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The capital of India, Delhi, has countless pages of history and many ancient buildings in its zenith. Whenever we talk about the historical monuments of Delhi, the names of Red Fort, Qutub Minar and Humayun’s Tomb come to mind first. But do you know that in the Shalimar Bagh area of Delhi, there is such a wonderful and historical heritage of the Mughal period, whose grandeur and carvings still leave people astonished. We are talking about the famous ‘Sheesh Mahal’ of Delhi, which has been a major witness to the splendor, love of art and political turmoil of the Mughal Empire. Recently, after its renovation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and Development Authority, it has once again been opened for tourists and history lovers, after which this place has become the main center of attraction for tourists from all over the country.
If we turn the pages of history of this historic Sheesh Mahal located in Shalimar Bagh, Delhi, we come to know that it was constructed in the seventeenth century during the reign of Mughal emperor Shahjahan. According to history, in the year 1653, Begum Izz-un-Nisa (also known as Akbarabadi Mahal), the third wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, laid the foundation of this magnificent Bagh and palace complex. This beautiful complex was designed as a royal resting place on the lines of the famous Shalimar Bagh of Kashmir, so that the Mughal family could spend some moments of peace here, away from the hustle and bustle of busy Shahjahanabad. The excellent architecture of that era, red sandstone and traditional bricks were used in the construction of this royal complex, which even today presents a unique example of Mughlai culture and construction style.
The reason behind the name of this palace ‘Sheesh Mahal’ is the unique artwork done on its walls and roofs which dazzles the eyes of the viewer. Small and very fine mirrors were fixed on the walls of the main hall and rooms of this building with such a quality that whenever the light of the lamp or the rays of the sun fell on them, the entire room was illuminated with countless shining mirrors. Apart from this, the beautiful paintings of Rajasthani and Kangra style on the walls of the inner parts of the palace attract tourists even today, in which scenes from the poems of great poets of Ritika period like Keshav, Surdas and Bihari have been depicted very vividly. The fountains and water canals built right in front of this palace add to the beauty of the traditional Mughal garden of Char-Bagh style, which reflects the foresight of the engineers and designers of that era.
This Sheesh Mahal of Delhi is not only known for its architecture and beauty, but this complex has also been witness to a very big and decisive event in Indian history. In the year 1658, when there was a fierce struggle going on for the succession of Mughal power, the secret and official coronation ceremony of Aurangzeb was completed in the courtyard of this historical Sheesh Mahal. After this major political event, the historical importance of this place had increased further. The wheel of time turned and after the fall of the Mughal Empire, when the Persian invader Nadir Shah attacked Delhi in 1738, his army also camped in this complex during his Delhi campaign. Not only this, Sir David Ochterlony chose it as his summer residence during the British period, which proves that this place has been used strategically and politically in different periods.
Due to long-term administrative apathy, lack of maintenance and neglect, this priceless heritage of the Mughal period was on the verge of turning into ruins. But after strict steps taken by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and Delhi Development Authority (DDA), this historical heritage has been rejuvenated. This multi-crore project of repairing traditional lime plaster, Lakhori bricks and reviving the lost beauty of Char-Bagh has given a new lease of life to Sheesh Mahal. Now this heritage is completely ready and safe for the general public and tourists from India and abroad to see. If you also want to experience the history, Mughal architecture and old culture of Delhi closely, then visiting this ancient Sheesh Mahal located in Shalimar Bagh will prove to be a very exciting and informative experience for you.