Sheesh Mahal : Restored
A Mughal-era palace, Sheesh Mahal, located in Shalimar Bagh, North Delhi, was restored and unveiled by the Union Culture and Tourism minister.
- Sheesh Mahal was built in 1653 by Izz-un-Nisha Begum, wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.
- This monument was a tribute and a replica of the Shalimar Bagh in Kashmir.
- It is a fine example of Mughal garden architecture designed to be a royal retreat away from Shahjahanabad’s bustle.
- Originally constructed of bricks and red sandstone, with entry gates in the east and west, the palace has an archway, flanked on either side by a three-arched dalan.
- Beyond the archway is a central hall with a compartment at each wing.
- The main building of the Sheesh Mahal had a Baradari with a water channel running through it.
- The paintings in two of its well maintained , mirror-worked chambers are of Kangra and Rajasthani qalam, depicting the poetic visions of Keshav, Surdas and Bihari.
- The red sandstone building adjacent to the Mahal is believed to have been used as hamam (public bathhouse), made of brick masonry and red sandstone.
