Information on Kangra Fort (Kangra, Himachal Pradesh) - History & Architecture

The Kangra Fort is located in the Kangra town which is situated in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The fort is specifically located 20 km away from the Dharamsala region. Historically, the fort has a heritage of 17 centuries right from the era of Alexander.

Kangra Fort Architecture

The fort is deemed to be quite important architecturally as it has been one of the oldest forts in Himachal Pradesh and India. Notably, the entrance of the fort has a courtyard which is being covered with two gates from each end. It was built during the stay of the Sikhs in the fort which can also be understood from the inscription written on the entrance gate of the fort. From the main entrance, there is a passage that directly connects with the top end of the fort which passes through the Ahani and Amiri Darwaza. Both the gates have been credited to the Nawab of the first Mughal emperor of the Kangra region. About 500 ft away from the outer gate there is another gate named Jehangiri Darwaza. This also makes it one of the most architecturally beautiful monuments in the country. There are also a large number of trees and vegetation which further makes the surrounding environment of the fort a soothing one. There exist a museum within the fort that depicts the artefacts including idols and portraits of the 19th century. There are also holy shrines within the fort including Lakshmi Narayan temple and the Ambika temple among others. The fort was made mainly with the use of the stone and mud among other materials.

Kangra Fort History

The Kangra Fort was primarily built during the reign of the royal Rajput family the Katoch dynasty. The traces of origin of the fort are also linked with the ancient Kingdom of Trigarta which was also a part of the Mahabharata. The historical importance of the monument can also be understood from the fact that it one of the biggest as well as the oldest fort in the country i.e. India. Notably, the Kangra fort was erected in the year 1337 AD by Mahmud of Ghazni. However, by the year 1351 the fort was confined by his successors i.e. Muhammad bin Tughluq and Firuz Shah Tughluq. The complete dominance on the fort was seen of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir who overtook the fort in the year 1622 after a battle of more than fourteen months. During the mid 18th Century, with the decline of the Mughal rule, King Raja Sansar Chand-II stepped up to rule over the fort. He was in a continuous conflict with the Gorkha who finally conquered the fort in the year 1805 after a battle of more than three years. Finally in the year 1846 maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered the Kangra Fort and his family captured the fort till the end of the British rule in India.

Kangra Fort Tourism Importance

With regard to tourism, the place is known as one of the most frequently visited tourist place in Himachal Pradesh region. Being one of the largest and the oldest fort in India, the fort is one of the most well preserved places in the region. This aspect also attracts a considerable number of visitors from all over. Again since the place is at a distance of 20 km from Dharamsala, people have the opportunity to visit both the fort as well as the heavenly region of Dharamsala at the same time.