the 'Butterfly Garden' for the numerous butterflies that visit
the varied flowers.
The Red Fort, with a circumference of over 2.2 kilometers, was laid out by the banks of
the Yamuna river in the 17th century. The Mughal emperor Shajahan built it with the ambition of
concentrating the Mughal power in one monument. Monument is perhaps not the right word. A
mini-city is more like it. Unfortunately for the emperor, before he could move his capital from

24

Agra to Shahjahanabad in Delhi, he was taken a political prisoner by his son Aurangazeb. The
fort is a delight to one's imagination. Imagine the Naqqar Khana (Drum room) also called Naubat
Khana (Welcome Room), where once drums loudly heralded the arrival of the emperor and the
Diwan-e-Am (Hall of Public Audience) resounded with the incantations of the people. Amazing,
isn't it? There's more to see - Mumtaz Mahal, Rang Mahal (Palace of Colours), Khas Mahal
(Emperor's Palace), Diwan-e Khas (Hall of Private Audience), the Hammam (bathing area) and
Shah Burj.

25


Observations and Discussion
While we were at Red Fort we saw the security and with our discussion we observed that
to prevent terrorist attacks, security is especially tightened around the Red Fort. Delhi Police and
paramilitary personnel keep a vigil on the neighbourhoods around the fort. Sharpshooters of the
National Security Guard are deployed on high rises near the Red Fort. The aerial space around
the fort is declared a no-fly zone during the celebration to prevent aerial attacks, Safe houses are
picked in nearby areas where the Prime Minister and other Indian leaders can be rushed to in
case of an attack.

The fort was the site of a terrorist attack on 22 December 2000 carried out by six terrorists of the
Lashkar-e-Toiba. Two soldiers and a civilian were killed, in what was described by the media as
an attempt to derail the India-Pakistan peace talks and relations.

26


Conclusion
We concluded that:Both these institutions are in Delhi and are related to the politics of India ...........as
Rashtrapati bhavan is the official residence of president of India and on 15th Aug i.e on
independence day the prime minister addresses the nation from red fort !
Both are related to office of the highest administrative heads of a nation. One represents
king ship and another democracy. One is built by red stone another with granite.

But the environment near Red fort is quite good area we have Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib,
Church, Jain Mandir, Gori Shankar Mandir, Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargrah.

On the other hand the area near the Rastrapati bhavan is very pleasant and a very charming.

27


Personal Experience (All group members):Well when we were having our first class of history in 4YUP we were told that we are having a
project in which we will be given a topic and we have to go there and collect the information
from that day we were very excited regarding the project. Finally we got a very interesting topic
regarding comparison and contraction among Red fort and Rastrapati bhavan , a very amazing
topic. Well, being a citizen of India and residing in Delhi we were not knowing about the Red
fort but when we visited there to collect the information we know much of it.
Since we were in the school we have never engaged in such type of project but in college
it is a very good as it visiting places enhances our knowledge.
When we are with our friends we acts as investigator just like at Red Fort there were
underground rooms we went down and saw that the rooms were sealed the locks were covered

28

with the stainless steel sheet. So this question raised in each one of us so next day we ask
different people and get the answer for that.
So it was a very good experience ever had in life….

References
1.

Personal visit – (communicating with the people came to the monument, shop
keepers and guiders present there )

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

N. L. Batra (May 2008). Delhi's Red Fort by the Yamuna. Niyogi Books.
Retrieved 5 August 2012.
"Ustad Ahmad Oxford Reference". Retrieved 13 August 2013.
"building the Taj – who designed the Taj Mahal". PBS. Retrieved 13 August
2013.
"Red Fort lies along the River Yamuna". Retrieved 4 August 2012.
"Red Fort Complex". World Heritage List. UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
Retrieved 15 November 2009.

29

7.
8.
9.
10.

"Red Fort was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007". Retrieved 4
August 2012.
Indu Ramchandani (2000). Students' Britannica India. Popular Prakashan. pp.
293–. ISBN 978-0-85229-760-5. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
"Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan for Red Fort, Delhi" (PDF).
Archaeological Survey of India. March 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
Pinto, Xavier; Myall, E. G. (2009). Glimpses of History. Frank Brothers. p. 129.
ISBN 978-81-8409-617-0.

30

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