# Bajwara Fort

- **Country:** India
- **Location Text:** Hoshiarpur

Bajwara Fort, also known as Qila Bajwara or Kila Bajwara, is a historic fortress located in Bajwara, Hoshiarpur district in Punjab, India, spanning six to seven acres. The fort's precise origins remain unknown, though scholars theorize it was constructed by Sher Shah Suri, Afghan settlers from Ghazni, or Pashtun inhabitants from the Suleiman mountains in the late 15th century. According to the Hoshiarpur District Gazetteer, the settlement was founded by three immigrants from Ghazni, with the fort's name believed to derive from Baiju Bawra, a celebrated dhrupad performer among these settlers.

The fortress has witnessed significant historical events throughout its existence. It was referenced in the Ain-i-Akbari as one of thirty-six mahals in the region and experienced military conflicts, including a 1432 battle between Jasrat and Allahdad Kaka of the Delhi Sultanate. Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Sikh Empire captured the fortress in 1825, and British colonial forces later used it as a prison during the 1857 rebellion before abandoning it.

The fort features Mughal architecture with Islamic and local stylistic elements, including two multi-tiered bastions connected by strong walls with towering arched portals. Today, Bajwara Fort stands in severe disrepair, with most structures collapsed due to neglect and maintenance failures. As of 2025, only one wall remains standing, damaged by peepal trees and urban sprawl. Conservation efforts have never been undertaken, though proposals suggest establishing a heritage park with protective boundary walls to preserve this deteriorating monument.

![Photo of Bajwara Fort](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Bajwara_Fort_Hoshiarpur.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bajwara_Fort (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)