Qila Mubarak, Bathinda

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Qila Mubarak
Qila Mubarak in 2015(2).jpg
Qila Mubarak in 2015
Location Bhatinda, Punjab, India
Coordinates 30°12′29″N74°56′15″E / 30.20806°N 74.93750°E / 30.20806; 74.93750
Height30 meters
Built6th century CE
Restored by Maharaja of Patiala
Governing body Government of Punjab, India (Since abolishment of Patiala state & accedence within Union of India )
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Location in Punjab
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Qila Mubarak, Bathinda (Punjab)

Qila Mubarak, is a historical monument in the heart of the city of Bathinda in Punjab, India. It is recognised as monument of national importance and maintained by Archaeological Survey of India. [1] It has been in existence from 1100 to 1200 AD in its current place and is the oldest surviving fort in India. It was here that Razia Sultan, the first woman to take charge of the Delhi throne was incarcerated upon her defeat and dethroned. [2] The bricks of the fort date back to the Kushana period when emperor Kanishka ruled over Northern India/Bactria. Raja Dab, along with emperor Kanishka, is believed to have built the fort. [3] Qila Mubarak in latter part of the 10th Century was under the rule of Jayapala, a ruler of the Hindu Shahi dynasty. [4]

Contents

Architecture

The Imperial Gazetteer of India describes the fort having 36 bastions and a height of about 118 ft. It was a conspicuous landmark for many miles around. [5]

History

The fort Quila-Mubarak-complex-Bhatinda-Bhatinda-Punjab.jpg
The fort

The Qila Mubarak of Bathinda is purported to have been constructed by Raja Dab, a local ruler. [6] Raja Dab was the ancestor of Vena Pal, another local ruler later on. [6] The bricks used to construct the fort dates back to the Kushana Period. The fort was constructed by the king so that Huns could not invade the kingdom of Emperor Kanishka[ citation needed ]. In the later years, the fort has undergone various types of alteration done by the rulers of the area. Razia Sultana, the first Empress of Delhi had been imprisoned in Quila Mubarak. [2] [7] Hindu chronicles of Kashmir described it as Jaipal's capital, and say it was captured by Mahmud of Ghazni. Bhatinda appears in the works of the historians from early Muhammadan period as Batrinda, often incorrectly converted into Tabarhind. The fortress was enhanced many times under the rule of the Mughal Empire, especially under the energetic Mughal Emperor Akbar. About 1754 Maharaja Ala Singh of Patiala state conquered Bhatinda. [8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Alphabetical List of Monuments – Punjab". Archaeological Survey of India - Chandigarh circle. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Queen Razia Sultana's story crumbles in Bathinda fort". The Times of India . 29 May 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  3. ↑ Bathinda fort heading towards collapse, cries for renovation (4 November 2014). "Bathinda fort heading towards collapse, cries for renovation". Hindustan Times . Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  4. ↑ Smith, Vincent Arthur; Edwardes, Stephen Meredyth (1919). The Oxford history of India, from the earliest times to the end of 1911. Robarts - University of Toronto. Oxford, Clarendon Press. p. 190.
  5. ↑ "Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 8, p. 89, p. 90. - BHATINDA TOWN". Digital South Asia Library. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  6. 1 2 Sen, Aloka Parasher, ed. (2024). Handbook on Urban History of Early India. Springer Nature. pp. 351–352. ISBN   9789819762309. Bathinda was an important settlement from 300 to 1200 CE and even during the medieval period. It was called Govindgarh in earlier times. As per the tradition the fort was built by Raja Deb, an ancestor of Vena Pal, during the early centuries. The fort was originally made of mud bricks. It has witnessed several alterations at the hands of successive rulers. The excavation conducted by Shri Raghbir Singh at Bathinda Fort revealed pottery and mud-brick wall of the early medieval period.
  7. ↑ "Qila Mubarak Bathinda" . Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  8. ↑ "Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 8, p. 89, p. 90. - BHATINDA TOWN". Digital South Asia Library. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
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