Famous Forts, Palaces and Museums in Punjab

The historical state of Punjab has been ruled by many brave rulers of the country since ages which has resulted in the formation of eye-catching buildings, monuments and luxurious palaces. While the rural Punjab is known across the country for its lush green terrains, paddy fields and wheat productions, the urban areas are known for their association with the chivalric tales of Sikh Gurus and valiant rulers. The forts and palaces built in the different corners of the state are highly praised for their historical and scientific architectural value. The artistic excellence of most of these heritage buildings is worth praising and provides the history buffs with enough of information to keep thinking of. Here is a list of the best forts and palaces in Punjab.

(A).Forts :

Qila Mubarak :

• Qila Mubarak is a historical monument in the heart of the city of Bathinda. It has been in existence from 90-110 AD in its current place. It was here that Razia Sultan, the first woman to take charge of the Delhi throne was incarcerated on her defeat and dethroned. 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. Qila Mubarak located at Patiala is a rare and outstanding example of Sikh palace architecture.
• Qila Mubarak was first built as a Kachigarhi (mud fortress) by Baba Ala Singh in 1763, who was the founder of the Patiala dynasty. Later, it was reconstructed in baked bricks. The interior portion of Qila, which is known as Qila Androon is built by Maharaja Amar Singh.

Keshgarh Qila :

• Keshgarh Qila is the name given to the fort that the tenth Master constructed in Anandpur Sahib. The fort is now the Takhat called Keshgarh Sahib. This Gurdwara was one of the five forts constructed by Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur Sahib for the defense of the Sikhs.
• The Guru spent 25 years at Anandpur Sahib and to protect the Sikhs from the hill Rajas or Mughals, the Guru began the construction of five defensive Qilas (forts) all around the town.
• The Panj Qilas (five forts) constructed by Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur Sahib are :
  (i) Keshgarh at the centre (now a Takhat)
  (ii) Anandgarh (fort of bliss)
  (iii) Lohgarh (fort of steel)
  (iv) Holgarh (fort of colour)
  (v) Fatehgarh Sahib (fort of victory)
• All the forts were joined together with earthworks and underground tunnels. The construction began in 1689 and took over ten years to complete.

Payal Fort :

• Payal Fort has been built by Maharaja Amar Singh of Patiala in Payal with the co-operation of Mughals in 1771. This fort is present here today also. At present, Government Girls High School is being run in this fort. This historical fort has been handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India after removing illegal encroachments. The interior of the fort is fast crumbling.

Bahia Fort :

• In 1754 AD, it was captured by Maharaj Ala Singh of Patiala. A small gurdwara commemorates the visit of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji here. Bahia Fort was built in 1930 in front of the main Fort by S. Balwant Singh Sidhu belong to a group of 22 villages, so called Bahia Sahib. It was used as official family residence of armed forces of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala State. Now, it has been converted into a Four Star Hotel by Bahia family, maintaining the standard of royalty in culture and in service for last 18 years.

Shahpur Kandi Fort :

• Shahpur Kandi Fort, is situated 7 km from Pathankot. This 16th century fort nestles at the foot of the towering Himalayas and overlooks the river Ravi, is a comfortable rest-house now. It was built in 16th century by Bhao Singh, who named it after the Emperor Shah Jahan. The little town of Shahpur is located on the left bank of the Ravi river. The fort now functions as a rest house. Some Muslim tombs and a mosque are sighted near the fort. There is a typical old stone tank just outside the village.

Faridkot Fort :

• Reputed to be 700 years old, noteworthy for the hall of mirrors and wall paintings called Sheesh Mahals. These halls of mirrors were copied in Rajasthan style and were actually the prayer rooms of the ruling family.

Anandpur Sahib Fort :

• The Khalsa Panth was founded here, a council of five wise men that Sikh religious affairs, was first established here, as was the practice of worshipping the Guru Granth Sahib. Anandpur Sahib is the ideal place to gain an insight into the essence of Sikhism that the life of tough, hardy Sardars from Bathinda to Birmingham.

Bahadurgarh Fort :

• Bahadurgarh Fort located 6 kms from Patiala, initially founded by Nawab Saif Khan in 1658. The present fort was built by Maharaja Karam Singh of Patiala in 1837.

(B).Museums :

Archaeological Site Museum, Sanghol :

• The local people also know Sanghol village as Uchha Pind. Archaeological site museum, Sanghol is located here. It lies in Samrala Tehsil in Ludhiana district in Punjab. It is situated 40 km west of the city, on the main Chandigarh-Ludhiana Road. From Sirhind railway junction the site is only 16 kms.
• The nearest railway station is however, Morinda on Sirhind-Nangal loop-line, which is at a distance of 9 km from the village. The museum is repository of find from the ancient site of Sanghol where the Department of Cultural Affairs, Archaeology and Museums, Punjab carried out archaeological exploration and regular excavations [with some breaks] from 1968 to 1990.
• The earliest habitation at the site yielded late Harappan material around 2000 BC. This was followed by painted grey-ware material. Black-slipped ware in the early historic, late historic period, early medieval and late medieval periods. Two monasteries and stupas belonging to Kushan period were also laid bare. The antiques discovered from the late Harappan levels (now on display) consists of very fine potteries, terra-cotta beads, figurines, bangles, terra-cotta cakes, beads of precious and semi precious stones, copper chisels. chertweight B and 92 micro beads of gold.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum, Amritsar :

• He acquired Lahore in 1799 and made his Capital. He also took over Amritsar in 1802 and had given the title of spiritual capital. A garden was laid out in 1818 in the north of the city at the behalf of Shalimar Bagh of Lahore, known as Ram Bagh at the name of Guru Ram Das. The garden was enclosed by a masonry wall about fourteen feet high ramparts and a gate capable of carrying gun, outside the wall a moat filled with water from Hasli canal. At each of the corners of the garden was built a small ornamental burj or Kiosk (Tower).
• In the centre of the garden a double storyed palace was made with a basement (tahkhana) as a cob underground chamber Maharaja devoted his time in this Palace in summer days during the visit of Amritsar.
• The whole work of the garden had been done under the supervision of Faqir Azizuddin, sardar Desa Singh Majithia and his son sardar Lahna Singh. Faqir Azizuddin brought the workmen from Delhi and they constructed the whole building as well as the garden in red sandstone. The approximately cost to make the garden was Rs 214000/- Nanak Shahi and Rs 125000/- for the summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
• The summer palace is now protected under the Punjab Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological sites and remains Act,1964. It has been converted into the shape of Museum during the 400th years celebrations of Amritsar City.

Shahed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Museum, Khatkar Kalian :

• Shahed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Museum Khatkar Kalian was inaugurated on 23rd of March, 1981 being the fiftieth Martyrdom anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. Museum is situated at Khatkar Kalian ancestral village of Shaheed-e-Azam on Rupnagar-Nawanshahr Phagwara Road in Nawanshahr district of Punjab.
• In the museum half burnt bones and blood stained newspapers on which, there were collected are well preserved and displayed. A copy of Judgement of the 1st Lahore Conspiracy case in which Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha was sentenced to death with Shaheed Bhagat Singh's scribed notes in his own handwriting on this copy is also a notable exhibition. A small addition of Bhagwat Geeta with Shaheed-e-Azam's autographs is also on display. This copy was presented to Shaheed Bhagat Singh by a employee of jail while he was in Lahore Jail. Some other handwriting's in Urdu and Personal belongings of S Ajit Singh are also displayed in the museum.

Sheesh Mahal Museum, Patiala :

• Maharaja Narendra Singh built Sheesh Mahal Palace of Glasses in 1847 AD at a cost of Rs. 5 Lakh. It is situated in old Moti Bagh at a distance of 5 kms from railway station/bus stand of Patiala. It is designed on the pattern of Shalimar Garden of Lahore with terraces fountains, channels and flowerbeds. It also boasts of a suspension bridge popularly known as "Laxman Jhoola" over a beautiful tank, which is a great attraction for visitors. Sheesh Mahal Museum has a great importance in the field of paintings, sculptures, medals and decorative art objects.
• Maharaja Narendra Singh, a patron of literature, music and fine arts employed many artists who hailed from Kangra and Rajasthan to paint these murals visualising poetry of Surdas, Keshav Das and Bihari in line and coloru. Mythology, Legends, Raga-Ragani, Nayak-Nayika, Bara-Masa and incarnation of lord Vishnu are depicted on the walls of Rang Mahal chamber. Maharaja built a special room Sheesh Mahal to display the skills of artists in convex and coloured mirrors.

Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Museum, Sri Anandpur Sahib :

• In the sacred memory of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur's tricentary of martyrdom, Punjab Government formulated a scheme in 1977, to establish Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Museum at Sri Anandpur Sahib. It was inaugurated on 25th January, 1983.
• Sri Guru Teg Bahadur laid the foundation of Sri Anandpur Sahib, the city of divine bliss in 1664. This beautiful little town is situated on the left bank of the river Satlej at a site previously known as village Makhowal.
• Sri Guru Teg Bahadur had purchased this land from the Raja of Bilaspur, picturesquely perched in the foothills of Shivaliks, the town excludes an flora of natural beauty combined with ethereal joy.
• The site for the museum was selected near the main approach of the historic Gurdwara Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib. In conformity with the historical significance and ceremonial symbolism of the Gurdwara, the architecture of the museum building was so designed as to synchronise it with the structure of the sacred precincts.
  This museum is dedicated to the memory of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur who made the supreme sacrifice for the sake of liberation of the oppressed and for freedom of conscience and belief.
• The great saga of Sikh history of this period is full of struggles and sacrifices which are depicted here through the medium of Qil paintings executed by eminent Punjabi artists - Kirpal Singh, Jaswant Singh and Devinder Singh depicting epoch-making period of the Sikh history.

Archaeological Museum, Hoshiarpur :

• The department of cultural affairs, Archaeology and Museums, Punjab established an Archaeological Museum in the Vishvesvaranand Vishva Bandhu Institute of Sanskrit and Indological Studies, Sadhu Ashram, about 4 km to South-East of Hoshiarpur.
• It was inaugurated by Sh G S Pathak, the then Vice President of India, on 7th November, 1971. The main collection of the Museum is sculptures from around Dholbaha area, a place of real archaeological value, situated at the distance of about 30 km to the North-West of Hoshiarpur (Punjab).
• About two decades back, a beginning was made to collect various sculptures that had been found lying uncared for around the present village of Dholbaha, which was once a thriving centre of cultural and religious activities and served as pivot of the trade route. This place has been a place of habitation right from the very early times; the archaeological discoveries have related its antiquities to the Pleistocene period.
• Fossils and stone tools found in the picturesque valley indicate the appearance of early man, here in this region. Mostly the artifacts were imperishable such as chopper-chopping tools and hand axes. Due to availability of necessary amenities, various civilisations flourished in Dholbaha area.

Sangrur Museum, Sangrur :

• Sangrur town, a district headquarters is situated on the Ludhiana-Jakhal railway line. It is well connected with Patiala, Ludhiana, Chandigarh and Bathinda by road. It was a capital of erstwhile princely state of Jind till 1948. It is said that a man called Sanghu, a Jat, founded Sangrur town about 400 years ago. Hence the town is named after him. Raja Sangat Singh chose this town as his capital in 1827 as it was close to Patiala and Nabha, the headquarters of the other two Phulkian states. Until then, Sangrur was a small village consisting of mud houses.

(C).Mughal Architecture :

Aam Khas Bagh, Sirhind :

• Aam Khas Bagh, today is actually remains of a highway inn constructed for the use of royalty as well as common people (as its name denotes). This Royal inn was initially built by Babur extended and almost rebuilt by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan along the Mughal military road between Delhi and Lahore and the Royal couple used to stay here in the old building complex, while going to and coming back from Lahore.
• The complex was famous for a perfect air-conditioning system called Sarad Khana. The Sheesh Mahal of the Daulat-Khana-e-Khas, the hamam and the tank had unique methods of heating water. The palace compound also had a set of fountains. Water for the fountains was drawn from a huge well nearby and circulated through underground conduits. A beautiful garden and the nursery is being maintained. The old complex, which has archaeological value, is being maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Kos Minar :

• The Kos Minars or Mile Pillars are medieval milestones that were made by the Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri and later on by Mughal emperors. These Minars were erected by the Mughal Emperors on the main highways across the empire to mark the distance. The Kos Minar is a solid round pillar, around 30 feet in height that stands on a masonry platform built with bricks and plastered over with lime. Though. not architecturally very impressive they were an important part of communication and travel in a large empire.
• Kos Minars were used to mark the royal route from Agra to Ajmer via Jaipur in the west, from Agra to Lahore via Delhi in the North and from Agra to Mandu via Shivpuri in the South. Modern Indian highways have come up along roughly the same routes as those marked by these minars.

Sarai Nurmahal :

• Sarai Nurmahal or Mughal Sarai is an inn of historical importance located at Nurmahal, near Jalandhar. The sarai was constructed on the orders of Noor Jahan, wife of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir under the supervision of Zakariya Khan, the then Governor of the Doap in 1618 AD. Nurmahal got its name from Noor Jahan who is said to have been brought up here.
• The sarai is remarkable specimen, of oriental architecture. Sarai Nurmahal is perhaps the only known monument in Jalandhar. This historical monument is now looked after by the Archaeological Survey of India. It is also heard that the sarai Nurmahal was actually built by the Maratha brothers who decided not to go back to Pune after the defeat of Marathas in 1745 AD by Ahmed Shah Abdali. Also some descendant from the same family moved to village Kahnuwan in district Gurdaspur, Punjab.

Mughal Serai, Shambh :

• Mughal Serai is situated at village Shambhu on Sher Shah Suri Marg, near Rajpura. The Serai was built by Mughals as part of caravans of Semi on GT Road to provide shelter to Mughal army on journey from Peshawar to Dhaka.

By: Harman Sandhu