Statue of liberty Facts

Statue of liberty :- 

The story of the Statue of Liberty and her island has been one of change. With the placing of “The New Colossus” on a plaque in the pedestal in 1903, Lady Liberty’s significance grew as an inspiration to immigrants who sailed past her on their way to America. The Statue was placed upon a granite pedestal inside the courtyard of the star-shaped walls of Fort Wood (which had been completed for the War of 1812).

The United States Lighthouse Board had responsibility for the operation of the Statue of Liberty until 1901, when the care and operation of the Statue was placed under the War Department. A Presidential Proclamation declared Fort Wood (and the Statue of Liberty within it) a National Monument on October 15, 1924, and the monument's boundary was set at the outer edge of Fort Wood. In 1933, the care and administration of the National Monument was transferred to the National Park Service.

On September 7, 1937, jurisdiction was enlarged to encompass all of Bedloe's Island and in 1956, the island's name was changed to Liberty Island. On May 11, 1965, Ellis Island was also transferred to the National Park Service and became part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. 

   

Why did the French gives us the statue of Liberty :- 

people commemorating the alliance of France and the United States during the American Revolution. Yet, it represented much more to those individuals who proposed the gift.

 

A photograph of Edouard de Laboulaye from the Galerie Contemporaine collection.

National Park Service, Statue of Liberty NM

In 1865, Edouard de Laboulaye(a French political thinker, U.S. Constitution expert, and abolitionist) proposed that a monument be built as a gift from France to the United States in order to commemorate the perseverance of freedom and democracy in the United States and to honor the work of the late president Abraham Lincoln. Laboulaye hoped that by calling attention to the recent achievements of the United States, the French people would be inspired to create their own democracy in the face of a repressive monarchy. In 1865, France was divided between people who were still committed to the monarchy and people who supported the Enlightenment ideals (the belief that people had natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness). It was the hope of many French liberals that democracy would prevail and that freedom and justice for all would be attained.

 

Bartholdi in his studio, Vavin Street, Paris, 1892.

National Park Service, Statue of Liberty NM

In order to turn his idea into a reality, Laboulaye talked to many prominent and influential men in France. Auguste Bartholdi - a French sculptor who had recently been commissioned to make a bust of Laboulaye - greatly supported Laboulaye's idea and was soon selected to be the sculptor of the proposed monument.

 

A picture entitled “The Spirit of 61. God, Our Country and Liberty!” by Currier and Ives circa 1861.

Library of Congress

"Liberty" was a controversial idea in the 19th century. To many people it suggested violence and revolution. Laboulaye and Bartholdi agreed that their monument should not be seen as leading an uprising, but rather as lighting the way, peacefully and lawfully. A key element was the name they gave to the Statue: Liberty Enlightening the World. Bartholdi's public monuments hailed back to classical images of a powerful, honorable national authority over any ideology. His statue of "Liberty Enlightening the World" would be above conservatism and liberalism and above radical revolutions and political turmoil. She would be an international symbol of liberty, justice, and democracy. In 1871, the Statue was transformed from idea into reality - it was to be funded, built, and presented to the United States.

This project could not have happened at a better time for Laboulaye. In 1871, an uprising by members of the working and middle classes in Paris against the government was brutally crushed. Laboulaye did not support such extremism among laboring people; although he wanted to change the French government to a democratic government, he did not want to do it through violence. Despite his liberal views, Laboulaye was criticized by his colleagues because he spoke out against the violence and supported the governmental repression of the uprising. The creation of the Statue of Liberty, however, was a chance for Laboulaye to restore his reputation as a devoted liberal and democratic advocator, honor the success of liberty in the United States, and hope that the French would be inspired to fight for the same ideals.

Why is the statue of liberty a woman :-

According to historian Edward Berenson, in the 1860s, Bartholdi decided to build a monument to commemorate the opening of Egypt's Suez Canal. "And that monument was going to be a woman in the southern opening of the canal holding up a torch over her head and that woman was dressed in Arab peasant garb,” Berenson says.

When was the Statue of Liberty built?

history of the statue of liberty in pieces Construction began in 1875 and was not completed until 1884. Crews worked round the clock, seven days a week, for nine years to finish the Statue of Liberty. When it was complete in 1885, the statue was disassembled into 350 pieces, shipped to New York City, and reassembled. It took 4 months just to put the Statue of Liberty together again!

The Statue of Liberty was officially dedicated and unveiled on October 28, 1886.

How much did the Statue of Liberty cost to build?

A collection was taken up in France to fund the statue, raising 2,250,000 francs ($250,000 U.S. dollars). It doesn’t look like much, but $250,000 in the 19th century would be the same as millions of dollars today. Both the U.S. and France participated in fundraising activities, and it took a very long time to raise enough money to finish construction.

Statue of Liberty: Assembly and Dedication

While work went on in France on the actual statue, fundraising efforts continued in the United States for the pedestal, including contests, benefits and exhibitions. Near the end, the leading New York newspaperman Joseph Pulitzer used his paper, the World, to raise the last necessary funds. Designed by the American architect Richard Morris Hunt, the statue’s pedestal was constructed inside the courtyard of Fort Wood, a fortress built for the War of 1812 and located on Bedloe’s Island, off the southern tip of Manhattan in Upper New York Bay.

In 1885, Bartholdi completed the statue, which was disassembled, packed in more than 200 crates, and shipped to New York, arriving that June aboard the French frigate Isere. Over the next four months, workers reassembled the statue and mounted it on the pedestal; its height reached 305 feet (or 93 meters), including the pedestal. On October 28, 1886, President Grover Cleveland officially dedicated the Statue of Liberty in front of thousands of spectators.

The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

In 1892, the U.S. government opened a federal immigration station on Ellis Island, located near Bedloe’s Island in Upper New York Bay. Between 1892 and 1954, some 12 million immigrants were processed on Ellis Island before receiving permission to enter the United States. From 1900-14, during the peak years of its operation, some 5,000 to 10,000 people passed through every day.

Ajanta caves facts

Ajanta Caves Facts :- 

                            Ajanta caves

The ajanta caves are approximately 30 rocked Buddhist cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE to about 480CE in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. State of India the caves include paintings and rocks - cut sculptures described as among the finest surviving examples of ancient India art, particularly expensive paintings that present emotions through bgesture pose and form.

The Ajanta caves constitute ancient monasteries and worship- halls of different Buddhist traditions curved into a 75 metre (246ft) wall of rock. The cave also present painting depicting the past lives find rebirths of the Buddha. Pictorial tales from Arasura's Jatakaala and rock - cut sculpture of Buddhist deities. Spiritual records suggest that these caves several a mansion retreat for Monks as well as a resting site for merchants and pilgrims in ancient India. While Vivid colours mural wall -painting were abundant in India history as evidenced by historical records, caves 16, 17, 1 and 2 of Ajanta form the largest bcorpus of surviving ancient India wall painting.

                          Ajanta caves inside painting 

The Ajanta caves are mentioned in the memories or several medieval - era Chinese Buddhist travellers to India and by a Mughal era official of Akbar era in the early 17th century.

Who built the Ajanta caves :- 

The Ajanta Caves

These are a set of 29 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments located near and named after the village Ajinṭhā in Aurangabad district in the state of Maharashtra, India. The caves have been built over a huge time slice of history, starting from about 200 BCE till around 480-650 CE.

Ajanta caves have enjoyed two distinct phases of patronage:

• The early Hinayana Buddhist phase, mostly under the patronage of Satvahana Dynasty

The caves 9,10,12,13 and 15A were excavated during this period and thus form the oldest part of the great complex at Ajanta.
These caves are relatively simple and astylar in their architectural construct, do not penetrate much into the rock surface and were mostly dormitories for Buddhist monks.
The decline of Buddhism in India also witnessed inactivity in Ajanta for almost 3
centuries. The dormancy gave way to a remarkable renaissance from 460 CE onwards.

• The Mahayana Buddhist phase, spearheaded by Vakataka Dynasty (particularly by Emperor Harisena)

Emperor Harisen (Not to be confused with Harisen – the royal poet to the court of Emperor Samudragupta) was a powerful Vakataka king whose short reign (460-477 CE) was characterised not only by military advances and forging of a great empire but also for reviving a strong cultural movement. He was a connoisseur of art and architecture in a multi-religious context.

He personally commissioned the excavation of numerous caves – notably caves 1 and 3. Inspired by his interest, a group of powerful patrons took individual initiatives some of which are as follows:

There is some evidence to prove that cave 2 was patronised by ladies in the court of Harisen, and that it celebrates powerful women.
The largest Vihara, cave 4 was sponsored by Mathuradasa, a rich inaugurator of the revival of the excavations.
Prime Minister Varahadeva of Emperor Harisen donated to build cave 16. It has inscriptions about his short rule.
The local feudalistic lord and king – Upendragupta oversaw the construction and built cave 17-20 and 29 under his patronage. In the mid-460s, all work on in Ajanta broke off in the “Recession” caused by the local king’s fear of an attack by the aggressive neighbouring Asmakas.
On taking over the region, Asmakas donated heavily for making caves 21, 23 and 24. Cave 26 was given by the highly placed monk Buddhabhadra, to honour the minister of Asmaka, with whom he had been “attached in friendship through many successive births”.
Cave 22 was started by Vakatakas but during the period of disruption, the local monks who had nowhere to go lived there and completed these.

The Ellora Caves

Ellora also known as Vērūḷ, Elura or Elapura is an archaeological site with 34 caves, which unlike the Ajanta cave temples, are excavated in the sloping sides of the Charanandri hills and not in a perpendicular cliff. These consist of 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu and 5 Jain caves, built in close proximity in the time frame starting from the 5th century CE to the 10th century CE during the rule of the Kalachuri, Chalukya and Rashtrakuta dynasties.

• The Buddhist temples

It has been claimed that these were excavated between 350 to 700 CE, during which there was a flourishing of the Buddhist Mahayana sects in the region.

• The Brahmanical Hindu temples

The Kalachuri empire sponsored the early caves in the 6th century.
The Kailasha temple was commissioned and completed between 757-783 CE, when Krishna I (757-773 CE) from the Rashtrakuta dynasty (783-982 CE) ruled the region. This is a classic example of Dravidian architecture.
The Dashavatara (Cave 15) was begun as a Buddhist monastery, but was later completed as a temple with an open court depicting images of the ten forms of Lord Vishnu. An inscription of grant of Dantidurga II (735-756 CE) is found on the back wall of the front mandapa.
A copper plate grant by Karka II (812-813 CE) narrates that a great edifice was built on a hill by Krishnaraja at Elapura (Ellora).

• The Jain Temples

In the final group of five Jain caves that belong to the Digambara sect, the most interesting are the Indra Sabha (assembly hall of Indra, king of the gods) and Jagannath Sabha (assembly hall of the lord of the universe). These caves date back to the ninth and tenth centuries.
The Jagannath Sabha has 3 inscriptions that give the names of monks and donors. On the top of the hill in which the Jain caves are excavated is a statue and temple of Lord Parasnath. This has an 11th-century inscription that gives the name of the donor from Vardhanapura.

The workers in both the cases were usually craftsmen from the local and surrounding regions who were professionals as their families did this work since ages (due to the profession based caste system). There is speculation that many pieces were planned keeping in mind that a few generations would work together to complete the design.

And for all the lovers of alien theories and stories, here is your complimentary gift for reading this answer:

References: The answer is primarily derived from the works of Walter Spink (Harvard Researcher) "Ajanta : History and Development Volume 5, Cave by Cave"

Why is Ajanta caves famous :- 

The UNESCO Heritage site of Ajanta caves is located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. These caves were excavated as a part of the first wave of cave architecture in India. It became an important center for Buddhist religion and art under the enlightened patronage of the Vakataka rulers. However, it is important to note that the excavations of these caves happened in different phases in different time periods beginning in the 2nd Century.

The aerial view of the site looks like a horseshoe. This site was abandoned during the 6th-7th centuries and was rediscovered only during the British period by an Army officer named John Smith (1819).

The Rock-Cut Architecture

The intricate carvings, roofs, pillars, stupas, assembly halls, etc. from the distinct essence of the architecture of Ajanta Caves. There are twenty-nine caves in Ajanta with Chaityas and Viharas as the two dominant types. Chaityas house the stupas and served as the centers for worship while Viharas served as the monastery for study and learning.

Cave nos. 9, 10, 12 and 13 are dated to the early phase. The upper and lower phase caves are 6, 11 and 15. Cave no. 7 is dated to earlier than 5th Century and the remaining caves are later than the fifth century. The artistically carved chaityas are located in cave no.19 and 26. One can find images of Buddha and Bodhisattva here.

Cave no. 26 houses the famous image of the Mahaparinibana of Buddha. The images in Ajanta are known for their grandeur. Varahadeva, Upendragupta, and Mathuradasa are some of the patrons of Ajanta Caves. These caves are basaltic rocks found in the Deccan belt. The similar patterns of rock-cut architecture are also observed in Ellora, Elephanta, Badami and Bagh Caves.

Paintings in Ajanta

Ajanta is a unique cave site as it has paintings surviving dated back to the 1st century BCE. One can observe typological variations in the paintings here. There are lines that are clearly defined and rhythmic. Caves no.9 and 10 have some early phase paintings as well. The second phase of paintings in these caves can be analyzed from the images of the Buddhas. The themes of these paintings include stories from the life of Buddha and the Jatakas.

There are some paintings that occupy full wall of the caves such as Mahajanaka Jataka, Simhala Avadana, and Vidhurpandita Jataka. The Varjrapani (with Thunderbolt) and Padmapani (with Lotus) are renowned paintings located in Cave no.1. A very interesting observation can be made with regards to the variety of skin colors including brown, yellow, yellowish brown which highlight different races that existed within the population.

 

How to reach ajanta caves :- 

• Ajanta Travellers Lodge
  Near Ajanta Caves,
  Maharashtra - 431118
• Ajanta T-Junction - MTDC run hotel
  Near Ajanta Caves,
  Maharashtra - 431118
• Padmapani Park
  Near Ellora Caves,
  Maharashtra - 431118

Boutique Hotel

• Hotel Kailas
  Ellora Caves, Ellora District, Aurangabad
  +91 2437 244446

How To Reach

By Road
Aurangabad is only 100 km from Ajanta and 30 km from Ellora. You can hire a local taxi or travel by the state-run buses to reach the Ajanta Ellora Caves. The highway that connects Aurangabad to Mumbai is also well-connected to various parts of the country such as Delhi, Indore, Bijapur, Udaipur and Jaipur.

By Rail
Aurangabad is well-connected to Mumbai and Pune by rail. The Jalgaon Station is the closest rail head to Ellora. If you disembark at this station, you can opt for local transport to tour the Ajanta and Ellora caves.

In order to make your holiday in Maharashtra a memorable one, you must visit the caves at Ajanta and Ellora at least once! One of the most outstanding specimens of ancient Indian architecture, the Ajanta Ellora caves display the artistry of the yore and still stand magnificently for the whole world to revel in their mythical and magical beauty. Built between the 2nd and 3rd century BC, these caves are some of the only remaining testaments of an obscure, Buddhist India.

         HAPPY JOURNEY (:

Tourist leaflet on Bibi ka makbara

Dilras Banu Begum :- 

                                               Bibi ka Makbra

Dilras Banu Begum :- (c. 1622 – 8 October 1657) was the first wife and chief consort of Emperor Aurangzeb the last of the Mughal emperors. She is also known by her posthumous title, Rabia-ud-Daurani ("Rabia of the Age"). The Bibi Ka Maqbara in Aurangabad, which bears a striking resemblance to the Taj Mahal (the mausoleum of Aurangzeb's mother Mumtaz Mahal was commissioned by her husband to act as her final resting place.

Dilras Banu Begum
Born	c. 1622[1] Safavid Empire
Died	8 October 1657 (aged 34–35) Aurangabad, India
Burial	Bibi Ka Maqbara, Aurangabad
Spouse	Aurangzeb
Issue	Zeb-un-Nissa Zinat-un-Nissa Zubdat-un-Nissa Muhammad Azam Shah Sultan Muhammad Akbar
House	Safavid (by birth) Timurid (by marriage)
Father	Shah Nawaz Khan Safavi
Mother	Nauras Banu Begum
Religion	Shia Islam

Dilras was a member of the Safavid dynasty of Persia, and was the daughter of Mirza Badi-uz-Zaman Safavi (titled Shahnawaz Khan), a descendant of  Shah Imail I, who served as the viceroy of Gujarat She married Prince Muhi-ud-din (later known as 'Aurangzeb' upon his accession) in 1637 and bore him five children, including:  Muhammad Azum Shah (the heir apparent anointed by Aurangzeb),who temporarily succeeded his father as Mughal Emperor, the gifted poetess Princess Zeb-un-Nissa (Aurangzeb's favourite daughter),Princess Zinat-un-Nissa (titled Padshah Begum), and   EmperSultan MuhammadAkbar theor's best loved son.

Dilras died possibly of puerperal fever in 1657, a month after giving birth to her fifth child, Muhammad Akbar,^[11] and just a year before her husband ascended the throne after a fratricidal war of succession.

History :-

                             Bibi ka Makbra

         Dilras Banu Begum born a princess of the prominent safvedi dynasty of Iran and was the daughter of Mirza-Badi- us- zaman safvedi. Who was victory of Gujarat. She married prince muh -ud- din in at 8 may 1637in Agra. Dilras Banu was his first wife and chief consort, as well as his favourite she bore her husband five children 

             1) Zeb-un-nissa

             2) Zinat-un-nissa

            3) Zubdant - un -nissa

            4) Muhammad Azum Shah

            5) Sulta Muhammad Akbar

       

            After giving her gift child Muhammad Akbar Dilras Banu Begum possibly suffered from puerperal fever, due to complications caused by the delivery and died a month after birth of her son on 8 October 1656 upon her death Aurangzebs pen of extreme and their eldest son Azum Shah was so grieved that he had a nervous break down. It became Dilras eldest daughter princess zeb - in - Nissa responsibility to take charge of her newborn brother. Zeb-un-Nissa doted on her brother a lot, and at the same time, Aurangazeb greatly indulged his mother less son and the prince soon became his best loved son. 

             In 1660 Aurangazeb commissioned a anausoleum a Aurangabad to access as Dilras final resting place, known as Bibi ka Makbra. (Tomb of the lady). Here, Dilras was buried under the posthumous title of Rabia - ud -Daurani In the following years, her tomb was repaired by her son Azum Shah under Aurangazeb's orders. Bibi Ka Makbra had to his credit and bear a striking resemblance to the Taj Mahal, who her self died in childbirth. Away from her mausoleum in khuldabad.

Construction :- 

Bibi Ka Maqbara is believed to have been built between 1668 and 1669 C.E. According to the "Tarikh Namah" of Ghulam Mustafa, the cost of construction of the mausoleum was Rs. 668,203-7 (rupees six lakh, sixty-eight thousand, two hundred three and seven annas) – Aurangzeb allocated only Rs. 700,000 for its construction. An inscription found on the main entrance door mentions that this mausoleum was designed and erected by Ata-ullah, an architect and Hanspat Rai, an engineer respectively. The marble for this mausoleum was brought from mines near Jaipur. According to tavernier around three hundred carts laden with marble, drawn by at least 12 oxen, were seen by him during his journey from Surat to Golconda. The mausoleum was intended to rival the Taj Mahal, but the decline in architecture and proportions of the structure (both due to the severe budgetary constraints imposed by Aurangzeb had resulted in a poor copy of the latter. 

       Inside of Bibi ka Makbra

                Inside of Bibi ka Makbra marble work.     

   

How to reach Bibi ka Makbra :-  

    

Situated in Maharashtra, Aurangabad is a popular tourist magnet attracting visitors round the year for its various monuments and is easily accessible from Mumbai. It is approximately 333 km from Mumbai and can be reached in a span of about 7 hours from road via NH160 Nagpur-Aurangabad highway. Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MRCTC) runs a Parivaran bus daily from Mumbai to Aurangabad. If you want to cover the distance by air then a Mumbai to Aurangabad flight will take an average time of around 1 hour and 10 minutes. Currently, Air India and Jet Airways operate on the route.

Nearest Airport to Bibi Ka Maqbara:

Aurangabad Airport in Chikkalthana is 11 km from Bibi Ka Maqbara. There are flights available from Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad.

Nearest Railway Station to Bibi Ka Maqbara:

Aurangabad Railway Station is 6 km from Bibi Ka Maqbara. The fastest train from Mumbai is Aurangabad Jan Shatabdi Express.

Nearest Metro Station to Bibi Ka Maqbara:

The metro station in Aurangabad is under construction.

Nearest Bus Stand to Bibi Ka Maqbara:

Central Bus Stand is the nearest bus stand near Bibi Ka Maqbara and the distance between the two is 3.4 km.

Bibi Ka Maqbara Online Ticket

Bibi Ka Maqbara ticket price is Rs 25 for Indian citizens and Rs 300 for foreign tourists. The SAARC and BIMSTEC visitors will have to pay Rs 25 as Bibi Ka Maqbara entry fee. You can either purchase Bibi Ka Maqbara ticket at the ticket counter of the mausoleum or pre-book it online. It will take around an hour to explore the site.

If you are planning to book Bibi Ka Maqbara tickets online then search no further as you can reserve your entry to the tomb on Yatra. To book entry tickets to Bibi Ka Maqbara, visit Yatra.com and type the monument name and click on ‘Book Now’. This will take you to the next page where you will be asked to fill in details such as email id, phone number, name, age and country. Alternatively, you can directly sign up if you already have an account with Yatra. After filling in the form, click on the ‘Proceed to Payment’. The Bibi Ka Maqbara ticket booking details will be sent to the email id provided by you.

  

Agra fort information

Agra fort :- A preface to the famous Taj                               Mahal

                    Agra fort entry gate :- Amar sing gate.           

The entry to Agra Fort is allowed through the Amar Singh Gate only. Some portion of this fort is used by the Indian Army. The public access to that part has been prohibited. So you can not see that area.

However as this fort is very expansive and contains many buildings that are worth a visit so you can very well check them out.

On visiting the Agra Fort, you will come across Diwan-i-Am or the Hall of Public Audience. This hall with numerous pillars is said to be erected by Shah Jahan in the year 1628. On heading little forward, you will see Royal Pavilions abounding in elegant mosques including Nagina Masjid and Mina Masjid, palaces like Macchi Bhavan, Khas Mahal, Shish Mahal and Shah Jahani Mahal and the Zenana Mina Bazaar.

On a visit to Agra Fort, you will be attracted to the intricate carvings and the pure marbles that are used in its making. Besides, the breathtaking views of the Yamuna River and Taj Mahal from the balconies of the pavilions will leave you absolutely mesmerized.

                                   Agra fort entry gate

Agra Fort is a historical fort in the city of Agra in India. It was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty till 1638, when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi. The Agra fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site.It is about 2.5 km northwest of its more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal. The fort can be more accurately described as a walled city.

After the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, the victorious Babur stayed in the fort, in the palace of Ibrahim Lodi. He later built a baoli in it. His successor, Humayun, was crowned in the fort in 1530. He was defeated at Bilgram in 1540 by Sher Shah Suri. The fort remained with the Suris till 1555, when Humayun recaptured it. Adil Shah Suri’s general, Hemu, recaptured Agra in 1556 and pursued its fleeing governor to Delhi where he met the Mughals in the Battle of Tughlaqabad. Sheesh Mahal, Agra Fort:The effect produced by lighting candles in Sheesh Mahal, Agra Fort.

Realising the importance of its central situation, Akbar made it his capital and arrived in Agra in 1558. His historian, Abul Fazl, recorded that this was a brick fort known as ‘Badalgarh’. It was in a ruined condition and Akbar had it rebuilt with red sandstone from Barauli area Dhaulpur district, in Rajasthan. Architects laid the foundation and it was built with bricks in the inner core with sandstone on external surfaces. Some 4,000 builders worked on it daily for eight years, completing it in 1573.

It was only during the reign of Akbar’s grandson, Shah Jahan, that the site took on its current state. Shah Jahan built the beautiful Taj Mahal in the memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Unlike his grandfather, Shah Jahan tended to have buildings made from white marble. He destroyed some of the earlier buildings inside the fort to make his own.

At the end of his life, Shah Jahan was deposed and restrained by his son, Aurangzeb, in the fort. It is rumoured that Shah Jahan died in Muasamman Burj, a tower with a marble balcony with a view of the Taj Mahal.

The fort was invaded and captured by the Maratha Empire in the early 18th century. Thereafter, it changed hands between the Marathas and their foes many times. After their catastrophic defeat at Third Battle of Panipat by Ahmad Shah Abdali in 1761, Marathas remained out of the region for the next decade. Finally Mahadji Shinde took the fort in 1785. It was lost by the Marathas to the British during the Second Anglo-Maratha War, in 1803.

The fort was the site of a battle during the Indian rebellion of 1857, which caused the end of the British East India Company’s rule in India, and led to a century of direct rule of India by Britain.

History of Agra fort :-

Agra Fort is known for its rich history. The fort has been owned by many emperors and rulers in the past, undergoing many changes in its appearance. It all began in the year 1526 when the first battle of Panipat was fought between Babur and Ibrahim Lodi of the Lodi dynasty. When Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, he made the fort and the palace of Ibrahim Lodi as his home. He then modified the fort by building a huge step well (baoli) inside. The fort soon became an important monument to the Mughals. In fact, Babur’s successor, Humayun’s coronation took place at the fort in the year 1530.

Soon emperors from other dynasties started eyeing the fort and efforts to win over the same began. In 1540, Sher Shah Suri of the Sur Empire waged a war against Humayun and defeated him at Bilgram. Sher Shah Suri took over the ownership of the fort from Humayun and made minor changes to it, so as to suit his own architectural taste. The fort stayed with the emperors of the Sur dynasty for the next 15 years. In 1555, Humayun managed to recapture Agra and with it the fort as well. But a year later, Hemu Vikramaditya, the general and military commander of Adil Shah Suri (final emperor of the Sur dynasty) captured Agra. He pursued the fleeing army to Delhi and the Battle of Tughlaqabad ensued between him and Tardi Beg Khan, the military commander of the Mughals. 
 Tardi Beg Khan lost the battle convincingly and Hemu Vikramaditya crowned himself the king. However, on November 5 1556 and barely a month into the kingship of Hemu, Akbar, along with his army, marched into Delhi and defeated the forces of Hemu. The fort once again belonged to the Mughals, but was fast disintegrating. Back then, it was known as Badalgarh and was built with bricks alone. Realizing its historical and situational significance, Akbar decided to rebuild it with red sandstone.

Inner phase of Agra fort

During the reign of Shah Jahan, the fort was modified considerably and took the current form. Shah Jahan destroyed some of the edifices within the fort and rebuilt it as per his own architectural taste. During the early 17th century, the fort was captured by the Maratha Empire.During this period, the fort saw many owners including various Maratha emperors and their enemies which included a host of Mughal emperors. In 1761, the Marathas underwent a massive defeat at the hands of Ahmad Shah Durrani, founder of the Durrani Empire. The emperors of the Durrani dynasty made the fort their home until 1785. In 1785, the fort was regained by the Marathas under the reign of Mahadji Shinde. The Marathas then lost their battle against the British in the Second Anglo-Maratha War and with it the fort. The British then enjoyed the comfort of the fort until it was handed over to the government of India in 1947.

 

Speciality in Agra fort :- 

                                 Inner Agra fort

• Jehangir’s Hauz – Monolithic tank, which was built by Jehangir. It was used in the past for bathing. Now, it is connected with Bengali Mahal.
• Bengali Mahal – This is a palace of Akbar, which is said to have many secret underground buildings.
• Akbar Mahal – this is the palace of Akbar, which is in ruins now. Akbar lived his final moments in this palace
• Babur’s Baoli – This is the first modification made to the fort by Mughals. This stone step well was an important source of water for inmates of the fort.
• Shahjahani Mahal – This was the first palace, which was in sandstone and was modified into marble palace by Shah Jahan.
• Nagina Masjid – This is a private mosque built by Shah Jahan for the women of the fort. This mosque is entirely made of white marbles.
• Ghaznin Gate – This gate is a part of Mahmud of Ghazni tomb. The gate was moved to its current location by British.
• Diwan-i-Am – This is the Hall of Public Audience, the place where the king talks to his subjects, gets petitions and others. This is a red sandstone structure, which is shell-plastered to look like it is made of white marble.

Inside Agra Fort