Akhnoor Fort is a fort on the right bank of the

Chenab River The Chenab River () is a major river that flows in India and Pakistan, and is one of the 5 major rivers of the Punjab region. It is formed by the union of two headwaters, Chandra and Bhaga, which rise in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul regi ...

(ancient name Asikni), 28 km from

Jammu Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi Ri ...

City. Construction of the fort was started by Raja Tegh Singh in 1762 CE and completed by his successor Raja Alam Singh in 1802. On 17 June 1822,

Maharaja Ranjeet Singh Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839), popularly known as Sher-e-Punjab or "Lion of Punjab", was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, which ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. He s ...

crowned

Maharaja Gulab Singh Gulab Singh Jamwal (1792–1857) was the founder of Dogra dynasty and the first Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, the largest princely state under the British Raj, which was created after the defeat of the Sikh Empire in th ...

at the fort's Jia Pota ghat on Chenab's riverbank. The fort has high fortification walls with bastions at regular intervals and is crowned with battlements. There are two-storeyed watch-towers at the corners, which are crowned by battlements and merlons. The fort has two parts which are bifurcated by a wall with a gate leading to the palace on the southern side. The palace is two-storeyed, and the walls facing the courtyard have decorated arches, some of which contain mural paintings. Access to Akhnoor Fort is obtained through both the riversides and the northern side. Formerly, a large part of the fort was in ruins; conservation work is in progress. The fort was declared a

National Monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a spec ...

in 1982 under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 and is under the

Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexande ...

’s jurisdiction.

History

The Akhnoor Fort has a history of over 5000 years, and was perched upon an ancient site, locally known as Manda, which has been subjected to a limited excavation, which in turn has exposed a threefold sequence of culture. * Period I is represented by Harappan red and grey pottery consisting of jars, dish-on-stand beakers and goblets, along with other objects, including copper pins, bone arrowheads, terracotta cakes and sherds with Harappan graffiti. * Period II is marked by the presence of early historic pottery. * Period III is represented by

Kushana The Kushan Empire ( grc, Βασιλεία Κοσσανῶν; xbc, Κυϸανο, ; sa, कुषाण वंश; Brahmi: , '; BHS: ; xpr, 𐭊𐭅𐭔𐭍 𐭇𐭔𐭕𐭓, ; zh, 貴霜 ) was a syncretic empire, formed by the Yuezhi, i ...

objects and impressive walls of rubble diaper masonry flanked on both sides by a 3-metre-wide street. Akhnoor Fort.JPG, Fort at Akhnoor as viewed from Ghat on Chenab River.

References

{{Forts in India Forts in Jammu and Kashmir Tourist attractions in Jammu district Buildings and structures in Jammu and Kashmir

History

See also

References