ptive within its walls. When
viewing the public and private halls of audience, known as the Diwan i
'Am and the Diwan i Khass, it is however natural to think rather of
scenes of splendour such as Bernier described when Aurangzeb sat in
royal apparel on the Peacock throne with a king's ransom in the aigrette
of his turban and the rope of pearls which hung from his neck. On such
an occasion, the pillars of the Diwan i 'Am were hung with gold brocades
and the floors covered with rich silken carpets. Half the court outside
was occupied by a magnificent tent and the arcade galleries surrounding
it were decked with brocades and covered with costly carpets. The marble
Diwan i Khass with its lovely pillars decorated with gold and precious
stones is surely the most splendid withdrawing room that a monarch ever
possessed. There is nothing in the Moorish palace at Granada which can
for a moment be compared with these two halls. For a description of them
and of the other buildings in the Fort the reader must refer to Mr
Fanshawe's book. In the Viceroyalty of Lord Curzon and since much has
been done to restore their surroundings to some semblance of their
former state. But the heavy British barracks occupied by the little
garrison are very incongruous with the remains of Moghal grandeur.
Leaving the Fort by the Southern or Delhi Gate and turning to the right
one is faced by the Jama Masjid, another monument of the taste of
Shahjahan. The gateway and the lofty ascent into this House of God are
very fine. The mosque in the regular beauty and grandeur of its lines,
appealing to the sublimity rather than to the mystery of religion, is a
fitting symbol of the faith for whose service it was raised. South of
the Jama Masjid in a part of the city once included in Firozabad stands
the Kalan or Kala Masjid with low cupolas and heavy square black
pillars, a striking example of the sombre architecture of the Tughlak
period. A narrow street called the Dariba leads from the Jama Masjid to
the wide Chandni (Silver) Chauk. The Dariba was formerly closed by the
Khuni Darwaza or Gate of Blood, so called because here occurred that
terrible massacre of the citizens of Delhi which Nadir Shah witnessed
from the neighbouring Golden Mosque. Besides its width there is nothing
remarkable about the Chandni Chauk. But the visitor in quest of silver
work, jewellery, or embroidery will find there many shopkeepers ready to
cater for his wants. It was while passing