2008 September 17

Archive for September 17, 2008

The Fort of Bharatpur- Lohagarh Fort

Lohagarh - Bharatpur Fort

Bharatpur, the city is famous for its historical fort. Suraj Mal, Badan Singh’s Son, and perhaps the greatest ruler of this area, started work on the Bharatpur fort in 1732 A.D. This fort known as Lohagarh or the Iron Fort, took sixty years to build and is still the focal point of the town.

Architecture and Geography

Two huge mud walls one round the other intervened by formidable moat, 150 to 200 feet broad and 50 feet deep surrounds the fort. These moats were filled with water of the Sujan Ganga Nahar, which received supplies from the Kohini Bundh nearby. The marvel lies in the planning of this fort that made it invincible.

The fort has eight bastions and towers and two gates - one in the north is called Ashtadhati and the other to the south is called Lohia gate.

Attractions and Monuments in Lohagarh Fort

There are several places of attraction in the fort, the most prominent being Mahal Khas, Kothi Khas and Kishori Mahal. The museum in the fort contains inscriptions and other exhibits of historical importance. The durbar khas, Silah Khana, the temples of Bihariji and Mohanji are other places of interest.

The impregnability of the fort lies in its mud walls and deep ditches which are far from being fordable. The ditches with its abnormal depth and breadth take the form of rivers.

A bridge built on several gateways leads to the main entrance to the fort. The main gate of the fort is imposing and noted for its solidity. Huge massive round towers of nearly 60 to 80 feet in height stand on both side of the gate connected by a portal. The top of the towers and gate is crowned with parapet with embrasures.

Your trip to Bharatpur would be termed incomplete without a visit to the bird paradise or the Keoladeo Ghana National Park. The recommended tourist season for Bharatpur is mainly between October and March when the birds from Northern Hemisphere fly to India to avoid winter sufferings.

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