Diwan-i-Khas, or more popularly known as the Hall of Private Audience, is located in the northeast corner of the royal complex, constructed with a massive and splendidly carved pillar in the centre.
There is a central platform that is attached to the pillar. This is believed by many to be the seat of the powerful Mughal emperor with the diagonal galleries the seat of the nobles and ministers entertained in the court.
However, there are others who believed that because the galleries were too narrow to house all the courtesans and ministers at once, the building actually served as the storehouse for the valuable treasures of the royalty including gems and jewels that were inspected by the Emperor himself.
According to the historian Abul Fazl, the Mughal ruler Akbar had three treasuries located close to each other and only one among them was used to store the priceless possessions.
As this building is nearby the ‘Ankh Michauli’ or the storehouse of gold and silver, it is widely believed to be the treasury for jewels.
There are four double-storeyed facades in this square red sand stone structure. You will find no huge dome or superstructure here typical of Islamic architecture but four impressive kiosks at every corner of the building that are octagonal-shaped, crowned by a circular dome with an inverted lotus mounted on the top elevating the overall height of the structure.
The interior arrangements are unique in design. The main hall comprises an elegantly designed capital constructed by linking 36 brackets emerging from the pillars in three tiers that are circularly shaped. The building isn’t known for ornamentation unlike other Islamic architecture around the world. However, the imposing situated in the centre is definitely one of the towering examples of the Mughal architecture.
