Bala Quila Fort or the Alwar Fort is situated in the Aravalli Range, above the town of Alwar. Built in 15th century by Hasan Khan Mewati, it has been under the rule of the Marathas, Yadavas, and the Kachwaha Rajputs. According to the Hindu Puranas, the fort is the strength of the King. The literal meaning of the ‘Bala Quila’ is the Young Fort. Laxman Pole is the only metalled road which connects the Fort to the Alwar city. The silver pages of history speak that Pratap Singh, the founder of Alwar state entered the fort through this metalled way only.
In 1775 A.D. Kachhwaha Rajput Pratap Singh captured the fort and laid the stones of Alwar city. With a distance of 595 m, the massive fort is visible from the city itself. It gives a majestic look of the town as it is perched on a 300m high cliff. It spreads over an area of 5 km from North to South and 1.6 km from East to West. The forts have six gates which are Jai Pol, Suraj Pol, Laxman Pol, Chand Pol, Krishen Pol and Andheri Gate. These gates speak of the valor and chivalry of the Rajputs. The walls are finely crafted with ancient scriptures and sculptures. Each and every part of the fort echoes the features of the history.
Architecture of Bala Quila Fort
It is an architectural piece of Indo-Islamic style. The walls are beautifully crafted which takes you back to the golden era. Each gate is named after a ruler which speaks about their magnanimity. Besides the beautiful carvings of the wall, there are many other things which are eye catching.The notable buildings in the fort are Jai Mahal, Nikumbh Mahal, Salim Sagar Pond, Suraj Kund and 15 temples, namely Sita Ram temple, Top Wale Hanuman Ji Temple and Chakradhari Hanuman temple which in the present day reflect the historical grandeur of the bygone era.
It has 446 openings for Musketry which are surrounded by 8 citadels, 15 large and 51 small towers. The part of the fort where Jahangir lived for three years of his exile is known as Salim Mahal. Also, the fort houses a radio station which can only be visited with the permission of the Superintendent of Police, Alwar.
HIstory of Bala Quila Fort
The fort was used by Mughals as the base for attacking Ranthambore even before they starting ruling. Mughal emperors Babur and Akbar had an overnight stay, whereas Prince Salim (later Emperor Jahangir) was exiled for three years in Salim Mahal as the outcome of banishment by Emperor Akbar.
How To Reach Bala quila Fort
The distance between the city and the fort is of about 12 km. The foothill of the cliff is easily reachable by auto-rickshaws or private cabs. From the foothill, there is a 7 km steep path which has to be covered on foot.