# Kanthkot Fort

- **Country:** India
- **Coordinates:** 23.483889, 70.461944
- **Location Text:** Bhachau, Occupied by Solanki and Chavda Rajput's

Kanthkot Fort is a historic military installation situated near Kanthkot village in the Bhachau Taluka of Kutch, Gujarat, India. Perched atop an isolated rocky hill with a circumference of approximately five kilometers, the structure was originally built around 843 CE by the Kathi community using massive granite stones and lime mortar. The fort holds significant historical weight as it reportedly served as the capital of the Kathis before being captured by the Chavda dynasty. Its name derives from a local legend involving the ascetic Kanthadnath, whose fireplace was initially crossed by the fort walls; after the angry saint destroyed the section, builders appeased him by naming the fortress after him. Over the centuries, it functioned as a strategic refuge for various rulers, including King Mularaja and Bhima I, and later became the capital for the Vaghela and Samma dynasties.

The site witnessed numerous conflicts and changes in control, passing to the Jadeja rulers in the fifteenth century and being noted by Mughal vizier Abu'l-Fazl as a chief Kutch fort. In 1816, British forces under Colonel East besieged the location, leading to the razing of its fortifications just before the Cutch State accepted British suzerainty in 1819. Despite this destruction, the area remained under Jadeja administration until India's independence in 1947. Today, the fort exists primarily as ruins controlled by the Government of Gujarat. Visitors can still observe remnants of its past grandeur, including deep wells like the Bhamario and Nogan, a ruined stepwell, and the remains of three ancient temples located on the hill, offering a glimpse into its rich architectural and cultural heritage.

![Photo of Kanthkot Fort](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Kanthkot_Fort_Entrance_Gate.jpg)

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