Lohagarh Fort

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The Iron Fort of Bharatpur

Ganga Mata temple, Bharatpur

Bharatpur palace, Bharatpur

The Lohagarh Fort, constructed by Bharatpur Jat rulers, true to its name stood solidly in front of many British attacks, and frustrated them to ends. It faced the British onslaught four times and after a long siege they had to withdraw, but Lord Lake, however was successful in capturing it in 1804.

Lohagarh' means 'fort of iron'. and the fort was what its name suggested; virtually impregnable. Protected by deep moats on all sides, it was said that it could fall "only when a crocodile swallowed up all the water of the moat." It's obvious that the Jats did not believe in laxity. So while lesser forts gave way more easily, Lohargarh stood firm, giving Bharatpur the security it needed.

Construction of the Fort

The fort sits on an artificial island in the middle of the town, with a somewhat forlorn look about it. Yet it is the focal point of Bharatpur today, just as it was of the town's history in the past. Begun by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1732, it was completed only 60 years later (see Maharaja Suraj Mal). The strong point of this once-formidable fort were its thick outer mud walls, which lovingly absorbed all the firing from the Mughal and British armies. The cannon balls would sink into the mud, only to be collected later and fired back at the enemy! These terrific walls were about 7km in length and took as many as eight years to complete. Lohargarh was probably inspired by the mahi durg (mud fort) as described in ancient Sanskrit scriptures. But sadly, the walls were broken down by the British when they took over the fort in 1826, though portions of the inner walls still remain.

Fort Museum

Today most of the fort is occupied by government offices and a museum. One thing which strikes one immediately about the architecture is the lack of ostentation; Lohargarh is definitely much simpler as far as carvings, paintings and other frills go. With its emphasis on security and security only, there's almost no room for unnecessary ornamentation. It is modest and functional, which is perhaps something to do with the Jat way of life. Some of the residential chambers do have some adornment, but only very little.

Ashtadhatu Gate

The main entrance to this grand fort is the Ashtadhatu Gate. Ashtadhatu means 'eight metals', for the spikes on this edifice are made of eight different metals. This north-facing imposing gateway with huge rounded bastions and paintings of war elephants carries a unique history. Originally it used to be the gate of the Chittorgarh Fort (in Rajasthan itself). From there it was carried to Delhi by Sultan Alauddin Khilji who plundered the Rajput city in the late 13th century. The victorious Jats then tore it down from the walls of imperial Delhi during their attack in 1764 and brought it back with them to Bharatpur. The Lohiya Gate in the south of the fort was also lifted from Delhi in a similar fashion.

Fort Palace

Inside the fort are three palaces, Mahal Khas, Kamra Palace and the Palace of Badan Singh. The Kamra Palace next to the Badan Singh Palace was the place for storing all the armory and treasury of the fort. The eastern Mahal Khas, built by Maharaja Balwant Singh (ruled 1826-53), contrasts sharply with the rest of the Spartan fort; it has some beautiful wall paintings. The chambers are small with ornate pierced stone windows, and lovely patterned marble tiled floors. Badan Singh’s Palace was created around 1733, but was elaborated greatly by the succeeding generations.

State Archaeological Museum

The Kamra Palace and the durbar hall of the Badan Singh Palace were converted into the State Archaeological Museum in 1944. The museum houses an interesting collection of sculptural findings of eastern Rajasthan, with some pieces from the 2nd century AD. The terra cotta toys of the early centuries excavated at the nearby village of Noh, and the 10th century Ganesha are some of the nicer exhibits. There's also a fine carving of Shiva as Nataraja (the cosmic dancer), belonging to the 10th century. But the best piece is perhaps the 2nd century red sandstone shivalinga (Shiva's phallic symbol).

It is very different from the other forts in state, there is no flamboyance associated to fort but it generates an aura of strength and magnificence. The fort is surrounded with moat which was previously filled with water to ward off the enemy attacks. The sandy ramparts were strengthened by sandy battlements, thus the enemy guns proved of no avail.

Some interesting monuments in the fort are Kishori Mahal, Mahal Khas and Kothi Khas. Moti Mahal and towers like Jawahar Burj and Fateh Burj were erected to commemorate the victory over the Mughals and the British army . The Gateway has paintings of huge elephants.

Art Gallery

The Art Gallery of the museum has specimens of miniature paintings on peepal leaves, mica and old lithopapers along with some old portraits of the maharajas of Bharatpur. The upper storey houses the Armoury section where various types of guns and miniature cannons called chaddre, which were used in the 18th century, are displayed.

Nehru Park

Between the Museum and the main entrance, the Ashtadhatu Gate, is the Nehru Park. It is a pleasant place to sit and enjoy the breeze, with pretty lawns, flowerbeds and the Madhuban Cafeteria.

Visiting Hours

(Museum) : 1000-1630 (closed on Fridays)

Towers

The Jawahar Burj was built by Suraj Mal in 1765, in celebration of the successful attack on Delhi. There are a series of pavilions here, the ceilings of which display some badly deteriorating frescoes. The Fateh Burj is a victory tower too, raised after driving away the British forces in 1805. It was from these towers that the Jat maharajas happily surveyed their fast-growing territory.

The magnificent Palace Carving

The sandstone durbar (maharaja's meeting hall) with finely carved walls, pillars and archways now houses a museum. There's an iron pillar in the palace complex called the Vijay Stambha (Victory Column) on which is inscribed the genealogy of the Jat kings starting right from Lord Krishna! (As we have already said before, it was a matter of great prestige to trace one's lineage from the gods themselves).

Ganga Mandir temple

Maharaja Balwant Singh started the construction of this big temple in 1845. The construction was carried out by a unique method, where all persons employed in the service of the state, were asked to donate one month’s salary of their service or any raise in pay towards the shrine. The temple is a beautiful piece of architecture.

See also

• Bharatpur
• Maharaja Suraj Mal
• The Jat Uprising of 1669

Author: Laxman Burdak लक्ष्मण बुरड़क

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