Bhimgarh Fort

Bhimgarh Fort, generally known as the Reasi Fort, is near Reasi, a town approximately 64 km northwest of Jammu. The fort is on a hillock approximately 150 metres high. Initially it was constructed of clay. 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 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 m wide and 50 m 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 has loopholes. This has a statue of the Goddess Mahakali and of God Hanuman.

The fort has a temple, a pond, 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. During Maharaja Hari Singh's rule an English minister ordered that the armoury be destroyed and shifted the treasury to Jammu.

Bhimgarh

Bhimgarh is a town in the Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Geography

Bhimgarh is located at 23°44′31″N 87°17′14″E / 23.7419800°N 87.2872500°E / 23.7419800; 87.2872500 on the north bank of Ajay River.

History

There are remains of an old fort with low earthen ramparts beaten by the weather to low gentle mounds. The place is attributed to the five Pandavas, who are said to have stayed here for some time during their exile. On the other side of the river is Pandaveswar, where there are some temples also attributed to the Pandavas. There is a small temple known as Bhimeswara with a lingam supposed to have been set up by Bhim, one of the Pandavas.

Transport

Bhimgara is a railway station on the Andal-Sainthia Branch Line of Eastern Railway. There is a branch line to Palasthali.

References