Gohad Fort (Hindi: गोहद क़िला Gohad Qila) is situated at Gohad city in Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh, India. The town is situated at a distance of 45 km from Gwalior.[1] UNESCO Asia- Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation 2017, sub category HONOURABLE MENTION OF INDIA(In m.p.) Gohad fort
History
According to Alexander Cunningham and William Cook, people of the Jat caste from village Bamrauli (near Agra) settled the town of Gohad in 1505. This later developed into an important Jat stronghold. The Jat rulers of Gohad were awarded the title of rana. The Rana Jat ruler Singhandev II founded Gohad fort and the Gohad state in 1505. Gohad state had 360 forts and fortresses all around for the protection of their people. Out of these Gohad fort is most important and unique example architecture of Jat rulers. It had the same style of architecture as used by the Jat rulers in Bharatpur Fort.[2]
The site of fort
The site of Gohad fort was selected strategically on the Vaisli River where it takes a circular turn. The Gohad fort is in circular shape. It is protected by the rampart constructed around the fort in a length of 5 km. The river was dug and flow of river was extended up to the fort to take a semi circular shape.[3]
The fort has 11 gates named after the villages to which they face and the way they lead to. These are Itayli (in south), Barthara (in west), Gohadi (in northwest), Birkhari (in northeast), Kathwan (in east), Kharaua (in southeast) and Saraswati.[4]
Other important buildings
Gohad fort has following important buildings inside the fort: ‘Navin Mahal’, constructed by Maharana Chhatra Singh, is the most attracting building used now as government offices. This has got Diwane Ām, Diwane Khās and other offices needed at that time. The architectural peculiarity of this building was that the King could reach the top storey riding on horse through a gently sloped rounded ramp. Other buildings are Khās Mahal, Shish Mahal, Sāt-Bhānwar, Deoghar, Khās Darbār, Ām Darbār, Bhandār Grih and Rāni Bāgh. There are temples of Rāma Jānaki, Laxman, Rādhā Krirshna, Shiva and Markandeshwar. There are also ponds namely Rāmsāgar, Bhimsāgar, Laxmantāl etc.[4]
Maharaja Chhatra Singh had also constructed a palace, called Chhatrapur, on the hill top at Behat village which was used as a summer capital by the Gohad rana rulers. Behat is believed to be the birthplace of famous singer Tansen. It was a marvelous site surrounded by forests.[3]
See also
Notes
References
- Dr Ajay Kumar Agnihotri: Gohad ke Jaton ka Itihas (History of Jats of Gohad), Nav Sahitya Bhawan, Delhi, 1985
- Jatvir smarika, 1992
- Jatvir smarika, 2005
