Kalinjar
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Kalinjar is a fortress-city in Banda district of
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...
, India. It was ruled by several dynasties, including the Guptas, the
Vardhana dynasty The Pushyabhuti dynasty (IAST: Puṣyabhūti), also known as the Vardhana dynasty, was the ruling dynasty of the Kingdom of Thanesar in northern India during the 6th and 7th centuries. The dynasty reached its zenith under its last ruler Harsha ...
, the
Chandela The Chandelas of Jejakabhukti was an Indian dynasty in Central India. The Chandelas ruled much of the Bundelkhand region (then called ''Jejakabhukti'') between the 9th and the 13th centuries. They belonged to the Chandel clan of the Rajputs. T ...
s, Solankis of Rewa,
Mughals The Mughal Empire was an early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to the highlands of pre ...
and the
Marathas The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern India, early modern polity in the Indian subcontinent. It comprised the realms of the Peshwa and four major independent List of Maratha dynasties and states, Ma ...
. The fortress has several temples dating back to the Gupta dynasty of the 3rd–5th centuries. It is strategically located on an isolated rocky hill at the end of the
Vindhya Range The Vindhya Range (also known as Vindhyachal) () is a complex, discontinuous chain of mountain ridges, hill ranges, highlands and plateau escarpments in west-central India. Technically, the Vindhyas do not form a single mountain range in the ...
, overlooking the plains of
Bundelkhand Bundelkhand (, ) is a geographical and cultural region and a proposed state and also a mountain range in central and North India. It corresponds to the Post-Vedic Chedi kingdom. The hilly region is now divided between the states of Uttar Prad ...
. Kalinjar Fort is located on the Vindhya mountain range in Banda district. The fort is famous for its strong walls and massive gates. It houses several ancient temples, among which a Shiva temple holds special significance. Th
Neelkanth Mahadev
Temple of Kalinjar is considered very ancient and sacred. According to legend, it is believed that Lord Shiva consumed the poison that emerged during the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan) at this very place. Every year, a fair is held here on the occasion of Kartik Purnima.


History


Etymology

Kalinjar is a
portmanteau In linguistics, a blend—also known as a blend word, lexical blend, or portmanteau—is a word formed by combining the meanings, and parts of the sounds, of two or more words together.
of the
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
words ''Kaala,'' meaning time, and ''jara,'' meaning destruction, translating to ''destroyer of time''.


Mythology

Kalinjar finds its mention in ancient Hindu mythological texts. According to Hindu legends, it is said that after the Samudra manthan, when
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
consumed poison that turned his throat blue, he came to Kalinjar and defeated the ''kaal'' i.e. achieved victory over death. This is the reason why Shiva temple at Kalinjar is called ''Neelkanth'' (blue-throated). Since then, the hill has been considered a holy site.


Early history

Kalinjar has also been mentioned in
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
literature, particularly in the travelogues of
Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist legends, he was ...
. The Chedi dynasty ruled here during the time of Gautama Buddha (563–480 BC). Following this, it was absorbed into the
Maurya Empire The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in South Asia with its power base in Magadha. Founded by Chandragupta Maurya around c. 320 BCE, it existed in loose-knit fashion until 185 BCE. The primary source ...
and came to be known as Vindhya-Atavi. The fort eventually came under the rule of the
Shunga dynasty The Shunga Empire (IAST: ') was a ruling entity centred around Magadha and controlled most of the northern Indian subcontinent from around 187 to 75 BCE. The dynasty was established by Pushyamitra, after taking the throne of Magadha from the ...
and the Pandu dynasty. In the Prayag Prasathi inscription of the Allahabad Pillar this region is mentioned by the name ''Vindhya Atavi''. The Fort was in the control of the Gurjara Pratiharas, and remained until the rule of Nagabhatta II.
Chandela The Chandelas of Jejakabhukti was an Indian dynasty in Central India. The Chandelas ruled much of the Bundelkhand region (then called ''Jejakabhukti'') between the 9th and the 13th centuries. They belonged to the Chandel clan of the Rajputs. T ...
rulers used to be their ''Mandalik'' kings. The mention of Kalinjar is found in almost every text or inscription of that time.पौराणिक एवं ऐतिहासिक ग्रन्थों में वर्णित कालिंजर
। ''कालिंजर-षष्टम अध्याय''।( पीडीएफ) कु.रमिता- शोध कार्य।शोध पर्यवेक्षक:प्रो.बी.एन.राय।ज.लाल नेहरु महाविद्यालय, बांदा।२१ अगस्त, २००१।


Medieval period

According to the 16th century
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
historian
Firishta Firishta or Ferešte (), full name Muhammad Qasim Hindu Shah Astarabadi (), was a Persian historian, who later settled in India and served the Deccan Sultans as their court historian. He was born in 1570 and died between 1611 and 1623. Life F ...
, the town of Kalinjar was established by one Kedar Raja in the 7th century. Rastrakutas later seized the fortress. The fort came to prominence during the
Chandela The Chandelas of Jejakabhukti was an Indian dynasty in Central India. The Chandelas ruled much of the Bundelkhand region (then called ''Jejakabhukti'') between the 9th and the 13th centuries. They belonged to the Chandel clan of the Rajputs. T ...
rule. According to Chandela-era legends, the fort was built by a Chandela ruler. The Chandela rulers used the title ''Kalanjaradhipati'' (), which shows their importance to the fort. In 1023,
Mahmud of Ghazni Abu al-Qasim Mahmud ibn Sabuktigin (; 2 November 971 – 30 April 1030), usually known as Mahmud of Ghazni or Mahmud Ghaznavi (), was Sultan of the Ghaznavid Empire, ruling from 998 to 1030. During his reign and in medieval sources, he is usuall ...
attacked and received a tribute from Kalinjar,
Mughal emperor The emperors of the Mughal Empire, who were all members of the Timurid dynasty (House of Babur), ruled the empire from its inception on 21 April 1526 to its dissolution on 21 September 1857. They were supreme monarchs of the Mughal Empire in ...
Babur Babur (; 14 February 148326 December 1530; born Zahīr ud-Dīn Muhammad) was the founder of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. He was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan through his father and mother respectively. He was also ...
captured the fort in 1526, when his forces drove away Raja Hasan Khan Mewatpatti. It was also the place where
Sher Shah Suri Sher Shah Suri (born Farid al-Din Khan; 1472 or 1486 – 22 May 1545), also known by his title Sultan Adil (), was the ruler of Bihar from 1530 to 1540, and Sultan of Hindustan from 1540 until his death in 1545. He defeated the Mughal Empire, ...
met his death in 1545, when he was mortally wounded by a gunpowder explosion from one of his own cannons, with his soldiers capturing the fort before his death. In 1569, Akbar captured the fort and it was under Mughal rule until its capture by the Marathas. Kalinjar played a prominent part in history down to the time of the Revolt of 1857, when it was held by a small British garrison. Both the fort and the town, which stands at the foot of the hill, are of interest to the antiquary on account of the remains of temples, sculptures, inscriptions, and caves. In the early 18th century, the fort was captured by the Peshwa Bajirao after defeating the Mughal general Bangash Khan of Allahabad. In order to stop the Mughals from entering Bundelkhand again, he established a
Maratha The Marathi people (; Marathi: , ''Marāṭhī lōk'') or Marathis (Marathi: मराठी, ''Marāṭhī'') are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are native to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-A ...
light infantry huzurat of 5000 under the command of Sardar Ram Singh Bhatt, Yashwantrao Bhatt, Parshuram Bhau Bundela, Bhaskar Pandit, and Sheshrao Pant Bundela, all veterans of war and Maratha class one generals. In due course of time, the Marathas conquered the nearby territories and expanded to the
Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...
frontiers. They inflicted a crushing defeat on Awadh ally Nawab of Rampur and Ala Vardi Khan. The fort was used to levy chauth to nearby territories like
Benares Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges, Ganges river in North India, northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hinduism, Hindu world.* * * * The city ...
, Mirzapur, Pratapgarh, Kunda, and
Bundela The Bundela is a Rajput clan. Over several generations, the cadet lineages of Bundela Rajputs founded several states in area what came to be known as Bundelkhand anciently known as Chedi Kingdom from the 16th century. Etymology As per Jaswa ...
.


Colonial period

In 1803, the Peshwa was involved in direct skirmishes with the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
in which he was defeated. In the Treaty of Surji-Anjangaon, Peshwa Bajirao II ceded
Bundelkhand Bundelkhand (, ) is a geographical and cultural region and a proposed state and also a mountain range in central and North India. It corresponds to the Post-Vedic Chedi kingdom. The hilly region is now divided between the states of Uttar Prad ...
to the East India Company after his defeat in the Second Anglo-Maratha war. The fort came under the management of the East India Company in 1805-06. The Old Bhatt royalty was expatriated and was granted separate sanads of Kirwi, Attra, Chitrakut Mathond, and Khurand. The fort was placed under the pre-Maratha constitution of Bundela - Jhijhotiya Chubes. However, during the first War of Independence in 1857, The Old Bhatta Aristocracy recaptured the fort driving Bundela back to Ajaygarh. In 1858, the British attacked the fort but the people at large resisted and fought a tough battle with Major Hugh Rose. A long drawn siege ensued in which almost 800 British and 3000 Indians were killed. This proved to be the toughest battlefield in Bundelkhand where English suffered maximum casualties. The English with the help of the states of Panna and Rewa captured this fort on 4 May 1858. The Last Bhatta Peshwas surrendered and were sent to Rewa as prisoners. Kalinjar subah was distributed in between Bundela, Rewa Solanki and Chaubes of Rajaula. The fort was decommissioned and its buildings were demolished, to prevent any further maratha garrisoning at Kalinjar, thus ending the legacy of this fort. The total chauth collection was estimated at 40 lakh shahi mohars. The Naukahai campaign of Rewa and Chunar Fort, was launched directly from Kalinjar in which the Sohagpur Amarkantak and Shahdol paragana were attached to Peshwa territories. Almost all the occupants of the fort were moon worshipers and are called Chandravanshi clans of Kshatriya, Brahmanas, Kalchuries and Yadavas. In 1812, the British troops marched into Bundelkhand, and after a long battle, they were able to annex the fort. The British seizure of Kalinjar proved to be a great watershed, transferring the legacy of the old aristocracy into the hands of the new bureaucracy of officials, who showed their loyalty to British imperialism by damaging the captured fort. The damages caused to the fort can still be seen on its walls and open spaces.


Transport links


Air

The nearest airport is at
Khajuraho Khajuraho () is a city, near Chhatarpur in Chhatarpur district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. One of the most popular tourist destinations in India, Khajuraho has the country's largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous ...
, away but has limited connectivity. Kanpur Airport which is well connected with metropolitan cities of India is and 4 hours drive from Kalinjar.


Rail

The nearest railway station is at Atarra away, on the Banda- Satna route, from Banda Railway Station.


Road

The Kalinjar fort is linked by road to all the important centres in the region with regular bus services. Some of the major road distances are: Chitrakoot, ; Banda, ; Khajuraho, ; and
Prayagraj Prayagraj (, ; ISO 15919, ISO: ), formerly and colloquially known as Allahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi, Varanasi (Benar ...
, .


Gallery

File:Pillared building at one corner of Kalinjar Fort.jpg, Pillared building at one corner of Kalinjar Fort File:Broken sculpture of Kuvera riding on his vehicle, near temple of Nilkanth.jpg, Kuvera riding on his vehicle, near temple of Nilkanth File:Architectural details from temple of Nilkanth.jpg, Architectural details from temple of Nilkanth File:Kurma avatar.jpg, Kurma avatar File:Sculpture of Varaha avatar.jpg, Varaha avatar File:Sculpture of Ganesh from temple of Nilkanth.jpg, Sculpture of Ganesh from temple of Nilkanth File:Neelkanth Mandir 2.jpg, Neelkanth Mandir view from top File:Kalinjar fort11.jpg, Temple in the Fort File:Kalinjar fort.jpg, Fort (inside view) File:Pillar inside Rani Palace, Kalinjar Fort.jpg, Pillar inside Rani Palace, Kalinjar Fort File:Gateway of Nilakanth temple in Kalinjar fort.jpg, Gateway of Nilakanth temple in Kalinjar fort File:6th century Gajasursamharamurti and Parvati bas-relief, Kalinjar Fort 027.jpg, Gajasursamharamurti and Parvati bas-relief, Kalinjar Fort


See also

* List of forts in Uttar Pradesh


References

{{Authority control Forts in Uttar Pradesh Bundelkhand Rajput architecture Banda district, India