Bhimgarh Fort
Encyclopedia
Bhimgarh Fort generally known as the Reasi Fort, near Reasi
, a town approximately 64 km north-west of Jammu
. The Fort is located on a hillock approx 150 metres high. Initially the Fort was constructed of clay and later on one of the heirs of Maharaj Rishipal Rana, the founder of Reasi, reconstructed it using stone. It was used by the royal family members for taking shelter during emergencies.
The renovation of the Fort was started by Gulab Singh of Jammu and Kashmir in 1817 and continued till 1841. A new entry gate and a stone wall one metres wide and 50 metres long was built all around, thereby making it less vulnerable to attacks.
The main entry gate is made of Baluka stones with Rajasthani carving
. The front wall with loophole
s is approximately 50 metres long and one metre wide. This has a statue of the Goddess Mahakali
and of God Hanuman
.
The Fort has a temple
, a pond
, a number of rooms of different sizes, armoury
and treasury
. After the death of Maharaja Gulab Singh, his heir Maharaja Ranbir Singh and Maharaja Pratap Singh used Bhimgarh Fort as a treasury and armoury. It was during Maharaja Hari Singh's rule that an English Minister ordered that the armoury be destroyed and shifted the treasury to Jammu.
The Fort was handed over to the Jammu and Kashmir
State Archaeology
Department in 1989 on the orders of state government. In 1990, the fort was renovated by the Vaishno Devi
Sthapna Board. The surrounding areas of the fort were given a facelift with the construction of gardens and pathways. The fort was then opened to the public. Though, the fort is devastated by the earthquakes and lack of maintenance, it still stands out as an important landmark in the town.
Reasi
Reasi is a town and a notified area committee, tehsil and now a district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated at the bank of River Chenab. Reasi derived its name from its old name "RASYAL".Rasyal is a caste belongs to Rajput Category. In the eighth century Reasi was called...
, a town approximately 64 km north-west of Jammu
Jammu
Jammu , also known as Duggar, is one of the three administrative divisions within Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state in India.Jammu city is the largest city in Jammu and the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir...
. The Fort is located on a hillock approx 150 metres high. Initially the Fort was constructed of clay and later on one of the heirs of Maharaj Rishipal Rana, the founder of Reasi, reconstructed it using stone. It was used by the royal family members for taking shelter during emergencies.
The renovation of the Fort was started by Gulab Singh of Jammu and Kashmir in 1817 and continued till 1841. A new entry gate and a stone wall one metres wide and 50 metres long was built all around, thereby making it less vulnerable to attacks.
The main entry gate is made of Baluka stones with Rajasthani carving
Stone carving
Stone carving is an ancient activity where pieces of rough natural stone are shaped by the controlled removal of stone. Owing to the permanence of the material, evidence can be found that even the earliest societies indulged in some form of stone work....
. The front wall with loophole
Loophole
A loophole is a weakness that allows a system to be circumvented.Loophole may also refer to:*Arrowslit, a slit in a castle wall*Loophole , a short science fiction story by Arthur C...
s is approximately 50 metres long and one metre wide. This has a statue of the Goddess Mahakali
Mahakali
Mahakali , literally translated as Great Kali, is a Hindu Goddess, considered to be the consort of Shiva the God of consciousness, and as the basis of Reality and existence...
and of God Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
.
The Fort has a temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
, a pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
, a number of rooms of different sizes, armoury
Armory (military)
An armory or armoury is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...
and treasury
Treasury
A treasury is either*A government department related to finance and taxation.*A place where currency or precious items is/are kept....
. After the death of Maharaja Gulab Singh, his heir Maharaja Ranbir Singh and Maharaja Pratap Singh used Bhimgarh Fort as a treasury and armoury. It was during Maharaja Hari Singh's rule that an English Minister ordered that the armoury be destroyed and shifted the treasury to Jammu.
The Fort was handed over to the Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
State Archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
Department in 1989 on the orders of state government. In 1990, the fort was renovated by the Vaishno Devi
Vaishno Devi
Vaishno Devi Mandir is one of the holy Hindu temples dedicated to Shakti, located in the hills of Vaishno Devi, Jammu and Kashmir, India. In Hinduism, Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani and Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of the Mother Goddess.The temple is near the town of Katra, in the Reasi...
Sthapna Board. The surrounding areas of the fort were given a facelift with the construction of gardens and pathways. The fort was then opened to the public. Though, the fort is devastated by the earthquakes and lack of maintenance, it still stands out as an important landmark in the town.