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
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| Main Gate of Gohad Fort, MP commons.wikimedia.org |
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.
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| Hathai paur (east facade), Gohad Fort, MP wmf.org/ |
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Gohad fort location, MP. wn.ikipedia.org.
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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.
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Gohad fort., Madhya Pradesh. jatland.com/
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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.
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| Modi ki Haveli at Gohad Gohad fort. jatland.com/ |
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| 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. ...............
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Gwalior fort chhatri built by jats,jatland.com
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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
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