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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. |
