Vikram singh
SPNer
- Feb 24, 2005
- 454
- 412
Located few kilometers from Mohali, the Mughal fort had been decaying for lack of preservation. After acquiring the land of the fort, the possession of the fort has been handed over to the State Department of Cultural Affairs, Archeology and Museum.
Officials of the district administration today visited the site to ascertain the security of the site.
The fort was won by legendry Nawab Kapoor Singh in 1763. The centuries-old fort declared as a protected monument by the Punjab Government in 2001, presents a poor picture of its original glory.
In the past, there has been a legal battle between the Punjab Government and descendants of Nawab Kapoor Singh, who had been contending the declaration of the fort as a protected monument.
The grand gate that guarded the entrance of the fort has perished and only two of the four corner towers are still standing. These are, however, fissured and it is just a matter of time before the entire structure becomes a heap of rubble. It is among the few forts that is made of bricks and belongs to an era when stone was largely used. The small bricks, known as the Sirhindi brick among the locals, are hanging loose from almost every wall of the fort.
Villagers of Manauli lament that despite that being declared a protected monument, the Punjab Archeology Department officials have nothing to say about the fort.
