Qila mubarak
This fort, designated as a Historical National Monument, forms the heart of the city of Bathinda, in Indian Punjab. It is believed to have been in existence for approximately 1900 years in its current form. Some sources have the structure in its original, primitive form dating back to the Harrapa period. It was here that Razia Sultan, the first woman to take charge of the Delhi throne was incarcerated on her defeat and dethroned. The bricks of the fort date back to the Kushana period when emperor Kanishka ruled over Northern India/Bactria. Raja Dab along with emperor Kanishka are believed to have built the fort:
A Brief History
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 90-110 AD | Emperor Kanishka and Raja Dab built it. |
| 179 AD | Bathinda town was established by Bhatti Rao. |
| 1004 AD | Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni captured it. |
| 1045 AD | Pir Hazi Rattan settled here for meditation. |
| 1189 AD | Sultan Mohammed Ghori captured it. |
| 1191 AD | Raja Prithvi Raj Chauhan recaptured it. |
| 1240 AD | Wikipedia:Razia Sultan prisoned here. |
| 1515 AD | Guru Nanak Dev visited this place. |
| 1665 AD | Guru Teg Bahadur visited this place. |
| 1705 AD | Guru Gobind Singh visited this place. |
| 1754 AD | Maharaja Ala Singh captured it. |
| 1835 AD | Maharaja Karam Singh built a Gurdwara here. |
| 2005 AD | Begin fort repairs by S.S. Chahal of Akal Society of America |
Fort Repairs
Currently, a team working under S.S. Chahal of the Akal Society of America, after conducting an extensive two year survey of the site has submitted a proposal of repairs to the Archeological Survey of India (ASI). The repair work, as proposed, will be funded by external funds, though the Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, had announced Rs 1.25 crore for Qila Mubarak's repair on June 21, 2005 at a ceremony held to mark the tercentenary celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh's visit to the fort. While awaiting final approval (which as been granted on the state level in Punjab, but not yet by the ASI), minor internal repairs are in progress at a slow pace.
External Links
http://www.infopunjab.com/punjab/travel/bathinda.htm
http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php?title=Bathinda
http://explorer.altopix.com/map/faoqnr/City_of_Bathinda.htm
http://www.indiasite.com/delhi/history/raziasultan.html
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20041009/punjab1.htm
http://us.geocities.com/bobwalia86/abooutbti.htm
