Purana Qila and its surroundings (pdf) - World Monuments Fund

Talaaqi Darwaza
If you turn left from the Bada Darwaza and walk along the periphery
of the fort, you’ll come to the northern gate of Purana Qila, the
Talaaqi Darwaza (‘forbidden gate’), built in 1533-4. Nobody seems
sure of how this gate received its name, a fi ctional legend has it
that a princess shut the gate on her husband who was defeated in
a battle and said that it would be opened only when he returned
victorious; he was killed shortly after and the gate has remained
shut ever since.
Although the Talaaqi Darwaza looks dilapidated, it merits a
closer look. Sir Edwin Lutyens actually aligned the central vista
of New Delhi with Talaaqi Darwaza when planning the layout of
New Delhi.
To get to the Talaaqi Darwaza, you’ll need to go down a short
fl ight of semi-circular steps. The gate is closed, so you can’t go
through and admire it from the outside, but the interior of the
gate is exquisite enough. If you look up, you’ll see that the ceiling
still has traces of some fi ne ornamentation: medallions of incised
plaster, mirrorwork, and strips of bright blue glazed tile. The
exterior shows remains of incised plaster and blue
tiles on the upper storeys.
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