South of the public area of the Diwan-i-Khas in the Red Fort is the Khas Mahal, where the emperor lived and slept, shielded from prying eyes by lace-like carved marble screens. A cooling channel of water, the nahr-i-bihisht (river of paradise), once flowed through the apartments to the adjacent Rang Mahal, home to the emperor’s chief wife. The exterior of the palace was once lavishly painted; inside is an elegant lotus-shaped fountain.

At the time of research, visitors could not enter the Khas Mahal, but parts of the interior were still visible from outside.

Transportation

  • metro: Chandni Chowk

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Nearby attractions

1. Rang Mahal

0.02 MILES

So-named because its exterior was once a riot of colour, Rang Mahal in the Red Fort was the home of the emperor's chief wife. Like the other Red Fort…

2. Diwan-i-Khas

0.02 MILES

This Hall of Private Audiences in the Red Fort was used for bowing and scraping to the emperor. Above the corner arches to the north and south is…

3. Royal Baths

0.05 MILES

Closed to the public, the royal hammam in the Red Fort once contained a sauna and hot baths for the royal family.

4. Moti Masjid

0.06 MILES

This small white mosque in the Red Fort was built by Aurangzeb as his private place of worship. The outer walls align with the fort walls, while the inner…

5. Diwan-i-Am

0.08 MILES

In the Red Fort, this arcade of sandstone columns was the hall of public audience, where the emperor greeted guests and dignitaries from a throne on the…

6. Museum of Archaeology

0.08 MILES

Before the renovations, this museum set inside the Mumtaz Mahal in the Red Fort, displayed a fascinating collection of royal vestments, miniature…

7. Mumtaz Mahal

0.08 MILES

South of the Rang Mahal in the Red Fort is this pavilion, thought to have been built for Arjumand Banu Begum (also known as Mumtaz Mahal) – the Taj Mahal…

8. Naubat Khana

0.16 MILES

At the eastern end of Chatta Chowk in the Red Fort, the arched 'Drum House' once accommodated royal musicians and served as parking for royal horses and…

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