Muthamman Burj

Muthamman Burj, situated where the main wall of the fort takes a turn toward the east, is one of the most famous landmarks in the Red Fort. Shah Jahan demolished Jehangir’s palaces in order to construct this marble multi-storied tower, richly inlaid with precious stones for his beloved wife Arjmand Banu Begum or Mumtaz Mahal.  Muthamman Burj is a spacious two-storied octagonal pavilion with a dome of gilded copper at the top. The lower story court (about 44’x33’) has a flooring which appears like a board for playing pachchisi. Thus it is known as the Pachchisi Court. But this was actually an ornamental cover for the drains that were used for taking water out of the palace.  It is believed Shah Jahan was imprisoned here, and it was from the Muthamman Burj that Shah Jahan died, gazing at the Taj Mahal. The photo to the left shows the entire Mathamman Burj Complex

Next to the tower to the west is a small pavilion, known as the Shah Burj, which is perhaps the most ornate building in the whole fort. The pavilion has in the middle a beautifully inlaid and profusely carved sunken tank (in the shape of a stylized lotus) with a fountain. The pavilion is decorated with delicate inlay work of semi-precious stones, and its flat vaulted marble roof was once decorated in gold and other colors. This elegant little palace complex is a self-contained building. It has its own separate courtyards and baths. A passage from this building leads to the imperial baths and Diwan-i-Khas. There is another small marble paved room containing a waterfall and a channel. This might have been a cooler resting place during summer months. Polychrome marble and semi-precious stone have been used extensively to form plant and flower motifs. Details of the Shah Burj are shown in the photo to the right.