Jaigarh Fort
A Superb Specimen of Military Architecture and a Hush-Hush Treasure Trove
Jaigarh Fort ,Jaipur
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| Jaigarh Fort courtesy: Abhinavmnnit Wikimedia commons |
At Subhat Niwas, the king was
briefing his soldiers about strategies to be adopted to counter a possible
aggression. Suddenly, he was informed
that the enemy, in a surprise attack, had overpowered the guards at the gate
and had entered the fort. The undaunted king
ordered his commander to meet the exigency, while he retreated through a
secret tunnel to a safer venue, Khilbati Niwas, to
open a second line of defense. The intruders pursued the king but the escape
tunnel was too narrow. Moreover, after a certain distance, it became pitch dark
.The guard, invisible in the darkness, could see the foes enter the tunnel in
single file. He intercepted them easily, while the king had ample time to
escape.
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| Section of a Huge Courtyard courtesy: Jakub Halun Wikimedia commons |
Meanwhile in the courtyards ,
the soldiers had encircled the opponents who had no place to retreat, because all the
doors leading to other apartments were
closed .Outside, the attackers could not scale the fort because thorny bushes beyond the ramparts
formed obstacles .
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| Various Corners of the Bulwark of Impregnable Jaigarh Fort courtesy: Wikimedia commons |
The walls were
extended in angles ,
to lessen the chances of a direct hit . The defending soldiers had
positioned themselves at different cusps on the battlements and shot down the
intruders or rolled down stones from above. The enemy was at a disadvantage,
because there were hardly any deep ravines or projecting cliffs near the fort
to shelter them from the onslaught.
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| A Structure with an Expansive Courtyard courtesy: anupamg, Wikimedia commons |
This is a battle scene in Jaigarh
fort, which is a remarkable example of military architecture. It is 15 km. from Jaipur city and one and a
half km. from Amber Palace. It is 602 m. above mean sea level. Its length extends 3 km. from north to south and its width is 1 km. from east to west. The whole area is secured with a fortified wall, so long, that it covers almost the entire Aravalli hilly area. This wall was further guarded with 27 chowkies/check posts.
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| A Wide View of Jaigarh Fort courtesy: cherisam Wikipedia commons |
History of Jaigarh Fort
The medieval rulers believed in the Divine right of Kingship and considered their primary duty was to protect their subjects and the honor of their women. For this they needed a stronghold which could give security not only to royalty but also to the citizens. Hence, they built forts small or big, garh or garhi. Forts to medieval kings were not only crucial for war and defense purposes but also symbolized power and wealth .So, the bigger the king, the grander the fort.
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| Physical Features of Jaigarh Fort's Terrain courtesy: Wikimedia commons |
The history of Jaigarh Fort dates back to Kakil
Deo, son of Duleh Rai, the first Kachhawa/Kachhawaha ruler to enter Dhundhar in the 10th
century. Kakil continued with his father’s policy of aggrandizement and annexed
Amber from Rao Bhatto, a Mina of the Susaot family. Kakil understood clearly
the strategic importance of Amber, located on a hilly terrain, commanding a
wide view of the northern and southern regions. So he made it a base for the
future expansion of his territory and removed his capital from Khoh to Amber.
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| Unending Rampart courtesy: commons.wikimedia.org |
He founded Jaigarh Fort in 1036 AD, on the spine of the northern range of the
Aravalli Mountain. It was further developed, modernized and remodeled by Raja Man Singh I (1589-1614) and Mirja Raja Jai Singh (1621-1667).
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| Entrance Gate of Jaigarh Fort courtesy: Jakub Halun Wikimedia commons |
The fort has three entrance gates - Doongar Darwaza (1942) in the south; Awani Darwaza (the oldest) in the east; and the third is Sagari Gate, through the west—towards Sagar, the well-known tank of Amber. Formerly known as Amber Fort, it was christened Jaigarh by Sawai Jai Singh II (1699 - 1743).
Military Architecture
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| A Portion of the Crenelated Fortification courtesy: Ameya_Clicks Wikimedia commons |
Jaigarh Fort is 'Giri/Parvat Durg or a hill fort which is considered to be the best among all kinds of forts. During the medieval times it was one of the most important forts of Rajasthan because of its strategic location as it lay in the trade route from Delhi to Gujarat and Malwa.
It is a supreme example of military architecture. The main purpose of Jaigarh Fort is exemplified by its guardian deity, Kal Bhairav. The idol is in black stone and has eight hands, each hand holding a weapon. The protector is a fierce form of Lord Shiva and in Jaigarh Fort, a small temple is dedicated to it. It was built by Kakil Deo in 1036 A.D.
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| Watch Tower courtesy: Vssun commons.wikimedia.org |
If we enter the palace through Doongar Darwaza, we come to the Jaleb Chowk (which houses the offices and two museum galleries) and the first complex that we encounter is Subhat Niwas, the courtyard where the king addressed his soldiers before a war .It is 150 ft. from east to west in width and 168 ft. from north to south in length. The attached hall where the plans and strategies were discussed during war time measures 69 by 34 feet.
Khilbati Niwas or Hall of Private Audience, stands on a high platform and measures 32 by 13 ft. It was a meeting place for army generals, Thakurs and Thikanedars (nobles) where secret matters of the state and strategies of war were discussed. The distinctive feature of Khilbati Niwas was that it was built of a special material which made the sounds echo.
Surya Mandir
This is an eleventh-century building with seven rooms, each accompanied by a veranda. It houses the tools for gun foundry, carpentry and blacksmithing.
Ranawat Chowk
In its heydays it was used as a durbar or royal court. Later, as new palaces were added to Jaigarh Fort, it became a place for making matchlock guns. At present, it is used as a store room for ancient military equipment such as cannon wheels and shafts of gun carriages.
Vijaygarhi
In the south-west part of Jaigarh Fort is Vijaygarhi. It is a small castle within the fort and since its first inception it is being used as the armory . This heavily-fortified castle is the only building in the whole fort which has gun bases in all its four corners. In one of its areas Sawai Jai Singh II kept his brother, Vijay Singh as a prisoner. Since then it is called Vijaygarhi.
Strategic Tunnels
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| A Tunnel in Jaigarh Fort courtesy: Vssun Wikimedia commons |
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| Description at the Entrance of a Tunnel courtesy: Vssun Wikimedia commons |
What makes Jaigarh Fort unique among all the forts in India and perhaps in the world, is its several covered and uncovered tunnels. The tunnels in Jaigarh Fort is a magnificent display of the military acumen of the rulers. Besides the tunnel for the king's escape from Subhat Niwas to Khilbati Niwas, there are other tunnels leading to all parts of the fort. From the roof of the Royal Palace Lakshmi Vilas, a 116 ft. tunnel passes to Lalit Mandir, the summer palace of the royal family. The royal kitchens are connected to Lalit Mandir by a 107 ft. tunnel which opens out to the Aram Mandir (16th century royal garden house) and the garden. The Aram Mandir is connected by a 263 ft. tunnel to the 17th century Vilas Mandir ( meeting place for royal ladies).The double-storied 17th century Puppet theater for royal audience is connected to the courtyard of Vilas Mandir by a 93 ft. long tunnel.
Weapons
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| Jaivan courtesy :Swapnil Karambelkar Wikimedia commons |
Jaigarh has the world’s largest cannon on wheels called Jaivan. It was cast in 1720 during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II (1699-1743) at the foundry in Jaigarh Fort. Its range is 22 miles (1 mile=1.6 km approximately). Jaivan cannon rests on a high, four-wheeled carriage. The height of the front wheels is 9 ft. and the height of the rear wheel is 4 and a half feet. The barrel of the cannon is 20 ft. 2 inches and it weighs 50 tons. For firing each shot, 100 kilograms of gun powder and a cannon ball weighing 50 kg were used. The barrel of the cannon rests on a 24 ft. long shaft. The other cannon called Bajrangvana (1691) is an example of a garrison cannon and it was driven to the battlefield by 32 oxen.
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| Barrel of Jaivan Cannon courtesy: Nvvchar Wikimedia commons |
Gun Foundry
This 16th century gun foundry with its tools spreads over an area of 162 by 57 feet .It was built during the reign of Man Singh I. Maharaja Man Singh, the Commander-in-chief of Akbar's army attacked Kabul in 1580,won the battle and remained as Governor of Kabul for 6 years where he acquired the knowledge of making cannons. The gun foundry had a reverberatory, open hearth furnace, its oval-shaped bath/hearth was made of refractory material. The furnace can bear a temperature of 1200 degree centigrade. The drilling complex has a mechanical device which was used for drilling bores in the barrels of the cannons. An octagonal room, 31 ft. high, has four wooden bars revolved by four pairs of oxen. The gear system lying below this room consists of 2 vertical and one horizontal wheel. The oxen rotated the crossbars which made the giant horizontal wheel to rotate.
Since secrecy is one of the main aspects of warfare so cannon-making was a strictly secret affair. The Maharaja watched the proceeding from the balcony of a double-storied building. Rituals were performed in Ganesh Temple before the commencement of the job. Swastika and other Hindu religious symbols of auspiciousness can be seen at the mouth of Jaivan's barrel.
Armory Gallery
That Jaigarh Fort's main purpose was to serve as a defense fortress is further reflected in the museum which stretches across the length and breadth of Jaigarh Fort. In the armory gallery, plans and war maps, medieval rockets, guns such as matchlock, flintlock and jujawal (camel gun) are displayed. Cannon Nagin, Cannon Singhvan, Cannon Dhoomvan etc. are some among the many that hold pride of place in the museum. The earliest cannon is the Karak Bijli Cannon made during Raja Bhagwan Das and it was used by the army of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II in the battles fought in Bihar, Bengal, Orissa, Deccan etc. It is said that cannon making in Jaigarh foundry continued till late 19th century.
The Armory gallery contains Artillery Tools and rockets. The war rockets were introduced in the 18th century. The rockets in Jaigarh were cast iron cylinders filled with gun powder fixed with a fuse. They were used near the cavalry to throw front line troopers into disarray.
The Collection Gallery
The artifacts in this gallery are mostly in line with the defense nature of Jaigarh Fort. The Treasury Lock is one such item. This lock is made of iron and five keys are needed to open it. Huge oil containers are also unique in this gallery. Made of camel leather, the containers are not only sturdy but superbly crafted. Oil was not only used for lighting but also for defense purposes. During an enemy attack hot oil was poured over them. Copper War Drums with the top covered by animal leather are also on display because they are necessary in the defense structure. Since there were many check posts in the fortification of Jaigarh Fort, the war drums provided signals of the enemy's movement.
Foundry Gallery
Foundry Gallery is located in Surya Mandir and it displays the tools of furnace and lathe machine.
Treasures
Jaigarh is also famous for its closet
- lock -and -key of secret treasures. It is said, that Duleh Rai had stormed
the Bar-Gujar fort of Deoti and amassed its treasure, accumulated through ages.
Kakil Deo had hidden the treasure in Jaigarh. Another version says that Raja Man
Singh I, the great general of Emperor Akbar’s army, had gained enormous wealth
from his Kabul expedition (1581-1587) and 22 other parganas. It was impossible to stash the fortune without a fort, so
it was stored in Jaigarh. The treasury was guarded by the loyal men of the qilledars. The keys of the famous five-key lock was placed in the hands of two most trusted qilledars of the Maharaja.
There is a further story that
the buried treasure of the Kachhawa
dynasty was fiercely guarded by the Mina tribesmen in Jaigarh and each successive Raja was taken to the
treasure blindfolded and allowed to choose just one piece from it .Therefore ,
the actual location of the treasure is still
unknown .
In 1976, a 250 year-old document of
Sawai Jai Singh II’s era was discovered, which had a reference to the hidden
treasures of Jaigarh. The cost of the jewels mentioned in the document was
estimated to be about rupees 30 cores in 1726 and the cost of the total wealth was
estimated to be rupees 110 crores.
There are 5 major tanks inside the fort .The dimension of the largest tank is 158 by 138 by 40 ft. and has a storage capacity of 60 hundred thousand gallons of water. The second tank is adjacent to the bigger tank but is full of mystery. It measures 69 by 52 by 52 ft. There are nine holes in the roof of this tank and there is a room under each hole. It is conjectured that the rooms were used as treasury houses till the reign of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. It is also argued that the wealth stored here was used by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II for building the new city of Jaipur in 1727-28.
The Indian government launched a
massive treasure hunt at Jaigarh Fort in 1976 during the Emergency declared by Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. 500 workmen dug for 5 months
.Metal detectors were used. The important places where the digging took place were: all the major tanks, Lakshmi Vilas Palace, Lalit Mandir, Aram Mandir, the Puppet show theater and
the kitchens. But nothing was found. There was also a question raised in the Parliament of India on this issue whether a "search for treasure was carried out from 10th June 1976 till November 1976 by the Income Tax Authorities at Jaigarh Fort on the Delhi Jaipur Road was closed to ordinary traffic for one or two days so as to make way for military trucks carrying treasures to the residence of the then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi?" (Wikipedia)
Aesthetics
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| Aram Mandir and Char Bagh courtesy: Vssun commons.wikimedia.org |
Jaigarh Fort is built mostly with red sandstone and red -spotted white stone. It is a fantastic display of Rajput architecture. Subhat Niwas, Khilbati Niwas, Lakshmi Vilas, Surya Mandir, Vilas Mandir, Aram Mandir and its beautiful, square garden, Char Bagh, the Palace Hall with its decorated canopies, carved pillars done in araish plaster are a feast to the eye. The successive courtyards, suites, verandas, enclosed open spaces, cupolas with pointed or circular crests, crenelated fortification and the panoramic view from the seven-storied Diya Burj (turret of lamps) create everlasting magic. Even the barrel of Jaivan Cannon is beautifully carved with floral designs; an elephant rests on the tip of the barrel, a pair of peacocks is carved at the center, and a pair of ducks decorate the rear of the barrel.
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| Semicircular Arches ,Typical of Jaigarh Fort Architecture courtesy: anupamg Wikimedia commons |
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| Diya Burj courtesy: Vishalginodia Wikimedia commons |
As we look at the grand edifice,
mounted as high as a bird can soar, we think of the dark tunnel where perhaps
many hapless soldiers had toiled desperately to find open air; the treasure
which might still be hushed somewhere within the hollow mines of the fort. But
Jaigarh Fort, detached from these speculations, stands with peaceful majesty like a
natural sculpture, sculpted by time on the memories of mankind.
Tags: Military architecture, Hidden Tunnels, Hidden Treasure Trove, Search for Treasure, Cannon, Foundry, War Drums, Water Tanks, Jaigarh's treasure, Jaivan, Karak Bijli Cannon
