“History is not a burden on the memory but an illumination of the soul.”
Lord Acton
Bahu Fort, Jammu City Part-1, Jammu & Kashmir, India
We are a nation of temple cities. But even with a stretch of the imagination, Jammu will not feature amongst them. The earliest mention of Jammu as a City of Temples comes from Rajatarangini, (River of Kings), an authentic historical narrative written in Sanskrit verse by the Kashmiri Brahman Kalhana in 1148. This literary work covers the early history of the Kashmir region.
As a frontier town, Jammu saw the passage of invaders through the region. The cultural footprint is visible throughout. But, before unveiling that tableau, let me get you through Jammu over the centuries.
A burdensome history
That King Jambulochan established Jammu is common knowledge. Region’s history, though, begins with the Suryavanshi (Solar dynasty) kings from Ayodhya. Rajatarangini mentions King Vayusrava extended his territory from Kathua to River Tawi. There had been no settlement on Tawi until 1350 BC. Except, the Bahu Fort on its south bank, attributed to Bahulochan. Various literary sources differ on whether he was the brother or father of King Jambulochan.
Fast forward to circa 850 AD when the first Royal House of Jammu and Kashmir helmed by Suraj Dev (Dev dynasty) came into being. Or so says a section of historians. The Dogras succeeded Dev Dynasty. Opinions vary on who founded the dynasty. Regardless, they were the largest contributors to the city’s heritage and culture.
Unravelling the present
Let me take you through the first known construction of Jammu city – Bahu Fort. The site has seen many reconstructions over the centuries. The first one in the 16th century. Later on, the royal family added palaces to the fort complex. The current structure from 1822 AD is courtesy of its ruler, Gulab Singh. He made this fort a royal residence.
From Jammu city Centre, a bridge across Tawi and a winding climb later, one first reaches Bagh-e-Bahu, a garden complex adjoining the Bahu Fort, overlooking the Tawi. The walls of the fort loom large above this Mughal style garden. But, owing to the imposed curfew, it was closed. Once up, a short walk through the local marketplace takes you to the fort entrance.
Today, locals visit the fort only to pay obeisance to Goddess Kaali in the Baawe Waali Mata temple. The security forces guard the rest of the fort and, hence, it is not accessible.
Learning the purpose of my visit as a blogger, the local police accommodated my request to enter the fort and photograph it. The Goddess, the family deity of the Dogra royals, was benevolent to make this happen.
While the temple complex occupies one-third of the fort, the Kaali temple is small. There are smaller enclosures housing different gods and goddesses surrounding this centrepiece. Historians credit Ranjit Singh Dev with this 8th-century temple.
The impregnable design
The entrance and the insides are large enough for elephants to walk. They were the preferred ride of the royals during the glory days of the fort. As in most forts, it has a winding entrance passage to prevent a direct attack. Perched on a hill, Tawi River forms the boundary of the fort from the northwest to the northeast.
Mughal Lakhori bricks with lime mortar make the fort impregnable. You can see rampart walls, gateways, towers, and bastions in this strong fort. The walls are ~35 feet high. Except for east, each fort face has a flak tower, at the corners and in the middle.
To the right lies a pointy-top treasure chest building, the armoury. Rumour is, the fort has a basement chamber once used as a prison and an escape route. You can spot remnants of a stable and barracks, some now occupied by security forces. These quarters display delicate arches, more suited to palaces than forts. Older literary sources talk of floral pattern ornamentations on the flooring.
Alas! Only this much remains. Parts of it are closed because of disrepair. Restoration is in progress but is slow. This monument of huge historical significance has remained hidden from the sight of the discerning traveller. Seeing it in full glory will bring it to the fore.
