Munger Fort
Encyclopedia
The Munger Fort, located at Munger
(also spelt as Monghyr during the British Raj
), in the state of Bihar
, India, is built on a rocky hillock on the south bank of the Ganges River
. Its history is not completely dated but it is believed that it was built during the early rule of Slave dynasty
of India. The Munger town where the fort is situated was under the control of Muhammad bin Tughluq
of Delhi (1325-1351 AD). The fort has two prominent hills called the Karnachaura or Karanchaura, and the other a built up rectangular mound deduced to be the location of a citadel of the fort with historical links. The Fort had a succession of Muslim rulers (Khaljis, Tughlaqs, Lodis, Nawabs of Bengal, followed by Mughal
rulers, till it was finally acceded to the British
by Mir Quasim (1760–72), after unseating his father-in-aw Mīr Jafar on the grounds of old age, for a monetary reward negotiated by Vansittart. This deal involved payment by the East India Company
’s merchants of an ad valorem duty of 9 percent, against an Indian merchant’s duty of 40%. The fort became a place of considerable importance to the British in Bengal
till 1947 (India'a independence).
The fort houses a number of religious and historic monuments such as the Tomb of Pir Shah Nufa (died 1497), Palace of Shah Suja, Tomb of Mulla Muhammad Said (died 1704 AD), the Kashtaharini Ghat on the Ganges River, Chandisthana (an ancient temple) and an 18th century British
cemetery
. In recent times, a famous School of Yoga
has been established here.
. A copper
plate inscription of Devapala
alludes to Munger. Another version is that the name could have derived from either sage Mudgala or Maudgalyayana
, a disciple of Buddha
. A further explanation by General
Cunnigham is that it could have been named after the Munda
s, its earliest inhabitants. C.E.A. Oldham gives a version that it was a ‘‘Munigriha’’ (the hermitage of a saint Muni
).
of Delhi
. But its ancient history, as a town, mostly ruled by Hindu
kings, is initially traced from a stone inscription to Chandra Gupta Maurya (4th century BC), (after whom it was initially called Gupta Garhis) and later dated to the kingdom of Ang
, the capital of which was at Champa
near Bhagalpur
, and the Pala kings
in the 9th century AD.
Medieval period
Munger, which was under the rule of the Karnataka dynasty of Mithila
, was taken over by Bhaktiyar Khalji in 1225 AD and subsequently under the Khalji ruler, Gyasuddin Khalji
.
Muhammadan rule
For a brief period, it came under the control of Sultan of Bengal between 1301 AD and 1322 AD, following a peace treaty with Khaljis. This was followed by annexation of the area to Delhi
by Muhammad bin Tughluq
, during 1342 AD.
Inscriptions reveal that repairs were carried out to the fort during the reign of prince Danyal of Bengal (son of Bahlol Lodi) who held the post of Governor of Bihar, after the defeat of Jampur
rulers by the Sultan of Bengal. It is also stated that prince Danyal of Bengal built the shrine of Sufi saint
Shah Nafah within the south gate of the fort, in 1497 AD.
Suri Empire rule
In 1534 AD, in a battle which took place in the plains of Surajgarha
, the formidable army of Ibrahim Khan of Munger was defeated and he was killed by Sher Shah Suri
who established the Suri Empire. Thus, the fort came under Sher Shah Suri's overlordship (1486 - May 22, 1545). In the subsequent war that took place between Sher Shah and Humayun
, the Mughal Emperor, Munger was the centre of battle between the Afghan
and the Mughals. Sher Shah won and the Mughal rule was substituted by Afghan rule.
In 1590, importance of the fort was enhanced by making it the head quarters of Bihar army of the rulers of Gaur
under their general named Kutub Khan. Nasrat Shah had succeeded Hussain Shah in Bengal and his brother-in-law, Makhdun Alam, was given control of the Munger fort, which he in turn passed on to his general Kutub Khan.
Mughal rule
From the time of the reign of Akbar in the late 16th century, Monghyr was controlled by the Mughal Emperors. Raja Todar Mal
, Minister in the Mughal empire
had camped at this fort when he was deputed to put down the rebel forces of Bengal. He substantially refurbished the fortifications of the fort. After a series of intruging changes in the governorship of Munger Shah Shuja
, the second son of Shah Jahan
, the Mughal Emperor and Aurangzeb
's brother, had fled to this place to escape persecution, during his fight with his brothers for power. He was made governor of the region after protracted negotiations with his brothers Dara Shikoh
, Murad
and Aurangzeb, and under the treaty of 1685 Munger was added to Shuja’s reign. Shuja built a palace on the west side of the fort, which has been described as “as a very large house where the king (Suja) lived, walled next to the river, for about one and half Kos
with bricks and stones, with a wall fifteen yards high”.
However, in 1745, Mustafa Khan, a rebel leader under General Alivardi Khan took control of the fort when its defenses had weakened. After a few days of stay in the fort, he continued his campaign towards Patna
with lots of guns and ammunition taken from the fort.
In the 4th Maratha
war of 1744, Maratha army had raided through Bihar and Munger. Jean Law, the French
adventurer and partisan of Siraj ud-Daulah
(1733 – July 2, 1757), the last independent Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa
was running away after the Battle of Plassey
. In July 1757, the British attempted an attack on the fort. Eyre Coote, the British officer (heading the British force) reached Munger in pursuit of Jean Low. But he could not enter the well fortified fort. He did not dare to attack the fort because the fort garrison had lined up "the ramparts with their matches held near the cannons." But the Governor of the fort provided him boats.
In February 1760, Major Caillaud of the Nawab of Bengal and his supporters defeated the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II
(1728–1806). The Emperor and his army moved out not only from the fort but also from the district. With this victory, the rule of Mir Qasim
, the Nawab of Bengal began with Johan Stables, in charge of Munger fort, launching a successful attack on the Raja of Kharagpur who had opposed the Nawab of Bengal.
Nawab of Bengal's rule
Monghyr was thus occupied by Mir Qasim Ali
, the Nawab of Bengal
(from 1760 to 1764). In 1763, Quasim shifted his capital from Murshidabad
to Munger
. His new appointee General Gurgin Khan from Isfahan patterned the Bengal Army
on the lines of the British forces. At this fort, a factory for arsenal, for manufacturing of fire-arms was established. This tradition has continued to this day; several hundred families who have specialized in the manufacture of guns are continuing with this old tradition. He further added to the fortifications and also built palaces in the fort. Mir Quasim came to be known as a just ruler (he tried to eliminate corruption and injustice) but was also feared by his opponents as a fierce and ruthless warrior. He was also known for encouraging culture and had many scholors in his court. But all this ended soon as he had serious differences on trade and other administrative practices with the British. Mir Qasim later had to use the fort as a base for waging war against the British. But he was defeated in 1764. Later, he turned out to be a poor looser as he disgraced himself by committing serious atrocities on his own people in Munger fort and also in Patna, and also on the English army and other personnel who were captured in Patna. His criminal atrocities in Patna are known in the historical annals as the ‘Massacre of Patna’. Subsequently, the fort lost its glory. Lord Cornwallis, the Governor General, in British India, had built a country house here.
British rule
History also records a "White Mutiny" by disgruntled officers of the East India Company
(who controlled the fort) in the precincts of the Munger Fort, which was put down in 1766 by Lord Clive. The mutiny broke out over the reduction of an extra monthly payment called bhatta to soldiers on active duty. After the suppression of the mutiny, a small garrison
was thereafter stationed at the fort. Over the years, the maintenance of the fort was neglected.
The fort is spread over an area of 222 acres (89.8 ha) over rocky hills with a peripheral length of2.5 miles (4 km). The fort has 4 feet (1.2 m) thick inner walls while the outer walls are 12 feet (3.7 m) thick forming the fortification, which is 30 feet (9.1 m) thick. The intervening space of 14 feet (4.3 m) between the inner and outer walls is filled with earth. The Ganges river hugs the fort walls on the west and partly in the north. On the landward side, there is a 175 feet (53.3 m) wide moat, which acts as a defense to the fortifications. There are four entry gates, within the octagonal fortress, with ramparts. The main gateway, called the Lal Darwaza, is still in good shape, even though the rest of the fort is mostly in ruins. This gate has a carved stone, which is said to belong to a Hindu
or a Buddhist structure.
Tomb of Pir Shah Nufa
Pir Shah Nufa, originally of Persin origin, was a Sufi saint who was sent to Munger by his guru Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
of Ajmer
. His tomb dating his death to A.H. 596 (1177 AD) is located near a rampart in the fort close to the southern gate. It was built over an area of 100 feet (30.5 m) square with retaining walls supporting allround, on a 25 feet (7.6 m) high heap of earth (conjectured to be ruins of former Hindu
or Buddhist structure). The carved stones of these ancient temples were pitted by holes and depressions, with the belief that such disfiguring would cure certain diseases of children. The domed tomb chamber, 16 feet (4.9 m) square with circular turrets, also encloses a prayer room and a rest room. Some ruins of ancient Hindu temples are also seen in the vicinity of this tomb.
Palace of Shah Shuja
Though locally known as the 'Palace of Shuja', the Mughal
Prince, it is inferred to have been built earlier by Nawab
Mir Qasim
Ali, who also ruled from Munger. The palace is bounded by high rise walls on three sides and the Ganges river on the west side. As in any palace of the Mughals, it consisted of a Khas Mahal or 'Zanana Palace', the 'Diwane-I-Am' or Public Audience Hall and the Tope-Khana or Armoury
(made of 10–15 ft (3–4.6 m) thick walls) (now a dormitory). There was also a mosque
on the west side of the palace, now in ruins, but used as storehouse. There was a Turkish bath (hammam
) and a dressing room to the west of the present day jailer's office. An interesting feature noted below the floor of the mosque is a dry well or pit of 10–12 ft (3–3.7 m) depth, which leads to several underground tunnels running in different directions. The well was, in earlier times, connected to the river through an opening, which has since been shored up. The Khas Mahal of the palace and the Public Audience Hall in side the fort, which are now seen mostly in ruins, are used as a jail and a school for the convicts.
Tomb of Mulla Muhammed Said
Tomb of Mullah
Mohammed Said
was situated on the bastion at the south-west of the fort, but has since been removed. Mulla Mohammed Said hailing from Mazandran near the Caspian Sea
, was a Persian
poet (under the nom-de-plume of Ashraf). He was employed by Emperor Aurangzeb to tutor his daughter Zebunnisa Begum. He was also under the employment of Azim Shah, grand son of Aurangzeb, and who was the viceroy of Bihar. The Mullah, while on his way from Bengal to Mecca
, died at Munger fort in 1704 and his tomb existed in side the fort.
The Kashtaharini Ghat on the Ganges
The Ganges river that flows in front of Munger fort takes a turn in its flow direction towards the north ('Uttara vahini' in Sanskrit
means: "north flowing"). At this location, a ghat
(stepped approach to the river edge from the high bank built in stones) was constructed, which has a legend linked to it. An inscription at Kannauj
records that Govind Chandra of Kannauj
, a Gahadvala
King, granted land on the bank of the river to build a ghat, after bathing in the Ganges river at Mudgagiri (Munger) on the occasion of the Hindu festival known as Akshaya Tritiya
. There are several antiquities that have been unearthed at this ghat such as: an inscription of about the 10th century AD on the wall of the gateway that refers to king Bhagiratha
and the construction of a Shiva
temple; discovery of carvings and sculptures by archeologist Bloch in 1903; an inscribed image of Dhyani Buddha
(Buddha in meditation pose) describing the Buddhist doctrine
;preserved now in the India
n Museum
at Kolkatta). Hence, this location is venerated by the Hindus.
Chandisthana
Chandisthana (meaning: place of goddess Chandi) is the location of a shrine, which is a village deity of goddess
Chandi
(Chandi or Caṇḍīika is the name by which the Supreme Goddess is referred to in Devi Mahatmya
). It is considered as one of the 64 shakti peethas
(a tantric
cultural centre) in India. It is depicted in the form of a hole in a rock dated to the rule of king Karna Vikrama. The conjecture that it could be part of an ancient temple that existed here is yet to be established by archeologists by exploration of the area.
Karnachaura
A natural rocky hillock dated to the ancient Raja Karna
is named after him as the 'Karnachaura' or 'Karanchaura' or 'Karan Chabutara' (meaning: slab of Raja Karan). It is the highest point in the fort. Since the location commands a fine view of the sarroundings, Raja Karan
(he was a contemporary of Vikramaditya
, the famous king of India) had built a house on the hill, which was later converted by the British to a saluting battery. In 1766, this base on the hill was crucial in subduing rebellion by some Europe
an officers of the garrison. Further refurbishing of the fort occurred during General
Goddard
's time when it was converted as the large residence (as it exists now) of the Commanding Officer of the British garrison. This building was later under the ownership of Maharaja of Vizianagram
and then by the Raja
of Murshidabad
. Since 1978, it is under the ownership of the Bihar School of Yoga
. Swami Satyananda Saraswati
founder of the Yoga School has renamed it as 'Ganga Darshan'. The Yoga School is now renowned as a world centre for modern yogic/tantric renaissance. An old platform near the hill, in front of the bungalow, is also linked to the period of king Karna and his wife.
Rectangular mound
The second famous rock hillock (no specific name is given to this) within the fort is in fact an artificial rectangular raised platform where a citadel of the fort probably existed in the past. An old building called as 'Damdama Kothi' ('kothi' means "house"), conjectured to have been built by Muslim
rulers or even earlier Hindu kings that existed here, was destroyed by the British to build the 'Collector's Bangalow'. When this strong Kothi (a masonry structure) was demolished by blasting, underground rooms were found. In addition, in a well in the compound of the bungalow, two arched passages were found; one lead to the house and the other in an opposite direction to the Shuja palace (now a prison). Stone carvings and sculptures were seen in exposed masonry of the Kothi, during Buchanan's archeological explorations.
Bihar School of Yoga
The Bihar School of Yoga
founded by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
in 1964 to impart traditional yoga
teachings to the world is headquartered inside the Munger fort. Apart from providing spiritual instruction to candidates, the school undertakes yoga projects and medical research in association with other agencies. It is the World's first Yoga University and a deemed university. It attracts students from all over the world. Around 400 Australians, Americans
and others register for the yoga course every year, with this figure rising continuously.
The Ganges river, which has been declared as the National Waterway 1
flows to the south bank of the Munger town. It extends from Varanasi
in Uttar Pradesh
to Kolkata
in West Bengal
. En route, the towns covered are Bhagalpur
, Munger
, Patna
and Buxar
. A tourist cruise service authorised under a MOU
with Inland Waterways Authority of India
(IWAI) has been launched recently to cover this navigational route to visit several tourist destinations, including Munger fort.
Munger
Munger town is the headquarters of Munger district, in the Indian state of Bihar. Historically, Munger is known for its manufacturing of iron articles such as firearms and swords. One of the major institutions in Munger is Bihar School of Yoga. It is one of the foremost learning center in the...
(also spelt as Monghyr during the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
), in the state of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, India, is built on a rocky hillock on the south bank of the Ganges River
Ganges River
The Ganges or Ganga, , is a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh. The river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. By discharge it...
. Its history is not completely dated but it is believed that it was built during the early rule of Slave dynasty
Slave dynasty
The Slave Dynasty or Mamluk Dynasty or Ghulam Dynasty , was directed into India by Qutb-ud-din Aybak, a Turkic general of Central Asian birth. It was the first of five unrelated dynasties to rule India's Delhi Sultanate from 1206 to 1290...
of India. The Munger town where the fort is situated was under the control of Muhammad bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq was the Turkic Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351. He was the eldest son of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq.He was born in Kotla Tolay Khan in Multan. His wife was daughter of the raja of Dipalpur...
of Delhi (1325-1351 AD). The fort has two prominent hills called the Karnachaura or Karanchaura, and the other a built up rectangular mound deduced to be the location of a citadel of the fort with historical links. The Fort had a succession of Muslim rulers (Khaljis, Tughlaqs, Lodis, Nawabs of Bengal, followed by Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
rulers, till it was finally acceded to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
by Mir Quasim (1760–72), after unseating his father-in-aw Mīr Jafar on the grounds of old age, for a monetary reward negotiated by Vansittart. This deal involved payment by the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
’s merchants of an ad valorem duty of 9 percent, against an Indian merchant’s duty of 40%. The fort became a place of considerable importance to the British in Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
till 1947 (India'a independence).
The fort houses a number of religious and historic monuments such as the Tomb of Pir Shah Nufa (died 1497), Palace of Shah Suja, Tomb of Mulla Muhammad Said (died 1704 AD), the Kashtaharini Ghat on the Ganges River, Chandisthana (an ancient temple) and an 18th century British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
. In recent times, a famous School of Yoga
Bihar School of Yoga
The Bihar School of Yoga is an internationally acclaimed school of Yoga founded by Swami Satyananda Saraswati in 1964 to fulfill the instruction given by his Guru, Sri Swami Sivananda of propagating the ancient wisdom of yoga from door to door and from shore to shore...
has been established here.
Etymology
The etymology of the word Munger prefixed to the fort and to the town also called by the same name is Mudgagiri with links to the Mahbharata epicIndian epic poetry
Indian epic poetry is the epic poetry written in the Indian subcontinent, traditionally called Kavya . The Ramayana and Mahabharata, originally composed in Sanskrit and translated thereafter into many other Indian languages, are some of the oldest surviving epic poems on earth and form part of...
. A copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
plate inscription of Devapala
Devapala
Deva Pala , was a powerful emperor from the Pala Empire of Bengal region in the Indian Subcontinent. He was the third king in the line and had succeeded his father, emperor Dharamapala...
alludes to Munger. Another version is that the name could have derived from either sage Mudgala or Maudgalyayana
Maudgalyayana
Maudgalyāyana , , also known as Mahāmaudgalyāyana or Mahāmoggallāna, was one of the Śākyamuni Buddha's closest disciples. A contemporary of famous arhats such as Subhūti, Śāriputra, and Mahākāśyapa, he is considered the second of the Buddha's two foremost disciples , together with Śāriputra...
, a disciple of Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
. A further explanation by General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Cunnigham is that it could have been named after the Munda
Munda people
The Munda are tribal people of the Chota Nagpur Plateau region.They are found across Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Assam states of India, and into parts of Bangladesh...
s, its earliest inhabitants. C.E.A. Oldham gives a version that it was a ‘‘Munigriha’’ (the hermitage of a saint Muni
Muni
"Muni" is a common abbreviation for "municipal" or a city-related service or organization:*The Muny, an outdoor musical theatre in St. Louis, Missouri*Municipal bond*San Francisco Municipal Railway, the public transit agency for San Francisco, California...
).
History
The Fort's history has been traced from 1330 AD onwards, under the rule of Muhammad bin TughluqMuhammad bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq was the Turkic Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351. He was the eldest son of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq.He was born in Kotla Tolay Khan in Multan. His wife was daughter of the raja of Dipalpur...
of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. But its ancient history, as a town, mostly ruled by Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
kings, is initially traced from a stone inscription to Chandra Gupta Maurya (4th century BC), (after whom it was initially called Gupta Garhis) and later dated to the kingdom of Ang
ANG
ANG is the ISO 639-3 code for Old English. It may also refer to:* Air National Guard, part of the United States National Guard* Anga, Ang Desh or Ang Mahajanapada, one of the 16 Mahajanapada of Ancient India...
, the capital of which was at Champa
Champa
The kingdom of Champa was an Indianized kingdom that controlled what is now southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.The Cham people are remnants...
near Bhagalpur
Bhagalpur
Bhagdattpuram was one of the most influential towns in "Aryavarta" . It is supposed to have been concurrent to Patliputra or Patna. Bhagdattpuram finds its mention in the Vedas and Ramayana as well. It is supposed to be the kingdom of Daanvir Karna, the son of Kunti and the Sun God...
, and the Pala kings
Pala Empire
The Pāla Empire was one of the major middle kingdoms of India existed from 750–1174 CE. It was ruled by a Buddhist dynasty from Bengal in the eastern region of the Indian subcontinent, all the rulers bearing names ending with the suffix Pala , which means protector. The Palas were often described...
in the 9th century AD.
Medieval period
Munger, which was under the rule of the Karnataka dynasty of Mithila
Mithila
Mithila was a city in Ancient India, the capital of the Videha Kingdom. The name Mithila is also commonly used to refer to the Videha Kingdom itself, as well as to the modern-day territories that fall within the ancient boundaries of Videha...
, was taken over by Bhaktiyar Khalji in 1225 AD and subsequently under the Khalji ruler, Gyasuddin Khalji
Ghiyasuddin Iwaj Shah
Ghiyas-ud-din Iwaz Khilji was a Bengal ruler on 1208-1210 and again on 1212-1227.-History:During the infighting of the Khilji Maliks he assumed power in 1208 and ruled for two years until being dethroned by Ali Mardan Khilji in 1210...
.
Muhammadan rule
For a brief period, it came under the control of Sultan of Bengal between 1301 AD and 1322 AD, following a peace treaty with Khaljis. This was followed by annexation of the area to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
by Muhammad bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq was the Turkic Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351. He was the eldest son of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq.He was born in Kotla Tolay Khan in Multan. His wife was daughter of the raja of Dipalpur...
, during 1342 AD.
Inscriptions reveal that repairs were carried out to the fort during the reign of prince Danyal of Bengal (son of Bahlol Lodi) who held the post of Governor of Bihar, after the defeat of Jampur
Jampur
Jampur is a small city located at 29°38'32" N , 70°35'45"E in Rajanpur District, south of Dera Ghazi Khan, in the centre of Pakistan. It comprises an area of about 8-10 square kilometres and has a population of almost 1,20,000.-History:...
rulers by the Sultan of Bengal. It is also stated that prince Danyal of Bengal built the shrine of Sufi saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
Shah Nafah within the south gate of the fort, in 1497 AD.
Suri Empire rule
In 1534 AD, in a battle which took place in the plains of Surajgarha
Surajgarha
Surajgarha is a small town located 32 km from Munger and 16 km from Lakhisarai, on NH-81. It is on the banks of the Kiul river.- Climate :...
, the formidable army of Ibrahim Khan of Munger was defeated and he was killed by Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
who established the Suri Empire. Thus, the fort came under Sher Shah Suri's overlordship (1486 - May 22, 1545). In the subsequent war that took place between Sher Shah and Humayun
Humayun
Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun was the second Mughal Emperor who ruled present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India from 1530–1540 and again from 1555–1556. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early, but with Persian aid, he eventually regained an even larger one...
, the Mughal Emperor, Munger was the centre of battle between the Afghan
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
and the Mughals. Sher Shah won and the Mughal rule was substituted by Afghan rule.
In 1590, importance of the fort was enhanced by making it the head quarters of Bihar army of the rulers of Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
under their general named Kutub Khan. Nasrat Shah had succeeded Hussain Shah in Bengal and his brother-in-law, Makhdun Alam, was given control of the Munger fort, which he in turn passed on to his general Kutub Khan.
Mughal rule
From the time of the reign of Akbar in the late 16th century, Monghyr was controlled by the Mughal Emperors. Raja Todar Mal
Raja Todar Mal
Raja Todar Mal was born in Laharpur, Uttar Pradesh in a Punjabi Kayastha family, and rose to become the Finance Minister in Akbar's Darbar of the Mughal empire. He was made in charge of Agra and settled in Gujarat. Later, he was made in charge of Gujarat as well. He also managed Akbar's Mint at...
, Minister in the Mughal empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
had camped at this fort when he was deputed to put down the rebel forces of Bengal. He substantially refurbished the fortifications of the fort. After a series of intruging changes in the governorship of Munger Shah Shuja
Shah Shuja
Shāh Shujā was the second son of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and empress Mumtaz Mahal.-Governor of Bengal:Emperor Shah Jahan appointed Shah Shuja as the Subahdar or governor of Bengal in 1639. In 1642, Shuja was also given the charge of the province of Orissa. He ruled the provinces for more...
, the second son of Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
, the Mughal Emperor and Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
's brother, had fled to this place to escape persecution, during his fight with his brothers for power. He was made governor of the region after protracted negotiations with his brothers Dara Shikoh
Dara Shikoh
His Highness, The Imperial Prince Dara Shikoh was the eldest son and the heir apparent of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. His name دارا شكوه in Persian means "Darius the Magnificent"...
, Murad
Murad Baksh
Murad Baksh was the youngest son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and empress Mumtaz Mahal, he was the Subedar of Balkh until he was replaced by his brother Aurangzeb in the year 1647....
and Aurangzeb, and under the treaty of 1685 Munger was added to Shuja’s reign. Shuja built a palace on the west side of the fort, which has been described as “as a very large house where the king (Suja) lived, walled next to the river, for about one and half Kos
Kos
Kos or Cos is a Greek island in the south Sporades group of the Dodecanese, next to the Gulf of Gökova/Cos. It measures by , and is from the coast of Bodrum, Turkey and the ancient region of Caria. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Kos peripheral unit, which is...
with bricks and stones, with a wall fifteen yards high”.
However, in 1745, Mustafa Khan, a rebel leader under General Alivardi Khan took control of the fort when its defenses had weakened. After a few days of stay in the fort, he continued his campaign towards Patna
Patna
Paṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world...
with lots of guns and ammunition taken from the fort.
In the 4th Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
war of 1744, Maratha army had raided through Bihar and Munger. Jean Law, the French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
adventurer and partisan of Siraj ud-Daulah
Siraj ud-Daulah
Mîrzâ Muhammad Sirâj-ud-Daulah , more commonly known as Siraj ud-Daulah , was the last independent Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. The end of his reign marks the start of British East India Company rule over Bengal and later almost all of South Asia...
(1733 – July 2, 1757), the last independent Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
was running away after the Battle of Plassey
Battle of Plassey
The Battle of Plassey , 23 June 1757, was a decisive British East India Company victory over the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies, establishing Company rule in South Asia which expanded over much of the Indies for the next hundred years...
. In July 1757, the British attempted an attack on the fort. Eyre Coote, the British officer (heading the British force) reached Munger in pursuit of Jean Low. But he could not enter the well fortified fort. He did not dare to attack the fort because the fort garrison had lined up "the ramparts with their matches held near the cannons." But the Governor of the fort provided him boats.
In February 1760, Major Caillaud of the Nawab of Bengal and his supporters defeated the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II
Shah Alam II
Shah Alam II , also known as Ali Gauhar, was a Mughal emperor of India. A son of Alamgir II, he was exiled to Allahabad in December 1759 by Ghazi-ud-Din, who appointed Shah Jahan III as the emperor. Later, he was nominated as the emperor by Ahmad Shah.Shah Alam II was considered the only and...
(1728–1806). The Emperor and his army moved out not only from the fort but also from the district. With this victory, the rule of Mir Qasim
Mir Qasim
Mir Qasim was Nawab of Bengal from 1760 to 1764. He was installed as Nawab by the British East India Company replacing Mir Jafar, his father-in-law, who had himself been installed by the British after his role in the Battle of Plassey...
, the Nawab of Bengal began with Johan Stables, in charge of Munger fort, launching a successful attack on the Raja of Kharagpur who had opposed the Nawab of Bengal.
Nawab of Bengal's rule
Monghyr was thus occupied by Mir Qasim Ali
Mir Qasim
Mir Qasim was Nawab of Bengal from 1760 to 1764. He was installed as Nawab by the British East India Company replacing Mir Jafar, his father-in-law, who had himself been installed by the British after his role in the Battle of Plassey...
, the Nawab of Bengal
Nawab of Bengal
The Nawabs of Bengal were the hereditary nazims or subadars of the subah of Bengal during the Mughal rule and the de-facto rulers of the province.-History:...
(from 1760 to 1764). In 1763, Quasim shifted his capital from Murshidabad
Murshidabad
Murshidabad is a city in Murshidabad district of West Bengal state in India. The city of Murshidabad is located on the southern bank of the Bhagirathi, a distributary of the Ganges River. It was the capital of undivided Bengal during the Mughal rule. Nawabs of Bengal used to rule Bengal from this...
to Munger
Munger
Munger town is the headquarters of Munger district, in the Indian state of Bihar. Historically, Munger is known for its manufacturing of iron articles such as firearms and swords. One of the major institutions in Munger is Bihar School of Yoga. It is one of the foremost learning center in the...
. His new appointee General Gurgin Khan from Isfahan patterned the Bengal Army
Bengal Army
The Bengal Army was the army of the Presidency of Bengal, one of the three Presidencies of British India, in South Asia. Although based in Bengal in eastern India, the presidency stretched across northern India and the Himalayas all the way to the North West Frontier Province...
on the lines of the British forces. At this fort, a factory for arsenal, for manufacturing of fire-arms was established. This tradition has continued to this day; several hundred families who have specialized in the manufacture of guns are continuing with this old tradition. He further added to the fortifications and also built palaces in the fort. Mir Quasim came to be known as a just ruler (he tried to eliminate corruption and injustice) but was also feared by his opponents as a fierce and ruthless warrior. He was also known for encouraging culture and had many scholors in his court. But all this ended soon as he had serious differences on trade and other administrative practices with the British. Mir Qasim later had to use the fort as a base for waging war against the British. But he was defeated in 1764. Later, he turned out to be a poor looser as he disgraced himself by committing serious atrocities on his own people in Munger fort and also in Patna, and also on the English army and other personnel who were captured in Patna. His criminal atrocities in Patna are known in the historical annals as the ‘Massacre of Patna’. Subsequently, the fort lost its glory. Lord Cornwallis, the Governor General, in British India, had built a country house here.
British rule
History also records a "White Mutiny" by disgruntled officers of the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
(who controlled the fort) in the precincts of the Munger Fort, which was put down in 1766 by Lord Clive. The mutiny broke out over the reduction of an extra monthly payment called bhatta to soldiers on active duty. After the suppression of the mutiny, a small garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
was thereafter stationed at the fort. Over the years, the maintenance of the fort was neglected.
Structure
Under the Mughal rule, the fort was substantially expanded as a strong military fortication. The fort was an impressive structure with massive gates, one of which had been a strong fortification with square towers, with a deep moat. The moat was 175 feet (53.3 m) in width, surrounding the land side of the fort, thus making it strategically formidable. It opens to the Ganges river (which is 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) wide here, but crossed only by boats) at either end thus enhancing the fort’s security.The fort is spread over an area of 222 acres (89.8 ha) over rocky hills with a peripheral length of2.5 miles (4 km). The fort has 4 feet (1.2 m) thick inner walls while the outer walls are 12 feet (3.7 m) thick forming the fortification, which is 30 feet (9.1 m) thick. The intervening space of 14 feet (4.3 m) between the inner and outer walls is filled with earth. The Ganges river hugs the fort walls on the west and partly in the north. On the landward side, there is a 175 feet (53.3 m) wide moat, which acts as a defense to the fortifications. There are four entry gates, within the octagonal fortress, with ramparts. The main gateway, called the Lal Darwaza, is still in good shape, even though the rest of the fort is mostly in ruins. This gate has a carved stone, which is said to belong to a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
or a Buddhist structure.
Other monuments in the fort
The famous monuments located within the fort are:Tomb of Pir Shah Nufa
Pir Shah Nufa, originally of Persin origin, was a Sufi saint who was sent to Munger by his guru Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
Moinuddin Chishti
Sultan-ul-Hind, Moinuddin Chishti was born in 1141 and died in 1230 CE. Also known as Gharīb Nawāz "Benefactor of the Poor" , he is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of the Indian Subcontinent. He introduced and established the order in South Asia...
of Ajmer
Ajmer
Ajmer , formerly written as Ajmere, is a city in Ajmer District in Rajasthan state in India. Ajmer has a population of around 800,000 , and is located west of the Rajasthan state capital Jaipur, 200 km from Jodhpur, 274 km from Udaipur, 439 km from Jaisalmer, and 391 km from...
. His tomb dating his death to A.H. 596 (1177 AD) is located near a rampart in the fort close to the southern gate. It was built over an area of 100 feet (30.5 m) square with retaining walls supporting allround, on a 25 feet (7.6 m) high heap of earth (conjectured to be ruins of former Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
or Buddhist structure). The carved stones of these ancient temples were pitted by holes and depressions, with the belief that such disfiguring would cure certain diseases of children. The domed tomb chamber, 16 feet (4.9 m) square with circular turrets, also encloses a prayer room and a rest room. Some ruins of ancient Hindu temples are also seen in the vicinity of this tomb.
Palace of Shah Shuja
Though locally known as the 'Palace of Shuja', the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Prince, it is inferred to have been built earlier by Nawab
Nawab
A Nawab or Nawaab is an honorific title given to Muslim rulers of princely states in South Asia. It is the Muslim equivalent of the term "maharaja" that was granted to Hindu rulers....
Mir Qasim
Mir Qasim
Mir Qasim was Nawab of Bengal from 1760 to 1764. He was installed as Nawab by the British East India Company replacing Mir Jafar, his father-in-law, who had himself been installed by the British after his role in the Battle of Plassey...
Ali, who also ruled from Munger. The palace is bounded by high rise walls on three sides and the Ganges river on the west side. As in any palace of the Mughals, it consisted of a Khas Mahal or 'Zanana Palace', the 'Diwane-I-Am' or Public Audience Hall and the Tope-Khana or Armoury
Armory (military)
An armory or armoury is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...
(made of 10–15 ft (3–4.6 m) thick walls) (now a dormitory). There was also a mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
on the west side of the palace, now in ruins, but used as storehouse. There was a Turkish bath (hammam
Hammam
A Turkish bath is the Turkish variant of a steam bath, sauna or Russian Bath, distinguished by a focus on water, as distinct from ambient steam....
) and a dressing room to the west of the present day jailer's office. An interesting feature noted below the floor of the mosque is a dry well or pit of 10–12 ft (3–3.7 m) depth, which leads to several underground tunnels running in different directions. The well was, in earlier times, connected to the river through an opening, which has since been shored up. The Khas Mahal of the palace and the Public Audience Hall in side the fort, which are now seen mostly in ruins, are used as a jail and a school for the convicts.
Tomb of Mulla Muhammed Said
Tomb of Mullah
Mullah
Mullah is generally used to refer to a Muslim man, educated in Islamic theology and sacred law. The title, given to some Islamic clergy, is derived from the Arabic word مَوْلَى mawlā , meaning "vicar", "master" and "guardian"...
Mohammed Said
Mohammed Said
-Politicians:* Mohammad Said bin Yusof - Malaysian politician* Mohammed Said Bareh - Eritrean politician* Muhammad Ali, Prince of Said, Egyptian prince* Muhammad Osman Said - former Prime Minister of Libya...
was situated on the bastion at the south-west of the fort, but has since been removed. Mulla Mohammed Said hailing from Mazandran near the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
, was a Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
poet (under the nom-de-plume of Ashraf). He was employed by Emperor Aurangzeb to tutor his daughter Zebunnisa Begum. He was also under the employment of Azim Shah, grand son of Aurangzeb, and who was the viceroy of Bihar. The Mullah, while on his way from Bengal to Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
, died at Munger fort in 1704 and his tomb existed in side the fort.
The Kashtaharini Ghat on the Ganges
The Ganges river that flows in front of Munger fort takes a turn in its flow direction towards the north ('Uttara vahini' in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
means: "north flowing"). At this location, a ghat
Ghat
Ghat is the capital of the Ghat District in the Fezzan region of southwestern Libya.-History:In historical times, Ghat was a major terminal point on the Trans-Saharan trade route and a major administrative center in the Fezzan...
(stepped approach to the river edge from the high bank built in stones) was constructed, which has a legend linked to it. An inscription at Kannauj
Kannauj
Kannauj , also spelt Kanauj, is a city, administrative headquarters and a municipal board or Nagar Palika Parishad in Kannauj district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city's name is traditionally derived from the term Kanyakubja . Kannauj is an ancient city, in earlier times the capital...
records that Govind Chandra of Kannauj
Kannauj
Kannauj , also spelt Kanauj, is a city, administrative headquarters and a municipal board or Nagar Palika Parishad in Kannauj district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city's name is traditionally derived from the term Kanyakubja . Kannauj is an ancient city, in earlier times the capital...
, a Gahadvala
Gahadvala
The Gahadvala or Gaharwar is a Hindu Rajput dynasty that ruled the kingdom of Kannauj for around a hundred years, beginning the late 11th century.-Rebuilding of Kannauj Kingdom:...
King, granted land on the bank of the river to build a ghat, after bathing in the Ganges river at Mudgagiri (Munger) on the occasion of the Hindu festival known as Akshaya Tritiya
Akshaya Tritiya
Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akha Teej is a Hindu and Jain holy day, that falls on the third Tithi of Bright Half of the pan-Indian month of Vaishakha....
. There are several antiquities that have been unearthed at this ghat such as: an inscription of about the 10th century AD on the wall of the gateway that refers to king Bhagiratha
Bhagiratha
Bhageeratha was a great king in Hindu mythology who brought the River Ganges to Earth.-Early life:Bhageeratha was the king of Kosala, a kingdom in ancient India. He was a descendent of the great king Sagara of the Suryavamsa, or Sun Dynasty...
and the construction of a Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
temple; discovery of carvings and sculptures by archeologist Bloch in 1903; an inscribed image of Dhyani Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
(Buddha in meditation pose) describing the Buddhist doctrine
Doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
;preserved now in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
at Kolkatta). Hence, this location is venerated by the Hindus.
Chandisthana
Chandisthana (meaning: place of goddess Chandi) is the location of a shrine, which is a village deity of goddess
Goddess
A goddess is a female deity. In some cultures goddesses are associated with Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses also rule over war, death, and destruction as well as healing....
Chandi
Chandi
Chandi or Chandika is the supreme Goddess of Devi Mahatmya also known as Chandi or Durga Sapthashati. Chandi is described as the Supreme reality who is a combination of Mahakali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati...
(Chandi or Caṇḍīika is the name by which the Supreme Goddess is referred to in Devi Mahatmya
Devi Mahatmya
The Devi Mahatmyam or Devi Mahatmya , or "Glory of the Goddess") is a Hindu text describing the victory of the goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. As part of the Markandeya Purana, it is one of the Puranas or secondary Hindu scriptures, and was composed in Sanskrit around c...
). It is considered as one of the 64 shakti peethas
Shakti Peethas
The Shakti Pithas are places of worship consecrated to the goddess Shakti or Parvati or Sati or Durga, the female principal of Hinduism and the main deity of the Shakta sect...
(a tantric
Tantra
Tantra , anglicised tantricism or tantrism or tantram, is the name scholars give to an inter-religious spiritual movement that arose in medieval India, expressed in scriptures ....
cultural centre) in India. It is depicted in the form of a hole in a rock dated to the rule of king Karna Vikrama. The conjecture that it could be part of an ancient temple that existed here is yet to be established by archeologists by exploration of the area.
Karnachaura
A natural rocky hillock dated to the ancient Raja Karna
Karna
Karna or Radheya is one of the central characters in the epic Mahābhārata, from ancient India. He was the King of Anga...
is named after him as the 'Karnachaura' or 'Karanchaura' or 'Karan Chabutara' (meaning: slab of Raja Karan). It is the highest point in the fort. Since the location commands a fine view of the sarroundings, Raja Karan
Raja Karan
Raja Karan may refer to:*Karna , one of the central figures in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. He was the first son of Kunti and was thus half brother to the Pandavas....
(he was a contemporary of Vikramaditya
Vikramaditya
Vikramaditya was a legendary emperor of Ujjain, India, famed for his wisdom, valour and magnanimity. The title "Vikramaditya" was later assumed by many other kings in Indian history, notably the Gupta King Chandragupta II and Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya .The name King Vikramaditya is a...
, the famous king of India) had built a house on the hill, which was later converted by the British to a saluting battery. In 1766, this base on the hill was crucial in subduing rebellion by some Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an officers of the garrison. Further refurbishing of the fort occurred during General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Goddard
Goddard
-Places:In the United States:* Goddard, Alaska* Goddard, Kansas* Goddard, Maryland* Goddard Memorial State Park, Warwick, Rhode Island* Goddard College, a private college in Plainfield, Vermont* Maurice K...
's time when it was converted as the large residence (as it exists now) of the Commanding Officer of the British garrison. This building was later under the ownership of Maharaja of Vizianagram
Maharaja of Vizianagram
The Maharaja of Vizianagram was the title held by the rulers of the princely state of Vizianagram, now in Andhra Pradesh, India.The prominent people who have held this title include :*Pusapati Amala Raju *Pusapati Rachi Raju...
and then by the Raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
of Murshidabad
Murshidabad
Murshidabad is a city in Murshidabad district of West Bengal state in India. The city of Murshidabad is located on the southern bank of the Bhagirathi, a distributary of the Ganges River. It was the capital of undivided Bengal during the Mughal rule. Nawabs of Bengal used to rule Bengal from this...
. Since 1978, it is under the ownership of the Bihar School of Yoga
Bihar School of Yoga
The Bihar School of Yoga is an internationally acclaimed school of Yoga founded by Swami Satyananda Saraswati in 1964 to fulfill the instruction given by his Guru, Sri Swami Sivananda of propagating the ancient wisdom of yoga from door to door and from shore to shore...
. Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Swami Satyananda Saraswati , was a sannyasin, yoga teacher and guru in both his native India and the West. He founded the International Yoga Fellowship in 1956 and the Bihar School of Yoga in 1963...
founder of the Yoga School has renamed it as 'Ganga Darshan'. The Yoga School is now renowned as a world centre for modern yogic/tantric renaissance. An old platform near the hill, in front of the bungalow, is also linked to the period of king Karna and his wife.
Rectangular mound
The second famous rock hillock (no specific name is given to this) within the fort is in fact an artificial rectangular raised platform where a citadel of the fort probably existed in the past. An old building called as 'Damdama Kothi' ('kothi' means "house"), conjectured to have been built by Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
rulers or even earlier Hindu kings that existed here, was destroyed by the British to build the 'Collector's Bangalow'. When this strong Kothi (a masonry structure) was demolished by blasting, underground rooms were found. In addition, in a well in the compound of the bungalow, two arched passages were found; one lead to the house and the other in an opposite direction to the Shuja palace (now a prison). Stone carvings and sculptures were seen in exposed masonry of the Kothi, during Buchanan's archeological explorations.
Bihar School of Yoga
The Bihar School of Yoga
Bihar School of Yoga
The Bihar School of Yoga is an internationally acclaimed school of Yoga founded by Swami Satyananda Saraswati in 1964 to fulfill the instruction given by his Guru, Sri Swami Sivananda of propagating the ancient wisdom of yoga from door to door and from shore to shore...
founded by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Swami Satyananda Saraswati , was a sannyasin, yoga teacher and guru in both his native India and the West. He founded the International Yoga Fellowship in 1956 and the Bihar School of Yoga in 1963...
in 1964 to impart traditional yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
teachings to the world is headquartered inside the Munger fort. Apart from providing spiritual instruction to candidates, the school undertakes yoga projects and medical research in association with other agencies. It is the World's first Yoga University and a deemed university. It attracts students from all over the world. Around 400 Australians, Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and others register for the yoga course every year, with this figure rising continuously.
Visitor information
Munger fort and the Munger town are well connected by road, rail and air communications through Patna, the capital city of Bihar. Patna is connected by air to all major cities in India. It has a very good network of rail and road links with all major cities in the country. The road distance from Patna to Munger is 173 kilometres (107.5 mi).The Ganges river, which has been declared as the National Waterway 1
Inland Waterways Authority of India
India has an extensive network of inland waterways in the form of rivers, canals, backwaters and creeks. The total navigable length is 14,500 km, out of which about 5200 km of river and 4000 km of canals can be used by mechanised crafts...
flows to the south bank of the Munger town. It extends from Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
to Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. En route, the towns covered are Bhagalpur
Bhagalpur
Bhagdattpuram was one of the most influential towns in "Aryavarta" . It is supposed to have been concurrent to Patliputra or Patna. Bhagdattpuram finds its mention in the Vedas and Ramayana as well. It is supposed to be the kingdom of Daanvir Karna, the son of Kunti and the Sun God...
, Munger
Munger
Munger town is the headquarters of Munger district, in the Indian state of Bihar. Historically, Munger is known for its manufacturing of iron articles such as firearms and swords. One of the major institutions in Munger is Bihar School of Yoga. It is one of the foremost learning center in the...
, Patna
Patna
Paṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world...
and Buxar
Buxar
Buxar district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state, India. The district headquarters are located at Buxar.-Mythology:This place was also known as "Siddhashram", "Vedgarbhapuri", "Karush", "Tapovan", "Chaitrath", "VyaghraSar", "Buxar" in ancient history. The History of Buxar dates...
. A tourist cruise service authorised under a MOU
MOU
MOU, MoU, Mou or mou may refer to:* Memorandum of understanding* Minutes of Use, in telecommunication operations* Ministry of Unification, a branch of the South Korean government.* The Museum of Osaka University...
with Inland Waterways Authority of India
Inland Waterways Authority of India
India has an extensive network of inland waterways in the form of rivers, canals, backwaters and creeks. The total navigable length is 14,500 km, out of which about 5200 km of river and 4000 km of canals can be used by mechanised crafts...
(IWAI) has been launched recently to cover this navigational route to visit several tourist destinations, including Munger fort.