NEGLECTED TOURISM- PART II MAHOREGARH FORT

MAHOREGARH FORT

65 kms from Jammu & 25kms from Samba, Mahoregarh Fort in Samba Distt is also a victim of the apathy of the Government & Tourism Deptt. One can go to this place from village Sarain situated at the left side of Village Nud 10 kms from Samba. There is no route to this place earlier as this place is on a hillock & only route that goes is with the banks of a seasonal Nullah. Now a road under PMGSY is also under construction.There is nothing clear about the history of Mahoregarh fort. Some says Sikander Suri visited this place in 1550 & this is built by him but some claims its origin to more ancient era. But one thing is clear that it remains for sometimes as Afghans outpost & later came under indigenous rulers under the overall sovereignty of Maharaja Gulab Singh. From the looks of the Gateway it seems that it was quite a big fort & might be a strategic outpost.

How this area is of strategic importance is also clears from the fact that there are two more fortresses in the same vicinity & they are at not much distance. The ruins shows the signs of Afghans Architecture. There is one incident in the life history of Gulab Singh Maharaja Jammu & Kashmir in which he captured a fort of Samartah near beautiful Mansar Lake & some say this is may be one of these forts but most people say that fort was on Dhar road near Majalta.

But the signs of Afghan Architecture are prevalent in the structure, whether these are in the archs are in the gateway of the fort. The hugeness & grandeur of the fort fills in the visitors a sense of Awe & Nostalgia & one may easily go in the tmes when this was in its full glory & grandeur.

One may even think that how the glory was lost & where are the descendants/claimants of this fort.

DEVELOPMENT

On the name of the development, there is only one shelter built by the authorities. There is no more fascilities for the tourists. There is no care of this fort & grasses, wild plants & creepers have made it their habitat & causing it immense damage. In the times of Deputy Commissioner Sheetal Nanda attempts were made to make people aware about this fort & On Foot expeditions from Samba organised to reach this fort (She herself participated in this) but later on, all in vain. If Govt tries, it can be a part of Samba Mansar cultural ecosystem because mansaris not very far from this. But urgent necessity is the “Road Link.”

Whatsoever be, the looks & the grandeur of the fort reminiscences us the old saying

 खँडहर बताते हैं के इमारत कभी आलाशीन होगी

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Editor