SSC
Which fort in Himachal Pradesh is often described as one of the oldest dated forts in India?
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Answer: Option A — Kangra Fort
Detailed Solution
The Kangra Fort, in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, is often described as one of the oldest dated forts in India, and the largest fort in the Himalayas.
About Kangra Fort:
- It is located at the confluence of the Banganga and Patal Ganga (Majhi) rivers, near the town of Kangra (ancient Nagarkot).
- It was built by the Katoch dynasty of Kangra (Trigarta kingdom), which claims to be one of the oldest ruling dynasties in the world, mentioned in the Mahabharata.
- Historical records mention the fort at the time of Mahmud of Ghazni's invasion in 1009 CE, when he plundered the wealth of the Kangra (Nagarkot) temple.
- It was attacked and captured by several rulers over the centuries.
- Muhammad bin Tughlaq captured it in 1337.
- Firoz Shah Tughlaq captured it in 1365, and is said to have obtained many Sanskrit manuscripts from the temple of Jwalamukhi nearby, which he had translated into Persian.
- The Mughal emperor Jahangir captured it in 1620, after a long siege.
- In the late 18th century, the Katoch ruler Sansar Chand recovered it.
- Later, it came under Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Sikh empire (1809), and then under the British after the First Anglo-Sikh War (1846).
- It was badly damaged by the Kangra earthquake of 4 April 1905.
Features of the fort:
It has strong walls, several gates (such as the Ranjit Singh Gate and the Jahangiri Darwaza), and temples inside, such as the Ambika Devi temple and Jain temples.
Kangra region:
- It is famous for "Kangra painting", a school of Pahari miniature painting, which flourished under Raja Sansar Chand in the 18th-19th centuries.
- It is known for the Brajeshwari Devi temple and the Jwalamukhi temple.
Other ancient forts of India:
- Kumbhalgarh (Rajasthan): built by Rana Kumbha in the 15th century; famous for its long wall.
- Gwalior Fort (Madhya Pradesh): has inscriptions with one of the earliest known uses of zero (9th century).
- Chittorgarh Fort (Rajasthan): one of the largest forts in India.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Kumbhalgarh, Gwalior and Chittorgarh are other famous forts, but Kangra is described as one of the oldest dated forts.
Quick tip
Remember: Kangra Fort (Himachal Pradesh) = one of the oldest dated forts in India (Katoch dynasty; Nagarkot; captured by Jahangir 1620; damaged by the 1905 earthquake); Kangra painting = Sansar Chand.
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This topic covers India's important monuments, temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras and pilgrimage sites, who built them and when, their architectural styles, and India's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Questions ask who built a monument, where it is located, or which dynasty or style it belongs to. For example, the Qutub Minar was begun by Qutbuddin Aibak, and the Sun Temple at Konark was built by the Eastern Ganga king Narasimhadeva I. Revise the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as a list, noting the most recent additions. Practise the monuments and religious places questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.