Kangra Fort

The Kangra Fort was built by the royal Rajput family of Kangra State (the Katoch dynasty), which traces its origins to the ancient Trigarta Kingdom, mentioned in the Mahabharata epic. It is the largest fort in the Himalayas and is one of the oldest forts in India. The fort of Kangra resisted Mughal-forces in 1615 AD as emperor Jahangir (who succeeded Akbar in 1605) sent Sheikh Farid Murtaza Khan to lead the siege, but internal disputes with local allies (Raja Suraj Mal of Nurpur) and Murtaza Khan and after that Murtaza Khan’s death led to its failure. After that in 1619-1620AD Jahangir successfully subdued the fort. The Kangra fort remained under direct Mughal administration for over 160 years. Mughal governors like Nawab Ali Khan (and later successors, including his son Humrat Khan in some records) managed the fort.

By the late 18th century, with Mughal power waning, the fort was surrendered in 1783 by the Mughal governor’s son (after the death of Governor Saif Ali Khan) to Jai Singh Kanhaiya of the Sikh Kanhaiya Misl in exchange for safe passage. Shortly after, in 1789AD (or around 1783–1789AD in varying accounts), Raja Sansar Chand II of the Katoch dynasty—often called the “golden age” ruler of Kangra—successfully recovered the ancestral fort. This marked a brief resurgence of Katoch rule, during which Sansar Chand expanded influence across the hills.

The expanding Gurkha Empire (under Amar Singh Thapa) besieged and briefly occupied parts of the region around 1805–1806, forcing Sansar Chand into an alliance with Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Sikh Empire. In 1809, Sansar Chand handed over the fort to Ranjit Singh (who helped defeat the Gurkhas). It remained under Sikh control, administered by capable governors like Desa Singh Majithia. After the First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–1846), the British East India Company annexed the region. A British garrison occupied the fort until the devastating Kangra earthquake of April 4, 1905, which caused massive structural damage, leading to its abandonment as a military site.

Today, Kangra Fort is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), in ruins but still majestic, with remnants of Mughal-era additions like the mosque visible amid its ancient Katoch foundations. It stands as a testament to layered conquests and resilience.

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