Timangarh Fort is located very close to Karauli in the Masalpur tehsil. Historians are of the view that the fort was built in 1100 AD. However, it was destroyed soon by an attack. The fort was reconstructed in 1244 AD by Yaduvanshi Raja Timanpal, the scion of Vijay Pal.
People believe that ancient ashtadhatu, stone idols and sculptures are hidden under the temples of the fort complex. The beautiful geometrical and flower patterned carvings on the rooftops and pillars of the temples enthral onlookers. Images of several gods and goddesses are also carved on these pillars of the temples.
Several records discovered from the site confirm that the fort was occupied by Muhammad Ghori's forces between 1196 and 1244 AD. People believe that there is a Paras stone at the bottom of the Sagar Lake, present at the side of the fort.
History of Timangarh Fort :
It was built by Timan or Tisman, a powerful Ror ruler of 2nd Century A.D. who ruled over present day Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh. It is believed to have been occupied by the forces of Mohammad Ghori, the Sultan of Ghazni from 1196-1244 A.D. It was reconstructed in 1244 A.D. by Yaduvanshi Raja Timanpal, the scion of Vijay Pal, the Raja of Bayana. This fact has been supported by a stone engraving at the entrance of the Fort.
Architecture of Timangarh Fort :
This Fort is spread over an area of 51.5 hectares approximately. Earlier, it was a very huge Fort, but now it is in a ruined state. It originally had five entrances to which some more gates were added by the Mughals. The gates built later on have stone blocks of different colors and variety and some stones slabs have writings on them. The remains of an ancient township with palaces, bazaars, houses and Temples can be seen inside the Fort Complex. The rooftops and the pillars of these structures are adorned with geometrical, religious and flower-patterned carvings. The sculptures of Gods and Goddesses and their tantric counterparts also adorn these pillars. The idols recovered from the area belong to Hindu, Jain and Buddhist groups and are mostly of Lord Ganesha and Lord Vishnu.
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.