As I took the Delhi-Mathura road to Agra, I came to a structure that is surrounded by greenery. This is the old fort or the Purana Qila of Delhi.

The serenity of the marvelously panoramic ambiance of Old Fort narrates a saga of Delhi's rejuvenation, periods of anarchy and rise & fall of empires. The old ruins proclaim a august and imperial past.

Jai told me that the construction of old fort was taken up by Humayun in 1538 and later completed by Sher Shah. Originally the structure was to be much higher than it is today but the untimely death of Sher Shah halted any further construction.

The architecture of this monument impressed me as there are three Gates to this fort. I entered the fort through the Bara Darwaza. The South Gate of the monument is called the Humayun Darwaza. The third gate is the Talaqi Darwaza.

Inside the fort, Qila Kuhna Masjid which is one of the finest example of architectural style being used in those days. The Masjid was built by Sher Shah in 1541 and it seems that there was an attempt to build the whole structure in Marble. But the scarcity of marble forced the use of Red sand stone.

I especially liked the light and sound program that is held every evening. This spectacular show narrates the history of Delhi in 62 minutes. The effects generated by the use of light and sound during the show transports the audience to scene which is being depicted. The show is held every day and the ticket is priced Rs. 25 per head ( the cost is bound to change) .

I also tried my hands on paddle boating in a lake near the old fort. This lake is surrounded by a garden with rows of trees and flower plants. Inside the fort too there are well grafted and maintained lawns which add to the greenery in the fort. The Delhi Zoo is just besides old fort.