Delhi High Court recently sought the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) response in a plea moved by two registered trusts against the ASI’s communication rejecting permission to organise a cultural programme at the Agra Fort celebrating the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
About the ‘Agra Fort’ –
- It is a large 16th-century fortress of red sandstone located on the Yamuna River in the historic city of Agra, west-central Uttar Pradesh.
- It is about 5 km northwest of its more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal.
- It was built under the commission of Emperor Akbar in 1565.
- It was only during the reign of Akbar’s grandson, Shah Jahan, that the site took on its current state.
- It was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty till 1638, when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi.
- Features —
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- The fort is crescent-shaped, with a long, nearly straight wall facing the Yamuna river on the east side.
- The fort houses a maze of buildings, including vast underground sections.
- The outer wall is surrounded by a wide and deep moat on three sides.
- The Agra Fort has four main gateways– the Khizri Gate, Amar Singh Gate, Delhi Gate and Ghazni Gate.
- The fort complex was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.
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