Bhadra Fort Ahmedabad : Bhadra Fort is located in Ahmedabad, the largest city of Gujarat state. Bhadra Fort was built by Ahmed Shah I in the 14th century. Bhadra Fort is situated on the eastern bank of Sabarmati River. It is a huge fort which holds a very important place in the history of Ahmedabad and Gujarat.
भद्रा किला अहमदाबाद | Bhadra Kila Ahmedabad in Hindi
History – Bhadra Fort Ahmedabad
The history of Bhadra Fort is the history of Ahmedabad. About 1000 years ago, Bhil king Aspal ruled here. King Karna of Chalukya dynasty established his rule here after defeating Bhil king Aspal. King Karna had established the city of Karnavati at that time. This Karnavati city later became Ahmedabad.
Ahmed Shah, the then ruler of Ahmedabad, laid the foundation of this fort in the year 1411 and the first part to be built in this fort was Manik Burj. The Ahmed Shahi dynasty ruled here for about one hundred and fifty years. After the dynasty of Ahmed Shah, Ahmedabad was ruled by the Mughals. Through Jahangir, Shah Jahan, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, this fort was snatched from the control of the Mughals with the joint efforts of Peshwa and Maratha.
After that, there was a fierce war between the British and the Marathas in 1775 and 1782 in which the Marathas were defeated but at that time, under a treaty, this fort was returned to the Marathas. This fort was considered extremely lucky for the rulers as well as the city. The British captured Ahmedabad in 1817 and later used the fort as a prison where revolutionaries were kept.
Architecture – Bhadra Fort Ahmedabad
Bhadra Fort is spread over an area of approximately 43 acres. It is a huge fort which has about 162 houses. A historical gateway was built to enter the Bhadra Fort which is now also known as a cultural center.
The northern entrance of the Bhadra Fort has an arch that opens into an octagon-shaped hall. There is also a dome shaped chamber below this hall. The fort consists of about 14 circular structures which also include several palaces, temples and mosques.
Teen Darwaja – Bhadra Fort Ahmedabad
Teen Darwaza (Triple Gate) of Bhadra Fort is the main attraction of the fort. There was a main gate leading to the ground in front of the fort, which was called Maidan Shah, which was an open ground where date and palm trees were planted.
Pir Darwaja – Bhadra Fort Ahmedabad
The tower of the main entrance of this fort is called Pir Darwaza. This part of the fort is also called Bhadra Darwaza. There is also another door called Lal Darwaja, outside which there is a temple of Mata Bhadrakali. The third gate is Ganesh Bari and the two gates Baradari and Ram Darwaza are the main ones.
Ahmad Shah Masjid – Bhadra Fort Ahmedabad
Ahmed Shah Mosque is a big mosque located in this fort which was used by the people of the royal family to offer namaz. This mosque has five domes which were built very beautifully. Ahmed Shah Mosque is considered to be the oldest mosque in Ahmedabad.
Maidan Shah – Bhadra Fort Ahmedabad
Maidan Shah Bhadra is an open ground on the eastern side of the Fort which was used by the royal family as a procession and polo sports area. Palm trees, dates and orange trees were also planted here. The way to Maidan Shah was through Teen Darwaza, where 25 feet high arches are built.
Manik Chawk
Manik Chowk is a main market of Ahmedabad city. Presently a vegetable market is established here. Kulfi of Manik Chowk is considered very famous.
Azam Khan Sarai
The Azam Khan Sarai main entrance consists of a 5.49 meter tall building known as the Ashtkon / Octagon Hall. This is a resting place where arrangements were made for people to rest. This resting place was used as a hospital and jail during the British era.
Bhadrakaali Mandir
During the Maratha rule, a room of Azam Khan Sarai was converted into Bhadrakali temple in which the 4 handed idol of Mata Kali is installed. The story of Siddhaki Kotwal related to this temple is popular here. It is said that Siddhiki Kotwal was a watchman. He saw Goddess Lakshmi here. He then cut off his own head. It is said that he took this step for the prosperity of the city so that the goddess could live there and the city would become a prosperous city forever. It is said that Goddess Kali is the protector of this city.
Ghantaghar – Bhadra Fort Ahmedabad
The clock tower was built by the British inside this fort in which first an earthen lamp was lit at night and later the British made it an electric tower.
Presently Bhadra Fort serves as the office of Archaeological Survey of India, Post Office and Civil Court.
Time to Visit Bhadra Fort
No fee is charged to visit Bhadra Fort and the time to visit the fort is from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
How to reach Bhadra Fort
Ahmedabad city is the largest and main city of Gujarat. One can easily reach here by state transport bus, taxi or one’s own vehicle.
If you are traveling by flight, then you can reach Sardar Vallabh Bhai International Airport in Ahmedabad from all the main airports of the country and abroad. To reach Bhadra Fort from the airport, you can use private taxi, rent car or local transport.
If you are traveling by train, then Ahmedabad railway station is a big station where you can reach from any part of the country by direct or connected train.
Leave a Reply