Bhangarh: The fort of Bhangarh is located 50 kilometers from the Sariska Sanctuary between the city of Jaipur and Alwar. Surrounded by arravali hills gives an awesome view. The fort was constructed in the 17th century by Raja Madho Singh, the younger brother of the great Mughal general, Man Singh of Amber. Besides the royal palace, Bhangarh had over 9,000 houses until 1720 after which it gradually diminished in population. The Bhangarh fort along with the whole township was protected by three successive fortifications and five massive gates. The fort houses remnants of grand havelis, temples and deserted marketplaces within its premises, indicating the fort’s prosperity in its heydays. People call it one of the most haunted palace and highest ranked amongest haunted palaces in India, Bhangarh fort nevertheless attracts hordes of tourists owing to its serene atmosphere, picturesque Aravalli Mountains and the architectural marvel that it is.

• THE FORT AND ITS PREMISES

  Inside the Bhangarh fort premises, one can find ruins of temples, palaces and havelis. The fort has four entry points in addition to the main gate – the Lahori Gate, the Ajmeri Gate, the Phulbari Gate and the Delhi Gate. The fort, although in ruins, still looks majestic, and exudes a sense of calmness to augment the green surroundings. At the fort’s main entrance there are a number of Hindu temples. The prominent temples are Gopinath Temple, Someshwar Temple, Keshav Rai Temple, Mangla Devi Temple and Ganesh Temple. These temples are a sublime example of architecture and workmanship of the 17th century. All the temples are in Nagara style of architecture. There is also the Gopinath Temple which is built above a 14ft raised plinth, with exquisite carvings done on the stones. The temple complex also houses the residence of the head priest, called the Purohitji Ki Haveli. Inside the fort precincts, there are a number of grand havelis in ruins; prominent among them is the Nartakiyon Ki Haveli, which was the house of the dancing girls. There is also the market place, with ruins of the royal palace standing at the extreme end of the fort’s limit. The royal palace said to have seven storey, however now only four of it remains.

  The Curse of Bhangarh : Bhangarh Fort is considered to be one of the most haunted places in India and is said to be cursed. There are several legends associated with the fort but there are two which are rather popular with the local population. The first legend is that of a sadhu named Baba Balau Nath. Long before the king Madho Singh decided to construct a fort in Bhangarh, the area was a meditating spot for Baba Balau Nath. The sadhu gave his permission for the construction of the fort on the condition that the fort or any building within shouldn’t be taller than his house and if the shadow on any structure fell upon his house, it would result in the annihilation of the fort town. Ajab Singh, the grandson of Madho Singh, is said to have ignored this warning and greatly raised the height of the fort, the resulting shadow falling on the sadhu’s home, leading to destruction of the town. The other legend is associated with princess Ratnavati, who was very beautiful and had a number of suitors from the royal families of the country. A wizard, adept in black magic, fell in love with the princess. As the princess went shopping with her friends one day, the wizard saw her buying ittar (scent) and replaced the ittar with a love potion. The princess, however, came to know of the wizard’s trickery and threw the potion onto a boulder nearby. This resulted in the boulder rolling towards the wizard and crushing him to death. But before being crushed to death, he cursed the city, stating that it would be destroyed soon and no would be able to live within its precincts. The kingdom was later sacked by the invading Mughal forces, killing all the inhabitants of the fort along with princess Ratnavati. As it is considered a haunted place the Bhangarh fort remains out of bound for visitors before sunrise and after sunset.

  The Bhangarh fort in Rajasthan, although in ruins, still looks beautiful as it sits at the base of a hill amidst the serene and lusciously green surroundings. Visit the fort to see the ruins of a once magnificent kingdom.