Gohad Fort, Madhya Pradesh - UNESCO recognized it for cultural heritage conservation work

 Every year UNESCO  selects certain historical heritage sites in  Asia -Pacific regions covering many countries including New Zealand and Australia  This is done to honor and encourage  preservation  or conservation projects undertaken by private or public agencies so that they will  serve as a flip to other agencies interested in historical sites. The criteria include, technical aspect, historical and heritage value of the structures,  benefits to the surrounding places, historical continuity vs-a-vis local community, etc.  This year of the 12 recognized projects, UNESO's international panel  earlier this month, included  7 sites out of which four are in Mumbai. The award for merit was given to three historical sites while four others received honorable mentions at the 2017 Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. It is an  acknowledgement  of  public-private collaborations in saving the public  monuments

Main Gate of Gohad Fort, MP commons.wikimedia.org

Outer walls of Gphad Ford, MP  /en.wikipedia.org ASI image

Gohad Fort, situated in Gohad town, about 45 km from the popular Gwalior city  in Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh, India is one of the many forts in this region. According to historian Alexander Cunningham and William Cook, Bamraulia gotra Jats from village Bamrauli Katara (near Agra) in 1505 founded the city Gohad near Gwalior. The fort was built in 1505 by Bamraulia Jat ruler Singhandev II of Gohad State and it lies close to Vaishali river. This ruined fort still stands as a legacy  of Jat rulers who made vast contribution to this region. The Ranas were zamindars or Landholders of Gohad, then a small village 28 miles north east of the fortress of Gwalior way in the past. They were courageous, industrious and hard working.  The Jat rulers of Gohad were awarded the title of Rana.

 Circular in shape  with prominent gates like  Chain and  elephant entry  gates the fort premises include many buildings such as Khas mahal,   Sish mahal, Khas Darbar, Am Darbar,  mandirs Rani Bagh, Sat Bhanwar, Deogarh, etc.
Gohad Fort, Gohad, town MP. mytrip.guide

Hathai paur (east facade), Gohad Fort, MP  wmf.org/

Gohad fort location, MP. wn.ikipedia.org.

 Jat Kings, who were known for their valor, wisdom and  proper planning of defensive structures to ward of raids from enemies,  ruled over this place for several years. When it comes to defend the lands which is prone to attack from the north and west regions, particularly from the Muslim armies,  they built sturdy forts with thick walls  heavy doors that could not be jammed open by the trained war elephants. The fort also included certain  unique  features that won't allow the  raiders easy entry into the fort.  
Gohad fort. Madhya Pradesh jatland.com

Gohad fort., Madhya Pradesh.   jatland.com/

The interesting protective feature of this fort is it has  four lines of defense.  An outer rampart of 10-metre height surrounded with a trench created the first line of defense. Depositing the soil dug out from the trench inside the outer rampart created the second line of defense. Solid trench with higher wall created the third line of defense. This wall one km in length, was safeguarded by Laxman Tal (pond) and deep Vaisali River. This wall had two gates namely ‘Hathai paur’ (east) and Sankal gate (west). Constructing a very high and the strongest wall half km long created the fourth line of defense. This was for the personal safety of the King and his places. Maharaja Chhatra Singh Rana inside this wall except ‘Navin Mahal’ constructed all the important buildings.

.
Modi ki Haveli at Gohad Gohad fort. jatland.com/
.


Rana Chhatar Singh Palace. Gohad fort. jatland.com/

Above image: Inside view of Rana Chhatar Singh Palace, Gohad. This Beautiful Palace was built by Maharaja Chhatar Singh Rana in 1776.According to historian Alexander Cunningham and William Cook, Bamraulia gotra Jats from village Bamrauli Katara (near Agra) in 1505 founded the city Gohad near Gwalior. Later it developed into an important Jat state. The Jat rulers of Gohad were awarded the title of Rana. ...............
Gwalior fort chhatri built by jats,jatland.com
 
Efforts are on to conserve this fort which is in ruins due to official negligence  combined with ravages of time and weather as Gohad being in the hot  central part of India, The conservation of Hathai Paur (Elephant Gate) and Sankal Darwaja (Chain Gate) has reinstated a significant feature of the 15th -century Gohad Fort and enhanced the surrounding townscape. The fort has seven gates named after the villages they face: They are -  Itayli (south), Barthara (west), Gohadi (northwest), Birkhari (northeast), Kathwan (east), Kharaua (southeast) and Saraswati (southwest).  Still being  used by the locals, though  partially collapsed, gateways,  arches, and deteriorated brick and stonework, have to be repaired, recreated and restored. to prolong their age.  Efforts are on  by certain agencies to restore the gates to a lost  world.  

Singhadev II established Jat rule in Gohad near Gwalior in 1711 and founded the Gohad kingdom only after the death of the most treacherous Mogul ruler Aurangzeb. It was  Bhim Singh Rana, popular ruler of Gohad who defeated the  mighty Mughals and recaptured Gwalior region and  331 forts Bhim Singh Rana also defeated the Marathas. 
Chattar Singh' reign over Gwalior was a brief one (1780 -1785. There were many wars between Marathas and Jats and finally a peace treaty with the Marathas)  restoration of Gwalior to the ended the revelry between them.  

https://www.jatland.com/home/Gohad#Gohad_Fort