|
¤ Hadi Rani Mahal
Although the fort is in a fairly dilapidated
state it does house some beautiful palaces.
One of the most beautifully decorated
palaces is the Hadi Rani Mahal which has
intricately carved designs all over its
walls and ceilings. It is further
embellished by exquisite mural paintings
mostly displaying Maharani Hadi Rani (one of
the most well known maharanis of Nagaur)
along with her retinue. It also has a
particularly fascinating frescoed ceiling
which is worth travelling miles to see.
¤ Deepak Mahal
The other palace to look out for is the
Deepak Mahal which is decorated with
beautiful floral designs from wall to wall.
In rain parched Nagaur the temple is like a
breath of fresh air, and it is natural that
the desert fiefdom, deprived of any
greenery, painted pictures of beautiful
flowers and shrubs. Deepak Mahal represents
a fantasy for the people of Nagaur.
¤ Bhakt Singh
Palace
Also worth looking out for is the Bhakt
Singh Palace although the history behind it
is particularly gory. Bhakt Singh was the
ruler of Nagaur in the first half of the
18th century. His brother Abhay Singh was
the heir apparent to the throne of Jodhpur
and was persuaded by the Mughals to become
the ruler by murdering his own father. Abhay
Singh assigned this task to his brother
Bhakt, promising him Nagaur if he commited
the foul deed. Bhakt willingly commited the
patricide and became the ruler of Nagaur and
built a splendid palace for himself inside
the ancient fort.
¤ Amar Singh Mahal
(Palace)
The fort also houses the Amar Singh Mahal,
which is decorated from floor to ceiling
with intricately carved designs. Amar Singh
was the ruler of Nagaur during the Mughal
emperor Shah Jahan’s reign to avenge the
death of a Mughal courtier called Salabat
Khan. The palace is a fitting tribute to his
memory. Although he was cremated on the
banks of the Yamuna, his wives commited sati
(self-immolation) in Nagaur itself, and
their palm impressions can be found nearby.
¤ Akbari Mahal
Nearby lies the Akbari Mahal, which was
built to commemorate the recapture of Nagaur
by the Mughals from the governor of Ajmer in
1556. The art and architecture of the palace
clearly indicates a confluence of both
Rajput and Mughal art. In fact, the Mughal
style and influence can be seen in most of
the airy palaces and pavilions.
¤ Rani Mahal
Also to be found in the fort is the Rani
Mahal and the Zenana Deori. The Rani Mahal
was obviously the dwelling place of the
wives of the rulers of Nagaur as was the
Zenana Deori. The Zenana Deori has paintings
on its ceilings rather similar to the
Sistine Chapel in Rome. They must have had a
local Michaelangelo in their midst in
medieval Nagaur. Also in the women’s
quarters is the Baradari, which is another
residence where the royal ladies lived. It
also contains a small swimming pool. In one
of the palaces is also housed an ornate
hammam or bath.
¤ Magnificent Fort
Gateways
As seen, the gateways to a fort in Rajasthan
are no diminutive ones - as they were
massive stone structures with reinforced
doors to ward off elephants and even cannon
shots. Mostly, there are notched parapets at
the top of the gates from where archers
could shoot at their tormentors.
¤ The Nagaur Fort
Had Three Main Gates
Sireh Pol :
The outermost gate has heavy wooden doors
fitted with iron spikes to prevent elephant
charge.
Beech Ka Pol :
This is the second gate of the impressive
fort.
Kacheri Pol :
The last gate is known so because it housed
the judiciary of Nagaur in ancient times.
¤ Fort Temples
Ahhichatragarh also houses two temples, the
Krishna Mandir and the Ganesh Mandir
dedicated to the two gods respectively. The
interior of the Krishna temple is laced with
pictures – from very primitive sketches of
cows and buffaloes (Krishna was a cowherd),
to beautiful murals of Lord Krishna in the
company of divine gopis (milkmaids). The
Ganesh Mandir has a brick-red façade, which
is in reasonably good shape, and the inner
sanctum houses a marble statue of the
elephant god.
¤ Krishan Mandir
The Ahhichatragarh fort houses the Krishan
Mandir, dedicated to Lord Krishna. The
interiors of the Krishna temple are
decorated with pictures - from very
primitive sketches of cows and buffaloes to
beautiful murals of Lord Krishna in the
company of Gopis (milkmaids).
¤ Mosques
The fortress houses the Shah Jahani Mosque,
which was built by the Mughal emperor Shah
Jahan during the time when Nagaur was under
Mughal control. In a decrepit state; the
mosque is no Taj Mahal but an important
historical monument nonetheless. It
represents the time when the Mughals enjoyed
uninterrupted power in Nagaur from the time
Akbar conquered it in 1556 to when his
grandson Shah Jahan voluntarily bestowed it
to Amar Singh in 1638. A few kilometers away
from the fort is the Akbari Masjid
constructed by the Mughal emperor himself in
the 16th century. The monument has stood the
test of time with the interiors still quite
well preserved although the façade is in a
shabby condition. The inner part is lined
with blue tiles and all the inscriptions
inside are intact. The mosque serves a dual
purpose as it is used as a madarsa (school)
in the morning where local children assemble
for their lessons. However, the main mosque
in Nagaur as in virtually every town and
city in India is the Jama Masjid. Located a
short distance away from Ahhichatragarh fort
the Masjid is an impressive monument, and
has four huge minarets which are almost as
high as a skyscraper. The monument has
become a little worse for wear over the
years. Jama is a corruption of Jumma, which
means Friday and is the Muslim holy day.
Therefore, Friday prayers are held in the
main mosque across the country.
¤ Shah Jahani
Masjid
This masjid within the fortress was built by
the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan during the
time when Nagaur was under the Mughal
control.
In a frail state ; the mosque is no Taj
Mahal but was definately an important
historical monument. In a way, it represents
the time when the Mughals enjoyed
uninterruped power in Nagaur from the time
Akbar conquered it in 1556 to when his
grandson Shah Jahan voluntarily bestowed it
to Amar Singh in 1638. |
