Chanderi Fort

Surrounded by hills, lakes, and forests Chanderi is a place of tourist attractions. There are numerous monuments of the Bundela Rajputs and Malwa sultans. One of the famous tourist spots is Chanderi Fort. It is located at Chanderi in Ashoknagar District of Madhya Pradesh state in India. This place is situated at

• The distance of 127 km from Shivpuri and

• 37 km from Lalitpur and

• about 45 km from Esagarh and

• 38 km from Mongolia

It is situated on a hill southwest of the Betwa River. Chanderi has a mention in Mahabharata in which Shishupal was the king of the Mahabharata period.

Chanderi is situated advantageously on the edges of Malwa and Bundelkhand. History of Chanderi starts from the 11th to 19th centuries. It was then conquered by the trade routes of Central India. Chanderi fort was proximate to the major route to the ancient ports of Gujarat. It shares its proximity to Malwa, Mewar, Central India, and the Deccan as well. Therefore, Chanderi became an imperative military outpost.

History of Chanderi fort

Chanderi is stated by the Persian scholar Alberuni in 1030. Ghiyas-ud-din-Balban grabbed the city in 1251 for Nasiruddin Mahmud who was the Sultan of Delhi at that time. Sultan Mahmud Khilji of Malwa then takes a capture of the city in 1438 after a siege of several months. Then in 1520 Rana Sangha of Mewar arrested the city. He then gave it to Medini Rai, a disobedient minister of Sultan Mahmud II of Malwa.

The Mughal Emperor Babur seized the city from Medini Rai. In 1540 it was caught by Sher Shah Suri and supplemented to the directorship of Shujaat Khan.

The Bundela Rajputs then captured the city in 1586 and was ruled by Ram Sab, a son of Raja Madhukar of Orchha.

In 1680 Devi Singh Bundela became governor of the city. After then Chanderi remained in the hands of his family until it was bagged in 1811 by Jean Baptiste Filose. The city was handed on to the British empire in 1844.

The city was moved back to the Sindhias of Gwalior in 1861. It was then made a part of the Isagarh District of Gwalior state. After India's independence in 1947, Gwalior turns out to be part of a new state of Madhya Bharat, which was combined to Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 1956.

The architecture of Chanderi Fort

The Chanderi Fort comes within reach of three gates. The primary and main gate is well known as the Khooni Darwaza which was so named because prisoners were thrown from the ramparts above and their bodies crashed to pieces below.

Hawa Paur is the third and considered to be the highest gate of the Chanderi Fort. The offcuts of the Chanderi Fort consist of the Hawa Mahal and the Nau Khanda Mahal which were built by the Bundela chiefs. There is yet another doorway on the southwestern sideways of the fort. This unexpected gate denoted as the Khatti ghatti. It is 12 meters in breadth, 59 meters in length and 24.6 meters in height. Leaning towers adorn this gate.

Festivals and fairs in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is a colorful state that observes many fairs and festivals all through the year. The long-established spiritual festivals of the Hindus, Muslims and other societies are celebrated eagerly in Madhya Pradesh as those are observed in the rest of India. It is the ancestral fairs and festivals of Chanderi. These are known to be the celebration of the cultural lifestyles of the colorful tribes of the place. The tribal festivals in Jhabua and Bastar are known for its joyful festivities, imbibing bouts and outstanding entertainment like cockfighting, candid dancing, etc.

There are different cultural festivals of Madhya Pradesh, the Tansen Music Festival in Gwalior Khajuraho Festival of Dances are related to the festivals of Indian classical dance and music.

Best time to visit Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh

MP is the biggest state in India and it's no surprise that climate also varies in the extreme. The summer season reaches late in March and the weather becomes really very hot during day time. This is the time to head to the hills. Chanderi Fort is one of the supremely popular summer destinations in summer. But if you are in for tiger spotting at one of the wildlife preserves in Madhya Pradesh, March till June is the best time to do so.

Other nearby attractions

• Kandariya temple

• Dhuandhar falls

• Kanha national park

• Panchmarhi

• Bhimbetka rock shelters

• Bandhavgarh national park

• Sanchi stupa

• Gwalior Fort

• Dulhadev temple

Tips for travelers to Chanderi Fort

• If you are visiting in summer, carry goggles and hats, wear light clothes as the temperature goes to the peak.

• If you are visiting in winter, carry warm clothes as the temperature goes very low in the evening.

• If you love photography, carry your camera as videography is allowed

• If you are visiting the first time, book a travel guide, easily available here to know more about the place