Rajasthan is a word that resonates with the echoes of a magnificent heritage; the land of royal lineage and tales of valour and sacrifice, with opulent palaces, battle-scarred forts and a culture noted for its traditional values and sense of honour. A globally popular destination for tourists, the state is India at its exotic and colourful best with its camels, the women in their multi-hued skirts and the amazing desert landscape at once forbidding and inviting. There is so much to see in Rajasthan that it is difficult to know where to begin, but the historic forts are certainly one of the attractions for visitors, redolent as they are with their aura of the romantic past and ambience of grim battles fought to the death by the valiant Rajputs, the warrior clan who ruled over this land for more than a 1000 years.
Rajasthan is divided into the rugged, hilly terrain of the Aravallis in the south-east and the barren Thar desert in the north-west, which extends into Pakistan. Ahhichatragarh Fort lies in the town of Nagaur, which is at one end of the Thar desert and lies midway between the cities of Jodhpur and Bikaner. It is a barren, arid area, through which the magnificent fort gleams like a jewel in the distance. The Nagvanshi dynasty is believed to have established the Nagaur kingdom and built the original mud fort in the 4th century. The Ahhichatragarh Fort was built on the site of the mud fort during the early 12th century and in 1154 the complex went through major modifications and additions. Nagaur’s strategic location made the Ahhichatragarh Fort a prized possession and several battles were fought here as a series of rulers attempted to retain their supremacy.
The picturesque fort complex harbours four palaces and 43 smaller structures, which include a mosque and some temples, surrounded by two huge concentric walls, with the inner one having a base, almost 30 feet thick. Ahhichatragarh Fort has a number of open spaces, from spacious grounds to landscaped gardens and beautiful courtyards. As the fort is located in a desert region, to minimize the discomfort of the dust and the heat, there are several large reservoirs and fountains within the complex. The open, uncluttered setting with the numerous water bodies around created a pleasant, cool ambience, which helped reduce the
*The Palaces*
The Ahhichatragarh Fort complex has some incredible palaces, which includes
the ornate Hadi Rani Mahal. The Mahal named after Hadi Rani one of the renowned queens of Naguar has intricate carvings all over the walls and ceilings. The exquisite murals mostly displaying the Rani in her resplendent
glory add to the grandeur.
The Deepak Mahal is another palace with floral designs etched on every wall.
It was but inevitable that the people who lived in a rain-starved desert
region, would have a passion for flowers and greenery and this is reflected
in all these structures.
Also worth a visit are the Bhakt Singh palace and the Amar Singh Mahal. The
Akbari Mahal which lies close to the Amar Singh Mahal, was built to commemorate the recapture of Nagaur by the Mughals from the governor of
Ajmer in 1556. The architecture of the palace shows a confluence of the
Rajput and Mughal artistic styles and his can actually be seen in most of
the palaces and pavilions of the fort complex.
The Rani Mahal and the Zenana Deori are also to be seen in the grounds,
which were the secluded abode of the queens and consorts of the rulers of
Nagaur. These buildings too are awash with ornate paintings, which speak of
the creative skills of the artisans.
*The Ahhichatragarh Fort Gateways*
The gateways to the forts in Rajasthan were no mere entrances; they were
massive, reinforced, stone structures built to withstand marauding armies,
elephants and cannon volleys. They usually had notched parapets at the top,
from where archers shot their arrows at the attacking army.
Ahhichatragarh Fort has three main gates. The Sireh Pol was the outer gate
fitted with iron spikes, which could stop the onrush of elephants and enemy
soldiers. The Beech ka Pol was the second gate and the Kacheri Pol was the
last, so called because it housed the judiciary in those ancient times.
The gates and the strong impregnable walls enabled the warriors of the
Ahhichatragarh Fort to withstand the battling hordes of successive covetous
rulers, who looked to conquer the magnificent fort for its location and
importance.
*Religious Buildings*
*Temples*
The Ahhichatragarh Fort complex houses two temples, one devoted to Lord
Krishna and the other to Ganesha. The Krishna temple interiors are replete
with paintings from primitive etchings of cows to brilliant murals of the
Lord cavorting with the gopis (milkmaids). The Ganesh shrine has a brick-red
façade and a marble statue of the deity graces the inner chamber.
*Mosques*
Emperor Shah Jahan built a mosque inside the fort complex, when it was under
the control of the Mughals. The Shah Jahani Masjid is indicative of the time
when the Mughal dynasty enjoyed total supremacy in Nagaur from the time when Emperor Akbar conquered it in 1556 till Shah Jahan voluntarily gave away the fiefdom to Amar Singh in 1638.
The Ahhichatragarh Fort in its long and chequered history has been subject
to the normal weathering process and in the past century also gross neglect.
From 1540 there were successive rulers who made suitable additions to the
complex until 1752, when the last building was added to Ahhichatragarh Fort.
From the late 18th century till 1947 the fort complex was occupied by the
Rathors of Jodhpur and subsequently, the State Government used the place.
The Border Security Force also occupied the fort till 1970, after which the
complex remained vacant for over ten years. Since then, it rapidly
deteriorated and was vandalized and encroached upon by sundry shops and
makeshift dwellings.
*The Conservation and Restoration of the Fort Complex*
In 1985, the owners of Ahhichatragarh Fort the H.H. Maharaja Hanwat Singh
Charitable Trust decided to hand over the management of the complex to the
Mehrangarh Museum Trust (MMT). The MMT established by Maharaj Gaj Singh is
dedicated to the preservation of local culture and heritage and also generates employment by the encouragement of local artisans, promotion of traditional building and handicrafts and the performing arts.
Initial conservation efforts were minimal due to financial constraints, focussing primarily on restoration of important wall paintings in the main palaces. In 1992, the Getty Foundation stepped in with funding to restore the ancient Ahhichatragarh Fort to its former glory.
Proper conservation work started in June 1998, beginning with the Krishna
Temple and ended tree years later in June 2001. However, the Ahhichatragarh
Fort is such a huge, diverse structure that the work is of a continuous nature and funding continues to be sought for the restoration and repair of the complex. While the major portion of the project is complete, the conservation will be an ongoing process of research and maintenance. The Ahhichatragarh Fort has thus become a laboratory as it were for the experts and students to study its amazing architectural history and artistic evolution.
The MMT has involved students of architecture and the local community in the
project of conservation and restoration of Ahhichatragarh Fort. Seminars and
workshops were held to increase awareness of the heritage and unique value
of the fort complex and local artisans were trained to work on the project.
The appreciation of Ahhichatragarh Fort as a symbol of their living cultural
roots and vibrant traditions has enabled the local people to participate meaningfully in the efforts of the MMT. The open spaces of the fort complex
now play host to community gatherings and is a venue for the performing
arts. In short, the fort complex has become a community and cultural hub,
leading to a resurgence of interest in traditional festivals and a vanishing
heritage and has increasingly become a major attraction for visitors from
India and overseas.
*UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation*
The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation
have been established to reward and recognise the achievement of individuals
and organisations within the private sector in successfully restoring structures of heritage value in the region. UNESCO’s mandate is to promote the stewardship of the world’s cultural resources which includes the built heritage, as that constitutes the cultural memory of the human race and the foundation upon which communities can shape their future.
Since 2000, UNESCO has received 204 entries from over 23 countries, covering
a wide range of projects from private residences to palace complexes. The
conservation project of the Ahhichatragarh Fort won the Award of Excellence
in 2003 for the ambitious, large-scale and multi-faceted dimension and
effort initiated and successfully completed by the MMT and the Getty Grants
program of the USA.
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