Poonch Fort

Poonch Fort or Poonch Qila located in the district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir is one of the important tourist attractions situated in the city of Poonch. This fort has witnessed many political and historical events which shaped the future of the region. This enthralling structure not only adds beauty to the city but it’s also an example of a living era in the course of time.

    

    It is an ancient fort whose history dates back to 16th century. Believed to be built in 1779 AD, the fort stands on a small hilltop covering a magnificent area of 7500 sq.mtrs. Though the foundation was laid by Raja Abdul Razak Khan in 1701 AD, this fort was completed by Raja Rustam Khan in 1779. The architecture of the building is greatly influenced by the architectural style of Mughals.

    A series of buildings located in the north-western corner of the fort complex date back to the Sikh period. This region was ruled by the Sikhs during 1819 – 1846 which reflects in the construction style of the central block. Most of the buildings in this section of fort are said to have been constructed by either Misar Diwan Chand or Diwan Moti Ram. During the reign of Sikhs, certain changes were done in the main block of the fort in Sikh style of architecture. This fort came under the rule of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh of the Dogra dynasty from 1850- 1947 which is also coined as golden period by historians. Raja Moti Singh, who founded the Dogra Raj in Poonch, hired architects from Europe to construct the Durbar hall building during 1850-1892.

    It is surrounded by a dry ditch on its northern side and is protected by 35 ft high masonry rampart wall. The fort is flanked by the main road on the southern side and a smaller approach road on its eastern side. The fort has more than 80 rooms that are elegantly designed and also accommodates a small mosque, a temple and a gurdwara in it's premises. Within its quadrilateral ramparts lie series of rooms that were being used as government offices prior to the 2005 earthquake. The confines of the fort house several buildings oriented around open courtyards offering a mix of Mughal, Dogra and Colonial architectural styles. Much of the historic fabric of the fort complex has been lost during past reconstruction and repair practises and the destruction caused by the 2005 earthquake. In addition to the older structures in the fort, there are a number of newly constructed office buildings that further spoil the historic character of the complex. Despite the apathy facing the fort and the buildings therein, it still retains a historic character reminiscent of its bygone glory. At present, the complex is ventured very little and has been left totally unattended, as most of the offices have been shifted after the fort was declared unsafe in 2005. There are six major buildings within the fort of which the Durbar Hall could be considered as one of the most significant and fairly well preserved. The main fade of the Durbar hall stands impressively above the main road that leads to the Qila and is adorned by decorative features like semi-circular arched openings, pediments, large arcaded colonnades, series of windows, niches, corbelled mouldings etc. The main market (Bazaar)takes off from the fort itself.

    This area was one of the most affected ones during the Indian partition of 1947 and was badly destroyed in the earthquake of 2005. These events have therefore left a permanent and prominent impression on the people and also add in unique ways, to the cultural essence of the place.