The Gagron Fort is strategically built on the confluence of two rivers Ahu and KaliSindh that flow in deep gorges. Built by Parmar Rajputs as Dodha-Garh and later developed by Khichi Chauhans of the Jhalawar region of Rajasthan this is one of the 6 forts of Rajashtan included in the UNESCO world heritage list. The other 5 are Chittorgarh Fort, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Jaisalmer Fort, Ranthambhore Fort in Sawai Madhopur, and Amer Fort in Jaipur.
So three sides of the fort are invincible to the enemy. The fourth side has a moat. A collapsible cantilever bridge spans the moat.
Mahamud Khilji attacked the Gagron fort and was not able to win it for a long time. A washerman revealed the secret of the power of the Hindu king who worship Godesses Kali after religiously taking a bath daily and the water was taken from a well that was in the center of this bastion. The water in the well was derived directly from the adjacent rivers.
Khilji had a cow killed and thrown into the well polluting and thus cutting off the water supply to the fort. Unwillingly the Hindu king decided to leave the fort and fight Khilji. It was decided that a Saffron flag would be waved if he returned victoriously and a green flag if he was defeated. He won the battle against Khilji, though someone mischievously waved a green flag upon which the queens performed Johar or self-immolation to save them from the disgrace of Alauddin Khilji who was notorious necro-phile and pedeo-phile. This was done in the Johar Kund.
The fort has many buildings and structures like the Barudkhana ammunition section, palaces, pavilions, DwarkaDheesh Krishna Temple.
These buildings are spread all over the fort premises and there were various entrance gates to control access to these palaces and sections as seen in the collage below.
The fort is so old that the roots of the Peepal trees have interwoven with the bastion walls.
The Gagron fort has a triple fortification with a gate at each entrance named Suraj Pol, Bhairav Pol, and Ganesh Pol.
The prominent bastions that still survive are Ram Burj, Dhvaj Burj, and the Chuda Burj. The Chuda is a style of Bangles in Rajasthan and the bastion appears similar to the Chuda hence the name Chuda Burj.
The walls along the river-sides are hundreds of feet tall and wide enough to allow two horsemen each to pass across. The river overflows in the rainy season and the tour guide told me the view is breathtakingly majestic. This is similar in many ways to the views at the Garadia Mahadev temple.
Where to Stay?
I stayed in Hotel Indraprastha Residency and the service was poor though the rooms were economical and in very good condition.
Where to eat?
The above hotel also has an attached restaurant though on the previous day, I tried Shivam Restaurant and the next day Planet of Snacks and found both to be good.
Accessibility Features
There is ample accessible parking and I cold drive right inside the fort through the various gates. There is also a tactile map of the fort for the visually impaired. Ramps are present everywhere to access the various temples, palaces, and sections of the fort.
Here’s a snapshot:
Ramp access.
A wheelchair-accessible Entrance.
A wheelchair-accessible Restroom/Toilet.
A wheelchair-accessible Parking.
