NAME: ANIKET

CLASS: 8 B
ROLL-NO.: 5

The walls of the Fort rise to a height of 18 metres, traverse about 1.5 km, and have
three arched gateways: the Bara Darwaza (Big Gate) facing west, which is still in use
today; the south gate, also popularly known as the 'Humayun Gate' (probably so
known because it was constructed by Humayun, or perhaps because Humayun's
Tomb is visible from there); and lastly, the 'Talaqi Gate', often known as the
"forbidden gate". All the gates are double-storeyed sandstone structures flanked by
two huge semi-circular bastion towers, decorated with white and coloured-marble
inlays and blue tiles. They are replete with detailing, including ornate overhanging
balconies, or jharokhas, and are topped by pillared pavilions (chhatris), all features
that are reminiscent of Rajasthani architecture as seen in the North and South
Gates, and which were amply repeated in future Mughal architecture. Despite the
grandeurs of the exterior, few of interior structures have survived except the Qila-i
Kuhna Mosque and the Shermandal, both credited to Sher Shah.

HISTORY
Purana-Quila, situated on the banks of Yamuna, was constructed by the Pandavas as
Indraprastha 5,000 years ago, during the period of the Indus Valley civilization. It is where
Humayun's capital Din Panah was located. Later it was renovated and named Shergarh by
the first Afghan emperor of India, Sher Shah Suri. The Hindu king Hemu (Samrat Hem
Chandra Vikramaditya), often referred to as the last Hindu emperor of India, was crowned
there after defeating Akbar's forces in the Battle of Delhi (1556) on 7 October 1556. The Fort
was supposed to be unlucky for rulers who occupied the site; Humayun, Sher Shah Suri,
and Hemu all had but relatively brief tenures ensconced there - Humayun on two separate
occasions, having lost the fort to Sher Shah only five years after erecting it, and dying
within a year of recapturing it 15 years later. Akbar did not rule from here and Shahjahan
built a new fort in Delhi known as Lal Quila ("Red Fort").

Ernest Green, a former Fort Dodge young man, is the inventor of a railroad device that
promises to come into general use on all traffic lines. It is believed that no little fame is in
store for its inventor. Regarding a test of the appliance recently made the Buffalo Express
has the following:
Ernest Greens device for automatically closing an open switch before an oncoming train
was recently tested with great success on the Lake Shore at Silver Creek where Mr. Green
lives.
Freight locomotive No. 5830 was used in the tests and was run over the portion of the track
equipped at speeds that varied from 25 to 55 miles an hour. Roadmaster Connors and other
officials who witness the test say the device worked perfectly and promptly.
It appears to be a very simple and inexpensive equipment. It makes it possible for a train to
take an open switch. A switch left open carelessly or by design closes automatically in front
of the train.