Jehangiri Mahal has several other apartments
accompanying it in its superstructure such as two rectangular pavilions
or chaukhandis and the Mayura Mandapa or the Peacock Hall. This red
sandstone building has an open central courtyard. It was named so after
the graceful peacock shaped brackets supporting its chajjas; each
peacock having a serpent in its beak. The stuccowork is profusely used
here and geometrical designs inlaid with white marble on a red
sandstone background look quite impressive. In fact, white marble is
sometimes mistaken for ivory.
Like other monuments here, perforated screens, brackets, struts and
chhajjas are used to enhance the overall visual appeal of the building
and appease the aesthetic sense of the people. The remnants of the
painting on the southern and eastern walls of the palace can still be
seen. The gypsum mortal is used in the incised work of the ceilings of
the southern chambers and hence, it is known as gesso work. It is said
that these chambers were originally gilded with a thick layer of pure
gold that were later scraped off by the plunderers.
Mayura Mandapa inside the Red Fort Agra is a
red sandstone building.