- Type
- Fortress
- Coordinates
- 30.2080°, 74.9372°
History
The fort's origins are uncertain: tradition credits its construction to Raja Dab and dates its oldest bricks to the Kushan period, while some historians hold that local Bhatti Rajput rulers built it in the early 9th century. The fortress has stood on its present site since at least the 12th century. Delhi Sultanate chronicles call the town Tabarhind – here the rebel governor Altunia held captive Razia, the first woman on the throne of Delhi, who later married him and marched on Delhi with him. The fort was rebuilt many times, notably under the Mughals and Emperor Akbar. In 1754 Baba Ala Singh, founder of the state of Patiala, took the fortress and renamed it Gobindgarh in honour of Guru Gobind Singh, who had come here in 1705 after the Battle of Muktsar. Two gurdwaras were later built within the walls to commemorate his visit; the main one dates from 1835, in the reign of Maharaja Karam Singh of Patiala.
What to see
Tall brick walls with bastions tower over the centre of Bathinda – the Imperial Gazetteer of India described 36 bastions and a height of about 118 feet. The fort is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. Most of it is closed to visitors; the lawns and the gurdwaras are open, including the one on the ramparts that marks Guru Gobind Singh's visit. The Rani Mahal palace above the entrance is a later addition.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q3926492
Popularity: articles about this site in 15 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).