Kangra Fort

The fort stands on a spur where the Banganga meets the Manjhi, built by the Katoch dynasty of Rajputs and among the oldest forts in India, though it changed hands many times. Its wealth came from the Brajeshwari temple below, whose treasury was rich enough that Mahmud of Ghazni sacked it in 1009 and others followed, and the fort itself was besieged repeatedly through Mughal and Sikh periods. An earthquake in 1905 wrecked much of it. What stands is a long gated approach climbing through successive courtyards, ruined temples of stone at the top, and a wide view over the Kangra valley to the Dhauladhar.

History

The fort was built by the Katoch dynasty of Rajputs, and its earliest surviving remains are Jain and Hindu temples of about the 9th and 10th centuries. The first recorded mention is its invasion by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1009; it was taken by Muhammad bin Tughluq in 1337, by Firuz Shah Tughluq in 1351 and by a general of Sher Shah Suri in 1540, the Katoch raja Dharam Chand submitted to Akbar in 1556, and in 1620 Jahangir annexed the Kangra kingdom and the fort was captured, staying under Mughal control until it was surrendered to the Sikh leader Jai Singh Kanhaiya in 1783 (Wikipedia, Kangra Fort).

Highlights

• The gated ascent - a series of gates and courtyards climbing the spur.
• The ruined temples - stone shrines at the summit of the fort.
• The earthquake damage - collapsed structures from the 1905 shock.
• The valley view - Kangra spread below with the Dhauladhar behind.

When to go

March to June and September to November; the monsoon in Kangra is very heavy. Mornings are best for the climb and the mountain view. The site is quiet compared with Dharamshala.

What to expect

The fort is largely ruined, with the 1905 earthquake having brought down much of it. The climb is steep on uneven stone. Interpretation beyond the audio guide is limited.

Nearby

Masroor temples lie southwest; Dharamshala is north.

Key facts