Situated in Jammu city, Bahu Fort was originally built around 3,000 years ago by Raja Bahulochan. However, in the 19th century, Dogra rulers took up restoration work to fix this fort into a stronger building. Locally termed as Bave Wali Mata temple, the fort serves as a religious place for devotees as it houses a temple dedicated to Hindu Goddess Kali within its premises. It is surrounded by beautiful well laid gardens and makes a great stop for picnics and holidays.

Historic Factor

As per some legends, Raja Jambu Lochan, brother of Bahu Lochan saw a tiger and a goat drinking water side by side in River Tawi while on a hunting trip. He considered this a divine intervention to establish the fort and his new capital, Jammu.

Architecture and Legacy

Located on a high plateau land, Bahu Fort has Tawi River on its left. Adjoining the fort is a forest area that’s now a well laid out park, called ‘Bagh-e-Bahu’ with a view of the entire city. It’s situated at a distance of about 5 kilometers from city center. Designed in Mughal architecture, this fort has an artistic appeal. The structure of Bahu Fort is being increased to the height of about 325 meters. Built by sandstones, this fort was originally made of bricks and lime. It has thick walls that are linked by 8 octagonal towers. There’s an enclosed space in the towers for house guards. The main gate is huge to even let animals such as elephants enter.

The pond here is 6.1 × 6.1 meters (20feet) in size with a water depth of 4.6 meters (15feet). On the right side is a pyramidal structure, which is a store for ammunition. There’s an underground chamber that was prison. There’s also a secret exit, which was made for emergencies. On the first floor are arches and floral designs. The fort includes a royal stable, a lake for boating and cable car system.

The Mahakali temple within the fort was built in the 8th century. Earlier, the temple used to hold animal sacrifice ritual, which is now ceased.

Bahu Mela

Bahu Mela, a popular colorful Hindu festival is held during the Navratras in the fort area twice a year, which attracts lot of pilgrims.

Destruction Due to Rains

This year due to heavy rains, a major part of the fort got washed away by the rainwater. However no causalities were reported.

How to Reach

Reaching Bahu Fort is convenient as it’s just 5 kilometers away from the city center. The nearest railway station is Jammu Tawi, which is linked with major Indian cities via rail. The station is also connected with the southern railway station of Trivandrum.

Jammu airport is also well connected with major cities of India such as Mumbai, New Delhi, Leh and Srinagar. Bus and taxi services from Jammu are also well developed and connected with Amritsar, Ambala, Shimla, Manali, Ludhiana and Delhi via NH-1A.

Best Time to Visit

Best time to visit Jammu is from September to April. In summers, the temperature can go up to 45°C and winters remain cold.