Kuchesar Fort (alternatively known asRao Raj Vilas Kuchesar Fort) is located atKuchesar, inBulandshahr,Uttar Pradesh,India, approximately 84.3 kilometers (52.4 miles) east ofDelhi.
The fort was historically part of theKuchesar estate, ruled byJat 'Rajas'.[1]
In 2007, the fort was restored and turned into a hotel by Ajit Singh known as the Rao Raj Vilas Fort Kuchesar[2] or Rao Raj Vilas,[3] and has become a popular tourist attraction for the city. The resort preserves the fort's mid-18th century influences and reflects the vibrant mix of cultures.
Kuchesar Fort was built in 1734 as anopium trading post, by the rulers of Kuchesar,[4] which belonged to theDalal clan of theJat people. In 1763 Afrasiab Khan,governor of nearbyKoyal, took over the fort with a plot involving a royal eunuch spiking drinks with opium. The Jat rulers reclaimed the fort in 1782 and have held it ever since.[5] After the PashtunNajib ad-Dawlah bestowed the Jat family with the title ofRao Bahadur, the fort served as the seat of the Jat Kingdom of Uttar Pradesh.[6] After the decline of theMughal Empire, theJat people competed withMarathas,Rohillas, French colonists, traders, explorers, and theBritish East India Company for control of the area. In 1790, the fort was granted to Ajit Singh's family on a perpetual lease by Mughal EmperorShah Alam II.[7] This grant was reaffirmed by theBritish in 1803.[8] Kuchesar Fort was also a Center for the Rai Brahmins or Bhatts (a branch of theKashmiri Brahmins), who were the Rajkavi of Kuchesar State, performing a role similar to that of apoet laureate.
In 2007, the Kuchesar Fort was restored by Ajit Singh. The Kuchesar Fort is named Rao Raj Vilas Kuchesar Fort because Rao Raj Vilas is an older section structured in 1732 by Umrao Singh's Ancestor. Since 2007, the Rao Raj Vilas is a heritage hotel as the architecture consists of both Mughal and British.
Kuchesar Fort plays a significant role in Indian History. The inception of the Fort was done during the Mughals, and the British took over in 1803. The Kuchesar's rulers built the Fort. The chronology of the Kuchesar Fort is as follows –
The established area of the Fort, tracing back to the 1730s belongs to Kunwar Ajit Singh, the grandson of Rao Giriraj Singh, who is the last Rao Bahadur of Kuchesar. He holds part of the stronghold as his home, and the other segment has been made into a royal hotel, being overseen by his children Anant Jeet Singh and AnekJit Singh.
The heritage hotel named Rao Raj Vilas, Kuchesar, has been re-established and is being overseen by the owner's family. It has been in function since 2007. Neemrana revamped the other part of the Fort.
Some Bollywood films and songs were shoot here, includingThe Hungry film by Bomila Chatarjee, starring Naseeruddin Shah and Tisca Chopra.
The fort is located in theGanges River basin 24 kilometers from the bank of the river.[9] Located atKuchesar, inBulandshahr,Uttar Pradesh,India, approximately 84.3 kilometers (52.4 miles) east ofDelhi.
...the eastern [Jats] dwelt as sub-proprieters or occupancy tenants in landlord estates, among which the huge patrimony established by Gulab Singh, the loyalist Jat raja ofKuchchesar, was pre-eminent.
Kuchesar travel guide from Wikivoyage