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Junagarh Fort is a fort in the city of Bikaner, Rajasthan, India. The fort was originally called Chintamani and was renamed Junagarh or "Old Fort" in the early 20th century when the ruling family moved to Lalgarh Palace outside the fort limits. It is one of the few major forts in Rajasthan which is not built on a hilltop. The modern city of Bikaner has developed around the fort.
The fort complex was built under the supervision of Karan Chand, the Prime Minister of Raja Rai Singh, the sixth ruler of Bikaner, who ruled from 1571 to 1611 AD. Construction of the walls and associated moat commenced in 1589 and was completed in 1594. It was built outside the original fort of the city (the first fort built by Rao Bikaji), about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) from the city centre. Some remnants of the old fort are preserved near the Lakshmi Narayan temple.
Historical records reveal that despite the repeated attacks by enemies to capture the fort, it was not taken, except for a lone one-day occupation by Kamran Mirza. Kamran was the second son of the Mughal Emperor Babur who attacked Bikaner in 1534, which was then ruled by Rao Jait Singh.
History of Junagarh Fort
The foundation of the Junagarh fort was laid by Rao Bika in 1478. Earlier it was just a stone fort. The present Junagarh fort was built to protect the stone fort built by Bika. The city of Bikaner was established in 1472 and grew up around the mighty fortress. There were many attempts to capture it by foreign enemies. However, all except one failed. Kamran Mirza, the son of Babur, captured the striking fort just for one day in 1534 during the rule of Rao Jait Singh.
The city of Bikaner flourished under the rule of its sixth ruler Raja Rai Singh who ruled from 1571-1611. Raja Rai Singh accepted the Mughal rule and held high position under the rule of Akbar and Jehangir. His victories in various wars won him many accolades and jagirs. After gaining position under the Mughal rule, Raja Rai Singh started building the Junagarh fort. The foundation ceremony of this impressive fortress was held on 17th February 1589, and the work was completed on 17th January 1594. Raja Rai Singh, who was an artistic person and had knowledge of architecture, designed the fort to be a grand structure amidst the Thar Desert.
Architecture of Junagarh Fort
The Junagarh fort is an epitome of architectural excellence. The architecture is a mix of various cultures, the earliest being the Rajput style. The earliest smear of design is that of the traditional Rajput style influenced by the alliance of the Gujarati association with the Mughals. Next, the architecture reflected semi-western influence and lastly the revivalist Rajput structures built mainly during the rule of Maharaja Ganga Singh.
The Junagarh fort has a rectangular layout with a length of about 1078 yards. It encloses an area of 63119 square yards. The fort was initially built as a safeguard to the old stone fort built by Rao Bika. It used to have a moat earlier for security purposes, but it is now non-existent. The magnificent fortress encloses many palaces with exquisite designs. All the balconies, gates, kiosks and other structures have been influenced by the heritage and culture of the ruler who built them.
One of the main features of Junagarh Fort is the stone carvings done in red and gold sandstone. All the structures are made of red sandstone. The interiors are decorated as per ancient Rajasthani style. The palatial fort has seven gates with many palaces as well as Hindu and Jain temples. It also has two main gates made of Golden sandstones. Earlier the Karan Pol was used for entry while the Suraj pol is used now. The Karan pol is east facing which allows the first rays of the sun to fall on it. The golden rays on the yellow sandstone is a beautiful vision and are also considered a good omen.
The lavish structures of this fort and the exquisite beauty of each structure stand witness to the regal lifestyle that had been led here centuries ago. The Junagarh Fort is called "a paradox between medieval military architecture and beautiful interior decoration.
Forts in Rajasthan reminds tourists of royalty and bravery, of epic battles and valiant heroes & when battles were fought, sacrifice and brutality came along, and sorrow and death were not far behind. All these battles were fought to capture the hill forts of Rajasthan. If you paint a mental picture of what Rajasthan stands for, the hill forts will immediately flash before your eyes as powerful remnants of these long fought wars and battles. The hill forts were the first structures that were built by powerful Rajput kings, for protecting their kingdoms from enemy attacks was their first priority. Their elevated positions above rugged hills gave them an edge over enemies, & allowed them to monitor their surroundings. These were not small forts by any means, but massive structures, powerful enough to withstand cannonballs & fireballs & large enough to accommodate large armies. They were not only meant for defence, but their strategic location allowed them to control trade activities, & also served as royal residences, where kings & his families lived, along with ministers. You will find these hill forts at innumerable places in Rajasthan, & some of them are so magnificent that they have earned them a place in the prestigious list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
