Kangra Nagarkot Fort

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Kangra Fort, Old Kangra, Himachal Pradesh

Detail InformationEdit

The Kangra Fort was the seat of power of the Katoch Raja’s and is believed to have been founded by Shusharma Chand Katoch. It was the ancient capital of the Katoch Kingdom and symbol of power in the Punjab hill states. The Fort of Nagarkot (Kangra) stands as a mute witness to the ravages of conquerors from Mahmud of Ghazni (1009 AD) to the emperor Jehangir (1619 AD) and the disastrous earthquake of April, 1905. Emperor Akbar made many attempts to capture this fort but could not succeed. This place is now called as ” Purana Kangra”. One can enter the fort by a narrow path. It was protected by a number of gates named after its winners like Jehangir, Ranjit Singh.

Kangra Fort

HistoryEdit

Kangra Fort, or Kot Kangra, or Nagarkot, as it was called, was recorded in history in 1009 CE when Mahmud of Ghazni attacked it. The fort belonged to the Katoch kings of Kangra, the remains of whose palaces can be seen today at the very top of the ridge. Attacked over a thousand years ago by Ghazni, the Tughlaks, Akbar and Jahangir, the Gurkhas and Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the fort was reduced to its present state of ruin by a more recent but older force — an earthquake in 1905. This calamity killed over 1,300 people in Kangra alone and ruined the town, fort and temples of the valley. The fort, also known as the Nagar Kot, is constructed on the confluence of the two rivers, Banganga and Manjhi. Located at a distance of 27 km from Palampur, this fort became historical when Mahmud of Ghazni attacked the Kangra city, in the year 1909. An important and the only unconquered fort in the region, it is famous for the carvings and miniature paintings, which have been restored and preserved at the Kangra museum. Apart from this, the fort also consists of various gates, shrines and a number of old palaces. An important feature inside the fort is also the presence of numerous Jain and Brahmanical temples, which date back to the 9th century AD. The fort ever since was extremely famous for the riches it harboured inside its premises, which prompted Mahmud of Ghazni to invade it in the first place. The entrance to the fort is guarded by wooden planks built on the base of an arch constructed with sandstones. A moat separates the fort from the outside world.

Must SeeEdit

Attraction

Visiting TimeEdit

9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Closed OnEdit

N.A

Best Season to VisitEdit

March – June

Best Time To VisitEdit

Morning, Afternoon, Evening.

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

1 to 2 hours

Ticket Required : Yes Edit

Individual National Adult Rs. : 150 per person (Indians) with Audio Guide.

Kids Rs. : 150 per person (Indians) with Audio Guide.

Individual Foreigner Adult Rs. : 300 per person (Foreigners) with Audio Guide.

Kids Rs. : 300 per person (Foreigners) with Audio Guide.

Still Photo Camera Rs. : N.A

Video Camera Rs. : N.A

Guide Required : No Edit

Approximate cost: N.A

Dress Code (If Any) : No Edit

Dress Require: N.A

Restaurants NearbyAdd / Edit

Royal ; Shimla-Kangra Rd, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh 176004 ; Ph/M – N.A ; Food Serve – Indian

How to ReachEdit

Taxi : Taxis and Auto rickshaws are easily available for moving about in the city.

Bus : Kangra is well connected by buses. State owned buses connect Kangra with all major cities in the state and the neighboring state. Buses ply between Kangra and Dharamsala, Palampur, Pathankot, Jammu, Amritsar and Chandigarh. Travelling from Delhi to Kangra can be comfortable and easy as there are many types of buses available for travellers. Different type of buses are available in this route like Volvo A/C Seater & SemiSleeper, Non A/C Seater. Now that redbus has tied up with many operators, booking tickets from Delhi to Kangra has become very easy.

Train : The nearest broad gauge railway station to Kangra is at Pathankot placed at a distance of about 90 km from Kangra. Taxi services are available from Pathankot to Kangra at a fatre of about Rs 1,000.

Air : The nearest airport to reach Kangra is Gaggal airport, placed at distance of 13 kms from Kangra city. Taxi cabs are available from all these airports to Kangra. The taxi fare varies depends on the season. Typically taxi charges are Rs.300 (Gaggal).

Others : Other than these, you can take a pony ride through the town of Kangra. This is very cheap, and a slow means of transport. This will cost you around Rs 10.

Things to CarryEdit

Good quality hiking boots or a sport shoe.
Waterproof carry bag ,One raincoat, 2 liter water bottle
Windcheater, woolen cap,Personal Items like Camera, Phone, camera and phone chargers, Towel, Identity cards, toiletries, Slippers, medicine and first aid kit,Trekking poles (optional).
One Sleeping bag, carry mat,Camping gear, tents, stove etc (Must be arranged by self or rent it from Dharamshala, McLeodganj).