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Jhansi Fort

The Jhansi Fort, also known as the Jhansi ka Killa is nestled on the Bangira hilltop in UP. This fortress has served as a major Chandela stronghold between the 11th and 17th centuries. The name Jhansi came from ‘Jhanisi’ meaning indistinct. In 1729, Jhansi went to Mohammed Khan Bangash and 15 years from 1742, Jhansi’s strategic importance grew greatly under subehdar Naroshankar, who built a number of buildings as well. The Mahalakshmi Temple and the Raghunath Temple were built under the subehdari of Raghunath Rao II Newalkar. In 1858, the Jhansi Fort was besieged by the British Raj under General Hugh Rose, when Rani Lakshmi Bai managed a sleek escape from the Jhansi Fort.

History

The Jhansi Fort or the fort of Maharani Jhansi is known for its strategic importance. Previously Jhansi was known as Balwant Nagar. The Fort features ten gates namely Khanderao, Datia, Jhirna, Bhander, Sagar, Saniyar, Lakshmi, Baragaon, Orchha and Panch Mahal. Bhander gate presently remains closed to the visitors and Saniyar and Jhirna have a breach built by the British during the 1858 siege.

The Other Structures Include

Baradari

A gorgeous and ornately built structure constructed during Raja Gangadhar Rao. Made of stucco, the central part of this structure has a roof with a pond, sprinkling water all around.

The Ganesh Mandir

Standing at the entrance of the Fort this temple witnessed the marriage of Rani Lakshmi Bai and Raja Gangadhar Rao.

Shahar Darwaza

This door leads you to the city from the fort. This gate is closed permanently, post British acquisition of this fort.

Panch Mahal

With five floors originally, this structure was built by Raja Bir Singh Deo from 1611 – 27. This is also the place where Rani LakshmiBai lived with Raja Gangadhar Rao until his demise and now the structure has only 3 storeys..

Few other structures comprise of the

  • Shiva Temple
  • Execution Tower
  • Kaal Kothri
  • Kadak Bijli
  • Jumping Spot
  • Amodh Udyan
  • Bhavani Shankar
  • Ghulam Gaus Khan’s Grave

Light and Sound Show at the Jhansi Fort is a special feature that has attracted countless tourists for ages.

Layout

The Fort standing amid the lofty hills offers a striking difference between the north and south Indian architectural styles. This fort with granite walls (16 to 20 ft thick) is connected to the walls of the city. One can enter the fort through ten gates. The Rani Mahal located nearby was constructed in the later period of 18th century. Presently, it is an archeological museum. Sprawling to 15 acres, this colossal structure is 312 m in length and the southern part is a perpendicular structure. With a width of 225 m, the monument is supported by 22 supporting structures.

Best Time to Visit

The best times to visit this fort are February, March and October, November & December.

Visitors Information

The main places of interest comprise of the Karak Bijli Tank, the Rani Jhansi Garden, Shiv Temple & the ‘Mazar’ of Moti Bai, Khuda Baksh and Ghulam Gaus Khan.

The Jhansi Fort, other than reflecting the history of glory and bravery is also renowned for its grand collection of pricey sculptures.

The UP Govt. Museum is located nearby. This museum features a unique collection of terracotta items, weapons, sculptures, paintings, manuscripts gold, silver and copper coins.

The visiting timing is from 10 am to 4 pm and the entry fee is Rs 5. You can avail the guide facility. The Fort office telephone number is 0510.2442325.

Every evening the light and sound show is held at 6.30 pm in the evening and in winters the time changes to 7.30 pm. This show describes the different stages of Jhansi’s history, including the events of 1857 Sepoy Mutiny and the life of Rani Lakshmi Bai. Fee for the show is Rs 20.

How to Reach

By Air

The Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia Air Terminal at 103 km and Gwalior Airport is the nearest airport to Jhansi. Gwalior is connected with flights coming from Delhi, Mumbai and Jabalpur. Delhi Airport, 321 km from Jhansi is the nearest international airport.

By Train

Between Delhi-Chennai, Jhansi is a vital railhead. Most major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bhopal, Jammu, Mysore, Surat, Trivandrum, Varanasi, Dehradun, Ujjain, Secundrabad are well connected to Jhansi through the railway.

By Road

The cities like Khajurao, Agra, Delhi, Kanpur, and Lucknow are easily connected to Jhansi by road. Jhansi is connected to the neighboring areas through local transportation services.

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