Shahjahanabad

Delhi, with its many names, has had a colourful past. Whenever history enters a new era, everything seems transformed. 1205 to 1526 AD is known as the Sultanat period. When the last ruler of the Sultanat era, Sultan Embrahim Lodhi was defeated by Taimur dynasty’s Babur in 1526 in the first battle of Panipat, Delhi’s history changed once again. Babur ruled over India for only 4 years i.e. from 1526 to 1530 AD but Moghul era lasted till 1857 AD. Moghul Emperor Shahjehan settled Shahjehanabad, known as old Delhi now. Shahjehan was the son of emperor Jehangir. However Jehangir’s capital was Agra. After Jehangir, Shahjehan became the king and decided to make Delhi his capital after 11 years and many a time he came over here to see the town of Deen-e-Panah. The place of consultation is Red Fort today. With the construction of the Red Fort, the base of Shahjehanabad was built.

When the Red Fort was ready and the Emperor started to live there in 1648 AD, the town of Shahjehhanabad started emerging. By the order of Shahjehan in 1650 AD, the town’s wall was built at the cost of Rs. 150,000 by soil and stone. But due to heavy rains, the very next year this wall cracked in many places. Shahjehan ordered to make this wall of lime and stone. In 7 years (in 1658 AD) this wall became ready at the cost of Rs. 400,000. The length of this wall was 6664 yards, its width was 4 yards and it was 9 yards in height. 27 burj were there of 10 yards high. The doors of this town was built with very delicacy. The town had 14 Darwaze (doors) and 14 Khidkiyan (Windows).  The doors were named as –