| Bhadra Fort | |
|---|---|
| Part ofOld Ahmedabad | |
| Ahmedabad,India | |
 Bhadra fort in 1872 | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Castle andCity wall |
| Code | ASI Monument N-GJ-2 |
| Owner | ASI |
| Controlled by |
|
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Ruined with survival of western walls and gates |
| Location | |
 | |
| Coordinates | 23°1′25″N72°34′52″E / 23.02361°N 72.58111°E /23.02361; 72.58111 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 4 March, 1411 (1411)[1] |
| Built by | Ahmad Shah I ofMuzaffarid dynasty |
| Materials | Stone and brick |
| Battles/wars | First Anglo-Maratha War (1779) |
Bhadra Fort is situated in thewalled city area ofAhmedabad,India. It was built byAhmad Shah I in 1411. With its well carved royal palaces, mosques, gates and open spaces, it was renovated in 2014 by theAmdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and theArchaeological Survey of India (ASI) as a cultural centre for the city.
It is believed the fort adopted the nameBhadra after a temple ofBhadra Kali, a form ofLaxmi which was established during Maratha rule[1][2][3] but a plaque near fort tells a different story:
"The Bhadra Gate - C.A.D. 1411 - The massive fortified gate was built in or about 1411 to serve as the principal eastern entrance of the palace erected here by Sultan Ahmad Shah I (1411-1442), the founder of Ahmedabad. The palace called the Bhadra after the ancient Rajput citadel of that name at Anhilwada-Patan (Baroda State), which the first three kings of the dynasty of Gujarat Sultans had held before Ahmedabad became the capital. Three inscribed slabs on the walls connecting this gateway with two ancillary gates behind are now almost completely defaced. One of these appears to show a date of the time of Jahangir (1605-1627). "[4][5]
Ahmedabad was named afterAhmad Shah I of theMuzaffarid dynasty. He establishedAhmedabad as the new capital ofGujarat Sultanate and built Bhadra Fort on the east bank of theSabarmati River. It was also known asArak Fort as described inMirat-i-Ahmadi. The foundation stone of fort was laid down atManek Burj in 1411. Square in form, enclosing an area of about forty-three acres, and containing 162 houses, the Bhadra fort had eight gates, three large, two in the east and one in the south-west corner; three middle-sized, two in the north and one in the south; and two small, in the west.[5] The area within the fort had become occupied by urban developments by 1525.[1][2] So a second fortification was built later byMahmud Begada, the grandson of Ahmed Shah, with an outer wall 10 km (6.2 mi) in circumference and consisting of 12 gates, 189 bastions and over 6,000 battlements as described inMirat-i-Ahmadi.[6] Almost 60 governors ruledGujarat during theMughal period including the future Mughal emperorsJahangir,Shah Jahan andAurangzeb.[7][8] A seraglio was built later in the 17th century by a Mughal governor, Azam Khan, known asAzam Khan Sarai.[9][2] It was used as aMusafir khana (a resting place for travellers) during Mughal rule.[3][10]
SarsenapatiUmabaisaheb Khanderao Dabhade became the only female Commander-in-Chief in the history of the Marathas in 1732. She commanded the Maratha Army and fought a war near Ahmedabad at Bhadra Fort defeating Mughal Sardar Joravar Khan Babi.
Joint rule byPeshwa andGaekwad of theMaratha Empire brought an end to the Mughal era in 1783. During theFirst Anglo–Maratha War (1775–1782), General Thomas Wyndham Goddard with 6,000 troops stormed Bhadra Fort and captured Ahmedabad on 15 February 1779. There was a garrison of 6,000 Arab and Sindhi infantry and 2,000 horses. Losses in the fight totalled 108, including two Britons. After the war, the fort was later handed back to Marathas under theTreaty of Salbai.[10][11][12]
Ahmedabad was conquered by the British in 1817.[2] The fort complex was used as a prison during theBritish Raj.[3]
Azam Khan sarai currently houses the government offices, anASI office, a post office and the city's civil courts. It is also used for flag hoisting on Independence Day and Republic Day.[3][10]
Bhadra Fort housed royal palaces and the beautiful Nagina Baugh and the royalAhmed Shah's Mosque on the west side and an open area known asMaidan-Shah on the east side. It had a fortified city wall with 14 towers, eight gates and two large openings covering an area of 43 acres. The eastern wall on the river bank can still be seen. The fort complex was used as a royal court during his reign. On the eastern side of a fort, there is a triple gateway known asTeen Darwaza which was formerly an entrance to the royal square,Maidan-Shah. The road beyondTeen Darwaza leadsManek Chowk, a mercantile square. On the south side along the road, there is a congregational mosque known asJami Masjid.[1][2][3]
The citadel's architecture is Indo-sarcenic with intricately carved arches and balconies. Fine latticework adorns windows and murals. There are some Islamic inscriptions on the arches of the fort. The palace contains royal suites, the imperial court, halls, and a prison.[1][2][3]
The Maidan-Shah, or the kings market, is at least 1600 feet long and half as many broad and beset all about with rows of Palm-trees and Date-trees intermixed with Citron-trees and Orange-trees, whereof there are very many in the several streets: which is not only verry pleasant to the sight, by the delightful prospect it affords, but also makes the walking among them more convenient by reason of the coolness. Besides this Maidan, there are in the city four Bazaars, or public places, where are sold all kind of merchandise.
— Johan Albrecht de Mandelslo, German traveller; in October, 1638, Mandelslo's Travels In Western India, Page 22[10][13]
Azam Khan, also known as Mir Muhammad Baquir was a Mughal governor. He built a palace known asAzam Khan Sarai in 1637. Its entrance, 5.49 meters high, opens onto an octagonal hall which had a low balcony made up of stone in the upper floor. It was used as a resting place for travellers in the Mughal era and as a hospital and a jail during British rule.[8][14] There was a gibbet on the roof of Azam Khan Sarai used for hanging during the Gujarat Sultanate and the British era. According to one story, it was here Ahmed Shah hanged his son-in-law who was convicted of murder.[15]
A room in north wing ofAzam Khan Sarai was turned into the temple of Bhadra Kali duringMaratha rule.[1][3] It has a black statue of Goddess Bhadra Kali with four hands.
Years ago,Laxmi, the Goddess of Wealth, came to the gate of Bhadra Fort to leave the city in the night. Watchman Siddique Kotwal stopped her and identified her. He asked her not to leave fort until he obtained permission from the king. He beheaded himself in order to keep Laxmi in the city. It resulted in the prosperity of the city.[16]
There is a tomb near Bhadra Gate dedicated to Siddique Kotwal and a temple to Bhadra Kali, representing Laxmi.[16] A lamp in one of the hole inTeen Darwaza is lit continuously for more than six hundred years by a Muslim family is dedicated to Laxmi.[17]
The Bhadra Fort tower clock was brought fromLondon in 1849 at cost of Rs. 8000 and installed here at the cost of £243 (Rs. 2430) in 1878 by theBritish East India Company. At night, it was illuminated from behind by akerosene lamp which was replaced by an electric light in 1915. Ahmedabad's first electrical connection, it ceased to operate in the 1960s but theAMC and theASI now plan to repair it.[18][19]
Under Bhadra Plaza Development Project, an initiative of theAMC and the ASI, Bhadra Fort was renovated and the open space between the fort andTeen Darwaza, earlier known asMaidan-Shah was restored. Landscaping was recreated based on the accounts of historical past travellers. The work started on 26 January 2012 and the renovation of open areas was completed in November 2014.[20] The cost of the project is estimated Rs 115 crore. A stretch between the fort andTeen Darwaza earlier known asMaidan-Shah was declared a pedestrian zone. The new public amenities, marble benches and kiosks for hawkers were constructed.[21] There are also plans for a pedestrian bridge connecting Bhadra plaza with theSabarmati riverfront and a multilevel car park at Lal Darwaza. The museum and galleries are planned on the first floor of the fort palace while a handicraft outlet will be housed on the ground floor. A traditional restaurant, food and ethnic markets as well as an exhibition centre are also planned.[3][10][22][23][24][25] It is the first heritage and pedestrianization project underJnNURM.[26]Jaishankar Sundari hall, a performing arts venue, was renovated and reopened in 2010.[27]
The city civil court and sessions court were operated in buildings adjacent to Azam Khan Sarai. They were transferred to old high court building on Ashram Road. The new eight-floor court building is planned after demolition of old buildings. The plan was challenged inGujarat High Court citing protected monument laws and regulations but high court permitted the construction after presentation by authorities.[28][29]
ahmedabad.
