Kangra fort

History of kangra fort.
The Kangra Fort was built by the royal Rajputfamily of Kangra State (the Katoch dynasty), which traces its origins to the ancient Trigarta Kingdom, mentioned in the Mahabharata epic. It is the largest fort in the Himalayas and probably the oldest dated fort in India.

At least three rulers sought to conquer the fort and plundered the treasures of its temples: Mahmud Ghazni in 1009, Firuz Shah Tughluq in 1360 and Sher Shah in 1540.The fort of Kangra resisted Akbar's siege. Akbar's son Jahangir successfully subdued the fort in 1620.Kangra was at the time ruled by Raja Hari Chand Katoch of Kangra (also known as Raja Hari Chand II) Mughal Emperor Jahangir with the help of Suraj Mal garrisoned with his troops. Under Jahangir, Murtaza Khan the governor of Punjab was directed to conquer Kangra, but he failed on account of the jealousy and opposition of the Rajput chiefs who were associated with him. Then Prince Khurram was put in charge of the command. The siege of Kangra was pushed on for weeks. Supplies were cut off. The garrison had to live on boiled dry grass. It was faced with death and starvation. After a siege of 14 months, the fort surrendered in November, 1620. In 1621, Jahangir visited it and ordered the slaughter of a bullock there.A mosque was also built within the fort of Kangra.

The Katoch Kings repeatedly looted Mughal controlled regions, weakening the Mughal control, aiding in the decline of Mughal power, Raja Sansar Chand II succeeded in recovering the ancient fort of his ancestors, in 1789. Maharaja Sansar Chand fought multiple battles with Gurkhas on one side and Sikh King Maharaja Ranjit Singh on the other. Sansar Chand used to keep his neighboring Kings jailed, and this led to conspiracies against him. During a battle between the Sikhs and Katochs, the gates of the fort had been kept open for supplies.

The Gorkhali army entered the opened scarcely armed gates in 1806. This forced an alliance between Maharaja Sansar Chand and Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Because of the insufficiency of the need within the fort after a long Gurkha-Sikh War and unable to procure any, the Gurkhas left the Fort. The Fort remained with the Katochs until 1828 when Ranjit Singh annexed it after Sansar Chand's death. The fort was finally taken by the British after the Sikh war of 1846.

A British garrison occupied the fort until it was heavily damaged in an earthquake on 4 April 1905.

How I get a to Kangra fort. 

You can take a cab from Jalandhar and reach the valley. Direct buses that ply from New Delhi to Kangra makes the travel convenient. It takes around 13 hours and the fare is approximately 900 INR. The fort is situated 27 km away from Palampur, 3 km from the Kangra town and is easily accessible by buses and taxis.

You can take a cab from Jalandhar and reach the valley. Direct buses that ply from New Delhi to Kangra makes the travel convenient. It takes around 13 hours and the fare is approximately 900 INR. The fort is situated 27 km away from Palampur, 3 km from the Kangra town and is easily accessible by buses and taxis.

Interesting fact about kangra fort.

• The Fort is believed to be constructed back in the fourth century and is said to have seen the events of Mahabharatha.
• Its other names are Nagarkotand Kot Kangra.
• This grand Fort was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1905 which led to its present state of ruin.
• The Fort has been constructed at the meeting point of the two rivers of Banganga and Manjhi.
• There are many gates like the Ahani Darwaza, Amiri Darwaza and the Darsani Darwaza which account to a total of seven in number.
• The rich artifacts in the fort and its strategic location has caused it to be the source of conflicts amongst the Rajputs, Sikhs and the Mughals, with it being finally taken over by the British Raj in 1846.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

The entrance to the fort is through a small courtyard enclosed between two gates which were built during the Sikh period, as appears from an inscription over the entrance. From here a long and narrow passage leads up to the top of the fort, through the Ahani and Amiri Darwaza (gate), both attributed to Nawab Saif Ali Khan, the first Mughal Governor of Kangra. About 500 feet from the outer gate the passage turns round at a very sharp angle and passes through the Jehangiri Darwaza.

Layout 

The Darsani Darwaza, which is now flanked by defaced statues of River Goddesses Ganga and Yamuna gave access to a courtyard, along the south side of which stood the stone shrines of Lakshmi-Narayana and Ambika Devi and a Jain temple with large idol of Rishabhanatha.