If there is one thing that connects erstwhile kings and children of any era – it is their fascination for building forts!
The war over land, honour and ego, made humans grasp the importance of building fortresses to defend themselves. On the other hand, children learn to build forts around the age of 5-6 years as a milestone in their cognitive development!
According to David Sobel, building forts in childhood is an indicator of independence, problem solving, planning and social skills.
Fortification has been a central element in human evolution. The childhood urge to create an independent space has led many great kings to built magnanimous structures to showcase power and win wars. These forts they built, with considerable amount of wealth and ardour, are marvellous destination for both the traveler & the student inside you.
Origins of Forts
One could argue that the walls erected by the first human settlers, to defend themselves from wild animals, were the earliest form of forts! As the population increased and the concept of ‘State’ emerged, forts become more sophisticated.
Chanakaya, the great Indian philosopher in his world famed political treatise, Arthashastra, propagated the need for fortification. Even the Vedas, mentions words like Pur, Prthvi , Urvi, Satabhuji and Asmamay which indicates forts in India during the ancient times.
‘A warrior protected by the fort can fight with a hundred enemy soldiers and a force of one hundred fighting from the fort can encounter ten thousand enemy soldiers.’
– Manu
Types of Forts in India
The forts in India can be classified on the basis of their geographic location, the nature of terrain and the mode of defence. According to Chanakaya’s Arthashastra, there are 6 types of forts in India and he treats forts as one of the major pillars of a king’s ascendancy.
- Jala-durga – water-fortification
- Maru-durga – desert fortification
- Giri-durga – mountainous fortification
- Vana-durga – forest fortification
- Mahi-durga – Earthen fortification
- Nri-durga – human fortification
Aguada Fort, View from Sinquerim Beach 
Gwalior Fort
Glimpse of India’s Past
From the hilly terrain of Kangra, to the wild deserts of Rajasthan, to the island of Janjira, forts are found everywhere in India. In this post, I have tried to list down the famous and not-so-famous Forts in India – state wise.
Forts in Central India
- Chhattisgarh – Kosagaigarh Fort, Lafagarh Fort, Ratangarh Fort
- Madhya Pradesh – Ahilya Fort, Ajaigarh Fort, Asirgarh Fort, Baldeogarh Fort, Chanderi Fort, Dhar Fort, Gulganj Fort, Gwalior Fort, Orchha Fort Complex
You can read about Forts in Central India here:
Forts in East India
- Bihar – Buxar Fort, Darbhanga Fort, Munger Fort
- Jharkhand – Palamu old and new Fort, Shahpur Fort, Teliagarhi Fort
- Odisha – Barabati Fort, Chudanga Gada Fort, Potagada Fort
- West Bengal – Buxa Fort, Fort Williams, Kurumbera Fort
Forts in North India
- Haryana – Jind Fort, Hansi Fort, Gujri Fort
- Himachal Pradesh – Kangra Fort, Gondhla Fort, Jaitak Fort, Solasingi Fort, Kotla Fort, Banasar Fort, Nurpur Fort
- Jammu and Kashmir – Hari Parbat Fort, Akhnoor Fort
- Punjab – Bahadurgarh Fort, Gobindgarh Fort, Qila Mubarak
- Rajasthan – Amer Fort, Bala Fort, Bhangarh Fort, Chittorgarh Fort, Jaisalmer Fort, Jhalawar Fort, Junagarh Fort, khaba Fort, Khimsar Fort, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Lohagarh Fort, Mehrngarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort, Neemrana Fort, Sajjangarh Fort, Taragarh Fort
- Delhi – Ferozshah kotla Fort, Purana Qila, Qila Rai Pithora, Red Fort, Tuglaqabad Fort
- Chandigarh – Surajpur Fort
- Uttarakhand – Pithorgarh Fort, Vanasur Fort
- Uttar Pradesh – Agra Fort, Allahabad Fort, Chunar Fort, Fatehpur sikri Fort, Jhansi Fort, Ramnagar Fort, Vijaygarh Fort
- Ladakh – Basgo Fort, Tsemo Fort
Forts in North East India
- Arunachal Pradesh – Bhismaknagar Fort, Dirang Dzong, Ita fort
- Assam – Garchuk Lachit Fort
- Manipur – Kangla Fort
- Nagaland – Khonoma Fort
- Sikkim – Mangar Fort
You can read about Forts in North East India here:
Forts in South India
- Andhra Pradesh – Chandragiri Fort, Gandikota Fort, Gooty Fort, Udaygiri Fort
- Karnataka – Bangalore Fort, Bidar Fort, Bijapur Fort, Channarayana Durga Fort, Chitradurga Fort, Madikeri Fort, Mirjan Fort, Srirangapatnam Fort
- Kerala – Anchuthengu Fort, Bekal Fort, Palakkad Fort, Pallipuram Fort, St.Angelo Fort, Thalassery Fort
- Tamil Nadu – Alamparai Fort, Fort Dansborg, Gingee Fort, Thirumayam Fort, Udaygiri Fort, Vellore Fort,
- Telangana – Golconda Fort, Medak Fort, Ramagiri Fort, Wranagal Fort
You can read about Forts in South India here:
- Forts in South India
Forts in Western India
- Goa – Aguada Fort, Betul Fort, Cabo De Rama Fort, Corjuem Fort, Chapora Fort, Reis Magos Fort, Tiracol Fort
- Gujarat – Bhadra Fort, Champaner Fort, Kanthkot Fort, kaligam Fort, Lakhpat Fort, Roha Sumari Fort, Tera Fort
- Maharashtra – Ahmednagar Fort, Birwadi Fort, Daulatabad Fort, Karnala Fort, Jaigad Fort, Lohagad Fort, Mahim Fort, Naldurg Fort, Ratnagiri Fort, Visapur Fort, Shinhagad Fort, Murud Janjira Fort, Rajmachi Fort, Panhala Fort
- Daman and Diu – Diu Fort, Fort St.Anthony of Simbor
We love to visit this place, the pics are incredible here.
I’ve never been but I would like to visit it someday when the pandemic is over! These forts look amazing!
Yes, the forts are magnificent. You should definitely plan after the COVID – 19 situation gets better.
India looks so beautiful and their forts are amazing. I would love to visit there and see it with my own eyes. Great job!
You will be amazed with the magnitude of some of the forts in India. The splendour is just unimaginable.
Amazing buildings! India seems so interesting!
India is a beautiful country indeed. We have some of the strongest and most beautiful structures in the world.
India has really very interesting and amazing forts…These really looks so stunning and wonderful..Will love to visit thanks for sharing them..Loved them..Great work…
Thank you for your feedback. You should definitely visit some of these forts.
Honestly I have no idea how many forts were in India, it was interesting to know the 6 types of forts. This article is so informative with all the options per region.
Thank you Silvia. I hope you visit India in the future and see these amazing forts yourself.
I love visiting forts… Many are still left. Thanks for this great list…
Thats awesome Monidipa that you have already visited some of these forts in India.
India is such an amazing place. We had a blast when we visited
Thats good to know Marta that you had a good time in India. Did you get to see any of the Forts in India.
We saw the Red Fort in Delhi and the Agra Fort in Agra
I would love to visit India. My parents are going back again next year for another tour of the country. They love visiting all the forts.
You should totally accompany them to India next year. Your parents will love the forts here then. Do forward this post to them so that they get a brief idea about what to expect.
Oh my gosh, those forts are amazing! I’m kind of surprised at how fancy and intricate they are!
There is a lot of amalgamation between various forms of art and architecture. It shows the diversity of India.
These are some amazing buildings. They look so huge and have great character.
I have visited a few forts in my native country but none in India. Hopefully one day I will. It was very interesting learning the different types of forts.
You should visit India, Tara. These forts are magnanimous in real life with so many untold stories behind them.
Your photos are great. Forts are great and hold so much history. Such a great share.
Thank you. Yes, forts have stood the testimony of time.
There is so much history in India. I love the forts.
Indeed, forts are a standing history lessons to be learnt.
WOW that was absolutely fascinating to read such facts about India! Love the pictures 🙂
Thank you Maria.
I 10000% want to explore India, BADLY. Just need this travel ban to be lifted, ASAP so I can make this happen!
I hope you get to do that soonest. 🙂
How neat. I will have to get to India one day. All of these forts look amazing.
Thank you! Yes you should most definitely come and explore India. I am sure you will love some of our forts.
Love the way you began the article, connecting it to forts built during childhood :)I never knew that there are forts in East and NE India! I learnt something new.
Thank you dear Nadine. Being a psychologist, I tend to bring a bit of psychology into my posts 🙂 North East has some great forts with amazing stories behind them. Though they are not anywhere near to their Northern counterparts in size but still they played an important role in protecting the people during their times.