Located in the beautiful town of Reasi, Bhimgarh Fort was a former residence of the royal family. Reasi is a beautiful and small town, which lies 64 km away from Jammu in Udhampur district. Bhimgarh Fort is thus located on the north-west side of Jammu.

This fort is also famous as Reasi Fort which is derived from the name of its town. Originally built up of clay and mud, this fort is located at a slope that’s 493 feet high. This fort was later renovated and handed over to Jammu and Kashmir. It was open for all and surroundings of the fort were converted into beautiful gardens and pathways. Its royalty and quiet attracts people. All of this makes Bhimgarh Fort one of the most powerful landmarks of Jammu & Kashmir.

About Bhimgarh Fort

Bhimgarh Fort of Udhampur is made up of clay and mud. In the earlier times, it was used by Maharaja and his family as a shelter to escape from the British during a raid or during wars. This fort is at a hillock in a small town of Udhampur. This fort overlooks Anji River and it presents commendable view of lush areas.

The main entrance gate is made up of Baluka stone and is designed in a Rajasthani pattern. The front wall has loopholes and it is about 50 meters long and 1 meter wide.

The name of this fort is also significant as it comes from Mahabharata era. It is named after the second Pandava brother Bhim and this Fort is a symbol of his strength and dreadful appearance.

History

Initially made of clay and mud, this fort was redone using more reliable materials later. The idea was to protect it again and to give it a stronger base. This was done by a follower of Maharaja Rishipal Rana, who founded this town. Thus, the fort was reconstructed with stone. Renovation work of Bhimgarh Fort was initially started by Maharaja Gulab Singh, the former Ruler of Jammu and Kashmir way back in 1817. This continued up till 1841 after it was announced completed, and refurbished with stones to fortify the Fort. Some changes were brought to the fort such as new entrance gate was introduced and a wall of 50 meters was made all around the fort to protect it from any attacks.

To make it beautiful the gate was decorated with a perfect Rajasthani carving. Entrance gate of this fort is decorated with Goddess Mahakaali’s and Lord Hanuman’s gigantic statues which symbolize protection and strength against evil.

Within the premises of Bhimgarh Fort is an old temple, a small savior, a dumping room and a treasury. There are many rooms of different sizes. In 1989, when the fort was vacated, it was handed over to the Archaeology Department of Jammu and Kashmir by state Government of India. In 1990 Board Committee of Vaishno Devi Sithapana renovated the fort to make it a tourist place.

After going through a number of earthquakes in the past, the fort is still capable enough to hold its own weight.

Best Time to Visit

The region of Reasi experiences semi tropical climate and conditions are smooth for most months of the year. This place does not get good amount of rainfall during monsoon season. Summers are warm, mild and this is a good time to visit this place. The winters here are eventually harsh and it’s not the good time to visit.

Summer season starts from April and lasts till June. Maximum temperature during the summer season is around 38°C because this is a valley. Minimum temperature during summers is around 27°C.

Monsoon season is from July to September. This place receives less rainfall.

Winter season starts from October and lasts till February. Temperatures hover at 0°C minimum and can rise up to around 20°C during at this time.