Barmer Fort is one of the most famous tourist attraction in Barmer. The Fort was built by Rawat Bhima in 1552 AD at a hillock in the present city of Barmer when he shifted his capital from Juna to the present city Barmer. He builds a fort on top of the city which is also known as Barmer Garh. The top point of the hill in which the fort is built is about 1383 feet but Rawat Bhima builds a fort at height of 676 feet which is a safer place than the top of the hill. The main entrance of Fort is on North direction, Safety Burg is made on east & west direction Rajasthan Monuments.
The boundary wall of the fort was ordinary due to natural wall protection of hill. You will find numerous temples surrouding the fort. Of all these temples there are two most famous temples; Top of the hill is temple of Jogmaya Devi (Garh Mandir) which is situated at height of 1383 & at Height of 500 feet there is Nagnechi Mata temple, Both temples are very famous and have fair during Navratra festivals. The rest area is the residence of the former royal family of Barmer.
History of Barmer Fort
Built on top of a rocky hillock, the Barmer Fort was the brainchild of Rawat Bhimawho built it in 1552 AD when the old Barmer was shifted to the present one. This city is also known as BarmerGarh and it is believed that Rawat Bhima had built this fort on top of the city.
The hillock on which the Barmer Fort stands has a height of 1383 feet; however, the fort was built at a height of 676 feet which was considered to be a safe height for the fort rather than building it right on top of the hill. In the year 1308, the Barmer Fort came under the ownership of Alauddin Khilji who was later defeated by Luntiga Chauhan who took over the Barmer Fort after killing the Muslim battalion. After this battle, no Sultan of Delhi took over the Barmer Fort.
Structure of Barmer Fort
Though the Barmer Fort is currently in ruins, it is still worth a visit as this tourist attraction was a significant part of Barmer’s history. As mentioned earlier, the fort was built on the side of the hillock to maintain safety. The fort was constructed using the stones from the hillock itself. The Barmerfort’s main entrance is in the North direction and the Safety Burg are on the east and west side.
The Barmer Fort is surrounded by temples and people from all over the country visit this religious site for two of the most important temples – Jogmaya Devi temple which is also known as Garh Mandir (located at 1383 feet height) and Nagnechi Mata temple (located at 500 feet height). Both these temples experience high footfall during the Navratri festival.
Best Time to Visit Barmer Fort
Though Rajasthan can be visited anytime during the year, it is highly recommended to avoid visiting the state during the summers. This is because the temperatures can really soar up and can also lead to heat strokes. Monsoons are also a good time as the climate is pleasant and you will also get to experience nice greenery in the land of desert.
How to Reach Barmer Fort?
There are three ways by which you can reach Barmer Fort – by air, rail, and road Tourist Places Rajasthan.
By Air: The Jodhpur Airport located at a distance of about 200 kms away from Barmer is the closest domestic airport. It will take you around three and half hours to reach Barmer from the Jodhpur Airport. For international travelers, the closest international airport is located in Ahmedabad which is about 375 kms away from Barmer. This airport is well-connected to a number of cities in India such as Hyderabad, Mumbai, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Pune, etc.
By Road: The Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) as well as a number of other private tour operators run buses from major cities in Rajasthan to Barmer. You can easily book an A/C or non-A/C bus from other nearby states as well.
By Rail: This is one of the easiest modes of transportation to reach Barmer as there is a railway station in Barmer city itself. There are a number of trains running to and from the Barmer station to major cities in India.
