Garh Kundar (also spelt as Gadhkudhar)is a small village situated in Tikamgarh

Tikamgarh

Tikamgarh is a city and a tehsil, in Tikamgarh district, Madhya Pradesh, it also the district headquarter. The earlier name of the town was 'Tehri' consisting of three hamlets, forming a rough triangle. In the Tikamgarh town there is muhalla still known as 'Purani Tehri'...

 district of Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....

. It has been named so after the splendid fort of Kundar located here. ‘Garh’ means ‘fort’.

Origin of Name

The name ‘Kundar’ is derived from ‘Kundarka’ (Kund + Arka, कुंड+अर्क). ‘Kund’ (कुंड) means ‘pond’ and Arka’ (अर्क) means ‘sun’. There was a pond in the village, built by the sun-worshipping kshatriyas (called Arkawanshis). It is said that the people used to get rid of their skin diseases after bathing in the pond or the ‘Arka-kund’. The remnants of the pond can still be seen near the temple of ‘Gajanan Maa’

Garh Kundar Fort

The Garh Kundar fort is located on a high hill, surrounded by picturesque hills and forests. Besides the main fort the remains of various ancient structures can be seen here. These isolated remains seem to quietly narrate the tale of their splendid past. There is an ancient decaying temple of Gajanan Maa (an epithet of Goddess Durga, considered to be ‘Kula Devi’ by Khangars

Khangars

The Khangar community are an ancient Kshatriya clan of Indian origin. They are referred to by many other names, such as Khangaar, Khungar, Khengar, Khagar, Khangdhar and Rai Khangar.They ruled large areas of Bundelkhand after the fall Chandels in 1182 AD...

), built by Maharaja Khet Singh Khangar. There is also a temple of ‘Giddha Vahini’ Devi located here.

The fort has a complex built around a large and spacious courtyard. A few rock and pillar inscriptions have been found in the fort. Among the rough and overgrown stones, boulders and fallen masonry have been found the beautiful pillars of sun and moon. The granite flooring of the fort is said to have been renovated by the Bundela

Bundela

The Bundelas are a Rajput clan of Chattari lineage who ruled several states in central India, in Bundelkhand region from the 16th century.The Bundelas are the most prominent Rajputs hailing from Central India...

 kings during Mughal period.

History

Kundar came into prominence after a chief of Khangars

Khangars

The Khangar community are an ancient Kshatriya clan of Indian origin. They are referred to by many other names, such as Khangaar, Khungar, Khengar, Khagar, Khangdhar and Rai Khangar.They ruled large areas of Bundelkhand after the fall Chandels in 1182 AD...

 Khet Singh decided to build his capital here, in 1180s AD. He captured the fortress of Jinagarh from Chandelas, which was located here, and established his own state. After his death his grandson Maharaja Khet Singh Khangar built a splendid fort in place of Jinagarh fortress and named it ‘Garh Kundar’.

Garh Kundar remained as the capital of Khangar

Khangars

The Khangar community are an ancient Kshatriya clan of Indian origin. They are referred to by many other names, such as Khangaar, Khungar, Khengar, Khagar, Khangdhar and Rai Khangar.They ruled large areas of Bundelkhand after the fall Chandels in 1182 AD...

 kings till its capture by Mohammad Tughlaq’s army in 1347 A.D. Later it was handed over to Bundelas, who were feudatories of Mughals.

Besides the main fort the remains of various ancient structures can be seen here. These isolated remains seem to quietly narrate the tale of the splendid past of Khangar

Khangars

The Khangar community are an ancient Kshatriya clan of Indian origin. They are referred to by many other names, such as Khangaar, Khungar, Khengar, Khagar, Khangdhar and Rai Khangar.They ruled large areas of Bundelkhand after the fall Chandels in 1182 AD...

 kshtriyas. It is in the large and spacious courtyard of the fort, princess Kesar De (daughter of last Khangar

Khangars

The Khangar community are an ancient Kshatriya clan of Indian origin. They are referred to by many other names, such as Khangaar, Khungar, Khengar, Khagar, Khangdhar and Rai Khangar.They ruled large areas of Bundelkhand after the fall Chandels in 1182 AD...

king Maharaja Maan Singh) committed ‘jauhar’ (a ritual of voluntary immolation by jumping into a pool of fire, undertaken in medieval times by the kshatriya queens and princesses to save their honour from the invading enemy). A few rock and pillar inscriptions have been found in the fort, which tell us the story of Kesar De’s sacrifice.

The chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh announced a sum of rupees two crore forty three lakhs for the conservation of historical fort of Kundar during 3-day festival called "Virasat" held at the fort in December 2006.