Chanderi Fort, Chanderi - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 3 km from Chanderi Bus Station, Chanderi Fort is a magnificent monument located in Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh. Situated atop a 71m high hillock, it is one of the popular places of heritage in Madhya Pradesh, and among the must-visit places as part of Chanderi tour packages.

Chanderi Fort is the most renowned monument of Chanderi. It was constructed by Kirti Pal, a Pratihara king in the 11th century. The fort has witnessed several attacks and has been rebuilt several times. The rulers from the Mughal era, like Aladdin Khilji and Babur, put in a lot of effort to fortify the area. The fort is surrounded by a 5 km long wall and is approached through three gates. The first and the main gate is known as 'Khooni Darwaza' as the criminals were thrown from the battlements. There is another gate on the southwest of the fort, known as Kati Ghati with 59 m in length, 12 m in breadth, and 24.6 m in height. The gateway was carved into an arch-shaped structure from a single stone that was cut overnight upon the orders of Chanderi's Governor, Sher Khan's son Jimam Khan. The uppermost gate 'Hawa Pur' is the third and highest gate of the Chanderi Fort.

The once commanding fort, today has only some ruins left. Some of these include the remains of the Khilji Mosque, Naukhunda Mahal, and the Tomb of Hazrat Abdul Rahman. Naukhunda Palace is a three-storied palace with a fountain and a tank in its courtyard and bastions and watchtowers in the corners. Khilji Masjid is situated at the entrance of the fort and is believed to be from the 14th century that exhibits splendid architecture with intricately carved mihrabs and verses from the Quran. One can get a beautiful view of the town from the fort and it is a great experience to walk through the corridors and rooms.

Just outside the Chanderi Fort complex, there is a Jauhar Smarak to commemorate the sacrifice done by the women during history. The place signifies the self-sacrifice done by 600 Rajput women following the departure of Medini Rai and his soldiers to fight the last battle with Babur and his soldiers. The battle itself was fought on 19th January in 1528. A stone plaque tells the story of the event and is placed in a small but beautiful stone structure. There is also a memorial of the popular musician Baiju Bawara who was born in Chanderi.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

Entry: Free