Diwan – the hall of Public and Private Audience

The famous fort of Agra is a monument of Mughal reign and architecture. Situated on the banks of river Yamuna, the Agra city is an important tourist destination. The Agra Fort was constructed by the great Mughal emperor Akbar.

The fort is a complex structure with lot of palaces, courts, mosques and gardens. One of such structures is the Diwan; the hall of private and public audience.

The Diwan-I-Am (Hall of Public Audience) inside the fort is an important structure. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jehan. It was here the king met his officials and commoners and listened to the petitioners. It is situated towards the west side of Machili Bhavan.

Though it was constructed by red sand stone, the whole of it has been white shell plastered. The building consists of a big hall with pillars and arches. These pillars and arches are inlaid with semi precious stones and coloured flowers. The famous peacock throne was placed here.

Diwan-I-Khas (the Hall of Private Audience) was also constructed by the Mughal King Shah Jehan. It is a single storied building, but appears to be of two stories with a domed ceiling.

The building is inlaid with white marble and it’s floor is decorated with gemstones. It was here the emperor used to receive the important dignitaries and members of royal family.