AFVOA Newletter August 2020

Section 5 - Memoirs CV 2 No. 02 / 2020 Page 143 of 237 22 15 August 1990 – Corps of Signals and the Red Fort Brig V A Subramanyam Genre: Life in the Forces India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only, ~ Mark Twain he Red Fort was constructed during the period 1638 – 1649 by the Mughal emperor Shahjahan. As it was built using massive red sandstone, it was known as Lal Quila or Red Fort. The Mughal emperor was keen that the building should show case the political and cultural grandeur of the Mughal Empire. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 the Red Fort is also referred to as “Qila-i-Mubarak” (the blessed fort). Residence of the Royal family, planning and layout techniques employed reflect Mughal creativity and architecture. The three- storey Lahori Gate leads to the Chatta Chowk which sold gems, jewellery, carpets, silks, brocades, and velvet for the royalties. The Swatantrata Sangram Sangrahalaya (Museum of Freedom Struggle) managed by the Archaeological Survey of India, exhibits photographs, paintings and maps focusing on the independence movement. The fort has many galleries like the Mumtaz Mahal used by the royal princesses. It is converted into a museum which exhibits textiles, weapons, carpets, elaborately carved chess sets, metalwork and other items used in the royal court. The Khas Mahal was the emperor’s personal palace, with separate enclosures for praying, sleeping and sitting. The Tosh Khana or Robe Room has an exquisitely carved marble filigree screen with a Scale of Justice outlined in the screen. Diwan-i- Aam, is the place where the emperor entertained his people to find solutions to their problems. Diwan-i-Khas is a large room where the Emperor discussed plans, strategies and secret meetings. Apart from the magnificent Fort, a glimpse into the grandeur of the past is reflected in the halls, marble palaces, mosque, gardens, and plush apartments. A visit to the Fort would mesmerize anyone by the impressive red sandstone wall, huge bastions, and finest and intricate work on the walls of Red Fort. The Red Fort is a site where the past and the present seamlessly coalesced to mark a newly independent nation’s step towards the future. On every T