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
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
