Archaeological - Architectural Features and Geologic- Geomorphic Conditions of Intact Medieval Hindu Narsinghgarh Fort at Malwa Plateaue, Rajgarh, Central India

Abstract

Fort Narsinghgarh was built by Ruler Rawat Paras Ramji of Narsinghgarh, Malwa region, Central India, during his reign 1681-95 A.D., i.e., about 340 years ago. The state of Narsinghgarh was constituted by Rawat Paras Ramji himself after partition of Rajgarh State (in 1681 A.D.) from his brother Mohan Singh, the ruler of Rajgarh. He named the state as Shri Narsingh state after Bhagwan Shri Narsingh (Lord Vishnu) and founded the town Narsinghgarh as Capital of the new state. The Fort was built in the Rajput and Malwa style Architecture, on Satpura Range at an elevation of 483 m AMSL (i.e. 1584). It covers an area of about 45.32 Acres and it lies on the top of Vindhyan Isolated Residual Hill about 350 feet above the nearly ground surface of the Town. It is third biggest fort of Central India; other two are forts of Mandu and Gwalior in M.P. The Narsinghgarh state was expanded over an area of 1368 km2. It is also famous for Art and Music under Malwa School of Art previously known as Narsinghgarh school of Arts in 18th to 19th century. Many Hindu Temples had been constructed by rulers of Narsinghgarh like, Bada Mahadev Mandir, Gupteshwar Mahadev Mandir, Badi Hanuman Gadi, Narsingh Bhagwan Temple and Raghunath Temple. In Kotra village, a narrow cave on Satpura hill Range slope occurs naturally, which are known as Karotia Cave, became Geoheritage, requires further investigation. The natural hill caves and histo-archaeological heritages of Hindu Rajput state, Malwa region of Central India needs protection and mitigate measures to preserve as National Heritage monuments and to develop them as places of Tourist importance.