Architectural Heritage: Forts and Palaces of Punjab

Gobindgarh Fort, Amritsar

An early 19th century war fort of pre- Maharaja Ranjit Singh period. Initially the fort was made of mud in 1760 by Gujjar Singh Bhangi. After it was taken over by Maharaja Ranjit Singh the fort was rebuilt with bricks and lime and was named after the tenth Guru of sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh ji. Maharaja Ranjit Singh kept his treasures and treaties inside this fort. It has special defence mechanism against artillery attacks, which were frequent when Punjab was still open to depredations of the Afghan hordes. After annexation the fort was then taken over by the British. There are barracks for the soldiers, and a room for hanging called Phansi ghar in Punjabi.

In 1947 after partition many migrants from Pakistan took shelter in this frot. Since 1948 it has been with the Indian army and has not been open to visitors now.

Summer Palace, Amritsar

It was constructed under the supervision of Fakir Azeez-ud-din and Sardars Lehna Singh and Desa Singh Majithia, nobles of the Lahore Darbar. It was laid in a garden spreading across 84 acres of rare plants, trees and flowers. The entrance of the palace called the Darshani Deori is unique in design. It has four two storied towers in the cardinal directions. There are two tanks, the one connecting the palace with water channels fitted with fountains and the other with the air-conditioning pipes circuiting the outer walls and the bathing tanks of the double storied part of the residence. On the initiative and persuasion of Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Hritage the Punjab government declared the garden protected area though the palace and deori were already protected buildings.

Bathinda Fort

Schooner shaped fort in the Bathinda city stands like a ship. Bathinda being close to Rajsthan deserts, it was designed eminently suited to the desert environment. It is reputed to be 1800 years old. The fort is said to have been originally built by Bhatti Reo. In 1754 AD it was captured by Maharaj Ala Singh of Patiala. Sine then a gurudwara commemorates the visit of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji here.
Faridkot Fort :
Faridkot palace is 700 years old, noteworthy for a section called sheesh mahal decorated with the mirrors and wall paintings in Rajasthani style .The palace is now under the control of Mehraval Kheva ji Trust.
The city of Faridkot is said to be named after a saint and and poet Baba Farid. It is situated 30 Kms from the city of Ferozepore (Indo-pak border) and about 100 Kms from Amritsar.

Qila Mubark, Patiala

It was founded in1764 by Maharaja Ala Singh. The fort was originally a kuchi-garhi i.e. a small fort made of mud; it was later raised into a sprawling double storied structure with a massive gate having beautiful arches. The fort was also used as the residence of the royal family. Since the portion of the fort was in the middle, it was called Qila Androon i.e. the interior of the fort. Its living apartments have names like the Moti Mahal (pearl Palace), the Sheesh Mahal (Palace of morrors), the Rajmata Mahal (Queen Mother's Palace), Rang Mahal (the Palace of Colours), Chand Mahal (the Palace of the Moon). The recreational halls were called the Putli (Puppet) Ghar Its living apartments have names like Jail Walla Palace for royal prisoners, the Moti (pearl) Palace, the Sheesh (mirror work) Palace, the Rajmata (Queen Mother) Palace, the Palace of Colours, the Palace of the Moon. The recreational structures were called the Putli Ghar (Puppet House). The Palace was fitted with underground sewerage system and had a cool room connected with a tunnel which brought cool air from the basement.
The royal kitchen was called Lassi Khan and it used to feed 35000 people of all ranks everyday.

The fort was declared protected monument and after the intervention of Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage a conservation lab was set up inside the fort. The best part of the fort is a museum now.

Sheesh Mahal, Patiala

Sheesh Mahal Patiala is an exquisite palace built during the reign of Maharaja Narinder Singh of Patiala. The palace was situated in the forest area.

The palace showcases the flamboyant splendor of the erstwhile Maharaja of Patiala. A sprawling three storied building exhibits a combination of modern and traditional Mughal architecture. The interior of the palace is decorated elegantly with wall paintings and ornate mirror work. There is a legendary Shalimar Bagh in the Sheesh Mahal complex.
There is an artificial lake which has a suspension bridge over it. The bridge is a copy of the Lakshman Jhula at Rishikesh. Thre are two watching towers. The antique artifacts, royal jewelry, and portraits are the centre of attraction of the Sheesh Mahal. This palace showcases a gallery of more than 3000 medals that dates back to 12th century.

Bahadurgarh Fort

It is situated in a small town Bahadurgarh which is 6 kms from Patiala Bus stand on Patiala- Chandigarh highway. The fort was originally founded by Nawab Saif Khan in 1658. The present fort was built by Maharaja Karam Singh of Patiala in 1837. It has two circular ramparts and is surrounded by a moat and covers an area of 2100 sq meters. A compact but nicely designed citadil is in the custody of the Department of police.
Anandpur Sahib Fort, Ropar

Anandpur Sahib was defended by fiveforts. They have all become victims of the ravages of war and time. The central fort Anandgarh Sahib is still extant in parts. Its highlight is the deep well approached by a flight of stairs.

Phillaur Fort, Ludhiana

It was designed by Dewan Mohkam Chand,the brave general of Maharaja Ranjit Singh facing the, then, British border along Ludhiana.it is police training centre now.

Shahpur Kandi Fort

It is 7 Km from Pathankot. This 16th century fort nestles at the foot of the towering Himalayas and overlooks the river Ravi. Is a comfortable rest-house now.

Jagatjit Palace, Kapurthala

Jagatjit Palace is a remarkable specimen of French architectutre. It was built by Maharaja Jagatjit Singh, the erstwhile of ruler of Kapurthala. It is modeled on the Versailles Palace. The painted ceilings and the plaster of Paris figures represent the finest of French art and architecture. The interior decoration of the palace is exquisitely garnished with imported art work from France, Italy and Holland. The Darbar hall of the palace is one of the finest in India.
The palace has a sunken park in front of it known as Baija.

The building of the palace is now used as a Sainik school.