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Raisen Fort

Raisen Fort

heritage site · Madhya Pradesh

State
Madhya Pradesh
Type
Heritage Site

Raisen Fort is a hilltop fort in Raisen town, Madhya Pradesh, built on a sandstone hill more than 1,500 feet high and spread over roughly ten square kilometres with nine gateways, combining Hindu and Islamic-era structures including the dargah of Hazrat Peer Fatehullah Shah Baba.

Raisen Fort is known for

11th-century hilltop fortSultans of Mandu and Rajput ruleSher Shah Suri conquest (1543)dargah of Peer Fatehullah ShahHindu-Muslim Urs festival harmony

A short history

The fort was built in the 11th century AD and was an important centre of administration from its foundation. In the 15th century the fort was ruled by the Sultans of Mandu, from whom it passed to the Rajputs. In 1543, Sher Shah Suri seized the fort from Puranmal. During Akbar's reign, Raisen served as a Sarkar headquarters within the Subah of Malwa. Around 1760, Faiz Mohammad Khan, the third Nawab of Bhopal State, took possession of Raisen. The present Raisen district was constituted on 5 May 1950. The fort is today protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. [Source: raisen.nic.in/en/history; Source: trawell.in/madhya-pradesh/bhopal/raisen-fort]

Why Raisen Fort matters

Raisen Fort is notable as a site of continuous Hindu, Afghan (Mandu Sultanate/Sher Shah Suri) and Mughal-era control, and today is a symbol of Hindu-Muslim religious harmony because of the Hindu temple and the Sufi dargah both located within its precincts.

When to go

October to March; notable during Shivratri and the annual Urs festival

How to reach

Raisen is about 44 km from Bhopal Junction railway station and roughly 50 km from Raja Bhoj Airport in Bhopal; it is about 24 km from Sanchi.

Raisen Fort guide & itineraries

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