Shahjahanabad
formerly these were overlaid with silver plates. The pillars and walls above are covered with gold painting and inlaid work of precious stones.Above the end arches on both of the short sides of the central room is inscribed the famous couplet —
Agar fardos ba rue zamin ast Hamin ast o hamin ast o hamin ast.
The hall is open on three sides, but some of the openings towards the river have been filled in with glass windows; this was probably done comparatively recently. The openings on the other three sides were closed by hangings, which were replaced by scented grass screens in the hot season; awnings were spread on these sides.The floor was covered with rich Persian carpets; underneath flowed water in a marble channel, covered over with marble slabs.
There is no decoration on the exterior of the hall, which Is of plain marble, but the surface is broken by recessed panels. On the four corners of the roof are small marble "chattris," or small umbrellas; these are little pavilions, each with four slender pillars and a dome. Marble domes have replaced the original ones, which were of fluted copper plates, overlaid with thin sheets of gold.
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