Forts of India

Gwalior Fort, MP

THE FORTS OF INDIA Built by titans and lit by the glory of fire, blood and love- the
grandest sights in India. The Forts of India, stand as befitting 'monuments' to the pride,
courage and chivalry of the rulers and people of India who relentlessly strove against
invading armies to preserve their freedom and to keep alive their fait and their culture.
GWALIOR The Gwalior Fort was built by a Rajput chieftain named Suraj Sen in gratitude to
Gwalipa, an ascetic who cured him of Leprosy. Between 6th and 12th century AD the Fort
changed hands from one dynasty to another, from Gurjar Pratihars to Kannod of Kuttbuddin.

The Fort remained in the hands of Muslim Kings of Delhi until 1438, when during the
invasion of India by Timur, Beersingh Deo, a Tomar Rajput made himself master of Gwalior.
Raja Mansingh, the greatest of the Tomars was a man of culture and refinement. He built the
Mansingh Palace and the Gujri Mahal and a school of Music, where India's greatest
musicians- Tansen, was a student. After the death of Mansingh in 1517 AD the Fort passed
into the hands of Ibrahim Lodhi and subsequently to Babar. With the decline of the Mughal
Empire, Gwalior passed into the hands of Maratha powers, represented by the Scindias. Like
more other Forts, the Gwalior Fort is situated atop a hill, some 300 feet above the plains. The
hill is 1,3/4 mile long and the breadth varies from 600 to 2200 feet. The enclosing wall is 30
feet high.

The main attractions within the gates are gigantic Jain sculptures carved along the rock face
of the Fort, Man Mandir, Gujri Mahal, Sas Bahu Temple and Teli-ka-Mandir. Each of these
monuments bear a distinct stamp of individuality and all are noted for the simplicity of style
and rugged beauty of strength.

The Indian Posts & Telegraphs Department is happy to issue a set of four stamps on the Forts
of India.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of
India

GWALIOR FORT

G
w
a
l
i
o
r

F
o
Mahal palace was built for Queen Mrignayani. It is now an archaeological museum. The oldest
record of "zero" in the world was found in a small temple, which is located on the way to the top.
The inscription is around 1500 years old.[

The exact period of Gwalior Fort's construction is not certain.[4] According a local legend, the fort
was built by a local king named Suraj Sen in 3 CE. He was cured of leprosy, when a sage named
Gwalipa offered him the water from a sacred pond, which now lies within the fort. The grateful king
constructed a fort, and named it after the sage. The sage bestowed the title Pal ("protector") upon
the king, and told him that the fort would remain in his family's possession, as long as they bear
this title. 83 descendants of Suraj Sen Pal controlled the fort, but the 84th, named Tej Karan, lost
it.[5]
Historical records prove that the fort definitely existed in the 10th century. The inscriptions and
monuments found within what is now the fort campus indicate that it may have existed as early as
the beginning of the 6th century.[4] A Gwalior inscription describes a sun temple built during the
reign of the Huna emperor Mihirakula in 6th century. The Teli ka Mandir, now located within the
fort, was built by the Gurjara-Pratiharas in the 9th century.[5]
The Kachchhapaghatas controlled the fort in 10th century, most probably as feudatories of
the Chandelas.[6] From 11th century onwards, the Muslim dynasties attacked the fort several times.
In 1022 CE, Mahmud of Ghazni besieged the fort for four days. According to Tabaqat-i-Akbari, he
lifted the siege after in return for a tribute of 35 elephants.[7] The Ghurid general Qutb al-Din Aibak,
who later became a ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, captured the fort in 1196 after a long siege. The
Delhi Sultanate lost the fort for a short period, before it was recaptured by Iltumish in 1232 CE.[5]
In 1398, the fort came under the control of the Tomar Rajputs. The most distinguished of the Tomar
rulers was Maan Singh, who commissioned several monuments within the fort.[5] The Delhi
Sultan Sikander Lodi tried to capture the fort in 1505, but was unsuccessful. Another attack, by his
son Ibrahim Lodi in 1516, resulted in Maan Singh's death. The Tomars ultimately surrendered the
fort to the Delhi Sultanate after a year-long siege.[8]
Within a decade, the Mughal emperor Babur captured the fort from the Delhi Sultanate. The
Mughals lost the fort to Sher Shah Suri in 1542, but Babur's grandson Akbar recaptured it in
1558.[8] Akbar made the fort a prison for political prisoners. For example, Kamran, Akbar's cousin
was held and executed at the fort. Aurangzeb's brother, Murad and nephews Suleman and Sepher
Shikoh were also executed at the fort. The killings took place in the Man Madir palace.[9](p68)
After the death of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, the Rana chieftains of Gohad held the Gwalior
Fort. The Maratha general Mahadaji Shinde (Scindia) captured the fort from the Gohad
Rana Chhatar Singh, but soon lost it to the British East India Company.[10] On August 3, 1780, a
Company force under Captains Popham and Bruce captured the fort in a daring nighttime raid,
scaling the walls with 12 grenadiers and 30 sepoys. Both sides suffered fewer than 20 wounded
total.[9](p69) In 1780, the British governor Warren Hastings restored the fort to the Ranas of Gohad.
The Marathas recaptured the fort four years later, and this time the British did not intervene
because the Ranas of Gohad had become hostile to them. Daulat Rao Sindhia lost the fort to the
British during the Second Anglo-Maratha War.[10]
There were frequent changes in the control of the fort between the Scindias and the British between
1808 and 1844. In January 1844, after the battle of Maharajpur, the fort was occupied by
the Gwalior State of the Maratha Scindia family, as protectorate of the British
government.[9](p69) During the 1857 uprising, around 6500 sepoys stationed at Gwalior rebelled
against the Company rule, although the Company's vassal ruler Jayaji Scindia remained loyal to
the British.[8] The British took control of the fort in June 1858. They rewarded Jayaji with some
territory, but retained control of the Gwalior Fort. By 1886, the British were in complete control of
India, and the fort no longer had any strategic importance to them. Therefore, they handed over
the fort to the Scindia family. The Scindias continued to rule Gwalior until the independence of
India in 1947, and built several monuments including the Jai Vilas Mahal.
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwalior_Fort

Issue Date
:
03 August 1984

Forts of India

Vellor Fort, Tamilnadu

THE FORTS OF INDIA Built by titans and lit by the glory of fire, blood and love- the
grandest sights in India. The Forts of India, stand as befitting 'monuments' to the pride,
courage and chivalry of the rulers and people of India who relentlessly strove against
invading armies to preserve their freedom and to keep alive their fait and their culture.
VELLORE The Fortress of Vellore is situated about 125 kms. west of Madras. Built in this
historical town, the Fort is one of the most perfect specimen of military architecture in the
South.

The 'Ethaladurg' or Land Fort was built by Chinna .... Nayak a subordinate Chief under Sada
Sivaraya and Sri Ranga Maharaj, the Vijaynagar Kings in the third quarter of the 16th century
AD. The Sultan of Bijapur seized Vellore by about the middle of the 17th century. In 1676
AD the Fort was captured by the Marathas who were in turn ousted by Daud Khan of Delhi in
1708 AD. The Fort was under the charge of Dost Ali, Nawab of Carnatic who gifted it in
1710 AD to his son-in-law, whose son Mohammed Ali kept the Fort as a stronghold for
nearly 20 years.

In 1760 AD the Fort was occupied by an English garrison, and finally after the fall of
Srirangapatnam and the death of Tipu Sultan, the English kept Tipu's sons and daughters in
captivity in Vellore Fort. The fortification consists of a main rampart broken at irregular
intervals by round towers and rectangular projections. The main walls are built of massive
granite stones surrounded by a broad moat fed with water by sub-terranian drains from the
Suryagunta tank.

The Indian Posts & Telegraphs Department is happy to issue a set of four stamps on the Forts
of India.
Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of
India

VELLORE FORT

Vellore Fort is a large 16th-century fort situated in heart of the Vellore city, in the state of Tamil
Nadu, India built by Vijayanagara kings. The fort was at one time the headquarters of the Aravidu
Dynasty of the Vijayanagara Empire. The fort is known for its grand ramparts, wide moat and
robust masonry.
The fort's ownership passed from Vijayanagara kings, to the Bijapur sultans, to the Marathas, to
the Carnatic Nawabs and finally to the British, who held the fort until India gained independence.
The Indian government maintains the fort with the Archaeological Department. During British rule,
the Tipu Sultan's family and the last king of Sri Lanka, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha were held as
prisoners in the fort. The fort houses the Jalakanteswarar Hindu temple, the Christian St. John's
Church and a Muslim mosque, of which the Jalakanteswarar Temple is famous for its magnificent
carvings. The first significant military rebellion against British rule erupted at this fort in 1806, and
it is also a witness to the massacre of the Vijayanagara royal family of Sriranga Raya.[1

Vellore Fort was built by Chinna Bommi Reddy and Thimma Reddy, subordinate chieftains
under Sadasiva Raya of the Vijayanagara Empire in the year of 1566 AD.[2] Vellore Fort gained
strategic prominence following the re-establishment of Vijayanagar rule with Chandragiri as their
4th capital after the Talikota battle. The Aravidu Dynasty that held the title of Rayas in 17th century
resided in this fort, using it as a base in the battle of Toppur in the 1620s. This major battle took
place for the claiming of the Raya title between two factions of the Raya family. Each faction
included their respective subordinates: the Nayaks of Tanjore, the Gingee and the Madurai taking
sides to suit their interests.
The Rayas also had long-running battles with their longtime rivals, the Bijapur Sultans, and with
the Nayaks of Madurai and the Gingee over non-remittance of annual tributes. In the 1640s, during
the reign of Sriranga Raya III, the fort was briefly captured by the Bijapur army, but was eventually
recaptured with the help of the Nayaks of Tanjore.
During Sriranga Raya's reign in 1614, a coup broke out within the royal family and the reigning
Emperor Sriranga Raya and his royal family were murdered by the rival factions of the royal family,
with the younger son Rama Deva Raya of the emperor smuggled out from the fort by supporting
factions of the emperor. These events led to the Battle of Toppur in 1616, one of the largest South
Indian wars of the century.[3]
In 1639, Francis Day of the East India Company obtained a small strip of land in the Coromandel
Coast from the chieftains of the Vellore-Chandragiri regions to do trading, which is now in present-
day Chennai.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vellore_Fort

Issue Date
:
03 August 1984
 Forts of India

Simhagad Fort, Maharashtra

THE FORTS OF INDIA Built by titans and lit by the glory of fire, blood and love- the
grandest sights in India. The Forts of India, stand as befitting 'monuments' to the pride,
courage and chivalry of the rulers and people of India who relentlessly strove against
invading armies to preserve their freedom and to keep alive their fait and their culture.
JODHPUR The historic fort of Jodhpur was founded by Rao Jodha in the year 1459 AD: who
shifted his capitol from Mandore to present day Jaodhpur. Its original names were
'Chintamani' and 'Mordhaj' but later on it came to be called as Meherangarh- The Majestic
Fort.

The Fort stands out magnificently on an isolated rock about 400 feet above the city. It is the
finest example of beautiful architecture, which can rightly be described as 'Poetry in Stone'.
Long, slim minarets touching the sky and countless fine-latticed screens stand out against the
huge walls, varying in height from 20 to 120 feet. The Fort has two principal entrances
namely FATEH POL (Victory Gate) and JAI POL (Glory Gate) besides five other subsidiary
entrances. Inside the Fort, there are magnificent Royal Palaces, built by various Rathore
rulers of Marwar from time to time.

An attempt has been made to recreate the traditional atmosphere in this historic monument by
housing various items all over the Fort as part of Museum. Besides the Royal palaces, the
temple of 'NAGNECHALJI', the family deity of the Rathores of Kannauj, and the 'Chamunda
Devi Temple' draw regular devotees and visitors. (The above text is based on material
published elsewhere).

The Indian Posts & Telegraphs Department is happy to issue a set of four stamps on the Forts
of India.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of
India

SINHAGAD

Sinhagad, Sinhgarh, or Sinhgad (The Lion's Fort), is a fortress located roughly 30 kilometres
s
o
u
t
h
w
e
णण), the fort has been the site of many important battles, most notably the Battle of Sinhagad in
1671. It was also strategically located at the centre of a string of other forts such
as Rajgad, Purandar and Torna.
Perched on an isolated cliff of the Bhuleswar range of the Sahyadri Mountains, it is situated on a
hill rising some 760 metres above ground level and 1,312 metres above mean sea level.[citation
needed]
Given natural protection by its very steep slopes, the walls and bastions were constructed at
only key places; it has two gates – the Kalyan Darwaza in the south-east and the Pune Darwaza
in the north-east.

This fort has had quite a long history, It was called Kondana after the sage Kaundinya. The
Kaundinyeshwar temple, the caves and the carvings indicate that this fort had probably been built
two thousand years ago. It was captured from the Koli tribal chieftain, Nag Naik, by Muhammad
bin Tughlaq in 1328 AD.

Sinhagad: View from the "Pune Darwaja"

Shahaji Bhosale, as the commander of Ibrahim Adil Shah I, was entrusted with the control of the
Pune region. His son Shivaji, however, refused to accept the Adilshahi and initiated the task of
setting up Swarajya. He gained control of Kondana in 1647 by convincing Siddi Amber, the
Adilshahi Sardar who controlled the fort, that he, the son of Shahaji Bhosale, could manage the
fort's defences optimally. Bapuji Mudgal Deshpande played a key role in this activity. Adil Shah
jailed Siddi Amber for this treasonous act, and schemed to get it back. He imprisoned Shahaji
Bhosale for a concocted crime and informed Shivaji. In 1649, Adil Shah traded the fort for Shahaji's
release. Shivaji Maharaj recaptured it in 1656, again with the help of Bapuji Mudgal
Deshpande,who convinced the Fort commander by giving land in the newly
created Shivapur village and peacefully gained control of the fort. This fort saw attacks by Mughals
in 1662, 1663 and 1665. In 1664, Shahistekhan, the Mughal general, even tried to bribe the people
of the fort to hand it over to him, but was unsuccessful. Through the Treaty of Purandar, it passed
into the hands of the Mughal army chief Mirzaraje Jaysingh, in the year 1665. In 1670, Shivaji
Maharaj re-conquered this fort and then it stayed under Maratha rule till 1689. After the death
of Sambhaji, the Mughals regained control of the fort. The Marathas, headed by Sardar
Balkawade, recaptured it in 1693. Chatrapati Rajaram took asylum on this fort during a Mogul raid
on Satara but died on Sinhagad on 3 March 1700. In 1703 Aurangzeb conquered the fort. In 1706,
it once again went into the hands of the Marathas. Pantaji Shivdev of Sangola, Visaji Chafar and
the Pant Pratinidhis played key role in this battle. Then this fort remained with Marathas till 1818,
when the British conquered it. British however took three months to capture this fort, which was
longest it took them to win any fort in Maharashtra.[
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinhagad

Issue Date
:
03 August 1984

MEHRANGARH FORT

M
e
h
r
a
n
g
a
r
There are seven gates, which include Jayapol (meaning 'victory'), built by Maharaja Man Singh to
h
commemorate his victories over Jaipur and Bikaner armies. Fattehpol (also meaning 'victory') gate
was built by Maharaja Ajit Singh to mark the defeat of the Mughals. The palm imprints upon these
F attract much attention.
still
o
The museum in the Mehrangarh fort is one of the most well-stocked museums in Rajasthan. In
r
one section of the fort museum there is a selection of old royal palanquins, including the elaborate
t
domed gilt Mahadol palanquin which was won in a battle from the Governor of Gujarat in 1730.
The museum exhibits the heritage of the Rathores in arms, costumes, paintings and decorated
(
period rooms.
H
i
n
d
Rao
i Jodha, the chief of the Rathore clan, is credited with the origin of Jodhpur in India. He founded
Jodhpur
: in 1459 (Jodhpur was previously known as Marwar). He was one of Ranmal's 24 sons
and became the fifteenth Rathore ruler. One year after his accession to the throne, Jodha decided
to move his capital to the safer location of Jodhpur, as the one thousand years old Mandore fort
ण
was no longer considered to provide sufficient security.
ण
With the trusted aid of Rao Nara (son of Rao Samra), the Mewar forces were subdued at Mandore.
ह
With that, Rao Jodha gave Rao Nara the title of Diwan. With the help of Rao Nara, the foundation
of the fort was laid on 12 May 1459[1] by Jodha on a rocky hill 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) to the south of
ण
Mandore. This hill was known as Bhaurcheeria, the mountain of birds. According to legend to build
ण fort he had to displace the hill's sole human occupant, a hermit called Cheeria Nathji, the lord
the
न
ग
ण
ण
of birds. Upset at being forced to move Cheeria Nathji cursed Rao Jodha with "Jodha! May your
citadel ever suffer a scarcity of water!". Rao Jodha managed to appease the hermit by building a
house and a temple in the fort very near the cave the hermit had used for meditation, though only
to the extent that even today the area is plagued by a drought every 3 to 4 years. Jodha then took
an extreme measure to ensure that the new site proved propitious; he buried a man called "Raja
Ram Meghwal" alive in the foundations. "Raja Ram Meghwal" was promised that in return his
family would be looked after by the Rathores. To this day his descendants still live in Raj Bagh,
"Raja Ram Meghwal's" Garden, an estate bequeathed them by Jodha.
Rao Jodha then invited the famous female hindu warrior sage of Charan caste, Shri Karni Mata,
to lay down the foundation stone of the Mehrangarh Fort and the same was carried out by her.
Today only the forts of Bikaner and Jodhpur remain in the hands of Rathors, both had their
foundation stone laid by Shri Karni Mata. All other Rajput forts of Rajasthan were abandoned for
some or the other reasons by the respective clans. Only the Rathors of Jodhpur and Bikaner have
their forts with them till date. This fact is considered a miracle by the local population and is
attributed to Shri Karni Mata.
Rao Jodha also granted villages of Mathania and Chopasni to the two Charan warlords who were
sent by him to request Shri Karni Mata to come to Jodhpur.
Mehrangarh (etymology: 'Mihir' (Sanskrit) -sun or Sun-deity; 'garh' (Sanskrit)-fort; i.e.'Sun-fort');
according to Rajasthani language pronunciation conventions,'Mihirgarh' has changed to
'Mehrangarh'; the Sun-deity has been the chief deity of the Rathore dynasty.[2] Though the fortress
was originally started in 1459 by Rao Jodha, founder of Jodhpur, most of the fort which stands
today dates from the period of Jaswant Singh of Marwar (1638–78). The fort is located at the centre
of the city spreading over 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) on top of a high hill. Its walls, which are up to 36
metres (118 ft) high and 21 metres (69 ft) wide, protect some of the most beautiful and historic
palaces in Rajasthan.

The imposing silhouette of the Mehrangarh fort against the stunning clouds at Jodhpur.

Entry to the fort is gained though a series of seven gates. The most famous of the gates are:
 Jai Pol ("Gate of Victory"), built by Maharaja Man Singh in 1806 to celebrate his victory in a
war with Jaipur and Bikaner.
 Fateh Pol, built to celebrate a victory over the Mughals in 1707;
 Dedh Kamgra Pol, which still bears the scars of bombardment by cannonballs;
 Loha Pol, which is the final gate into the main part of the fort complex. Immediately to the left
are the handprints (sati marks) of the ranis who in 1843 immolated themselves on the funeral
pyre of their husband, Maharaja Man Singh.
Within the fort are several brilliantly crafted and decorated palaces. These include, Moti Mahal
(Pearl Palace), Phool Mahal (Flower Palace), Sheesha Mahal (Mirror Palace), Sileh Khana and
Daulat Khana. The museum houses a collection of palanquins, howdahs, royal cradles,
miniatures, musical instruments, costumes and furniture. The ramparts of the fort house preserved
old cannon (including the famous Kilkila), and provided a breath-taking view of the city.
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehrangarh_Fort

Forts of Andhra Pradesh – Golconda

Goldconda Fort

GOLKONDA
Golkonda, also known as Golconda, Gol konda ("Round shaped hill"), or Golla konda, is a
citadel and fort in Southern India and was the capital of the medieval sultanate of the Qutb Shahi
dynasty (c.1518–1687), is situated 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) west of Hyderabad. It is also
a tehsil of Hyderabad district, Telangana, India. The region is known for the mines that have
produced some of the world's most famous gems, including the Koh-i-Noor, the Hope
Diamond and the Nassak Diamond.

Golkonda was originally known as Mankal.[1]Golkonda Fort was first built by the Kakatiya
dynasty as part of their western defenses along the lines of the Kondapalli Fort. The city and the
fortress were built on a granite hill that is 120 meters (480 ft) high, surrounded by
massive battlements. The fort was rebuilt and strengthened by Rani Rudrama Devi and her
successor Prataparudra.[2][3]Later, the fort came under the control of the Musunuri Nayaks, who
defeated the Tughlaqi army occupying Warangal.[4] It was ceded by the Musunuri Kapaya Nayak
to the Bahmani Sultanate as part of a treaty in 1364.[5][6]
Under the Bahmani Sultanate, Golkonda slowly rose to prominence. Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk (r.
1487–1543), sent as a governor of Telangana, established it as the seat of his government around
1501. Bahmani rule gradually weakened during this period, and Sultan Quli formally became
independent in 1538, establishing the Qutb Shahi dynasty based in Golkonda.[7][8] Over a period of
62 years, the mud fort was expanded by the first three Qutb Shahi sultans into the present
structure, a massive fortification of granite extending around 5 km in circumference. It remained
the capital of the Qutb Shahi dynasty until 1590 when the capital was shifted to Hyderabad. The
Qutb Shahis expanded the fort, whose 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) outer wall enclosed the city.
The fort finally fell into ruin in 1687, after a year long siege leading to its fall at the hands of
the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golkonda#The_Fort

Issue Date
:
31 December 2002
 Forts of Andhra Pradesh – Chandragiri

Palace of Chandragiri Fort

CHANDRAGIRI FORT, ANDHRA PRADESH

Chandragiri Fort is a historical fort, built in the 11th century located

in Chandragiri, Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, India. Tough mostly associated with Vijayanagara
Kings it was built much earlier in 11th century by Yadava Naidu kings.

Chandragiri was under the rule of Yadava Naidus for about three centuries and came into
control of Vijayanagara rulers in 1367. It came into prominence during Saluva Narasimha Rayalu.
Later, the most famous Vijayanagara emperor Srikrishna Devaraya, was kept restricted in this fort
as a prince, till his coronation at Penukonda. It is also said that he met his future queen Chinna
Devi at this fort. Chandragiri was the 4th capital of Vijayanagara Empire, Rayas shifted their capital
to here when Golconda sultans attacked Penukonda. In 1646 the fort was annexed to
the Golkonda territory and subsequently came under Kingdom of Mysore rule. It went into oblivion
from 1792 onward.[1] The Raja Mahal Palace is now an archaeological museum. The palace is an
example of Indo-Sarcen architecture of Vijayanagara period. The crowning towers represents the
Hindu architectural elements. The palace was constructed using stone, brick, lime mortar and
devoid of timber.[

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandragiri_Fort,_Andhra_Pradesh

Issue Date
:
31 December 2002