Jaunpur Fort (Karar Fort)
Close to the bridge, on the banks of Gumpti, is Karar Fort, built in 1360 by Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq with materials brought in from the palace and temples of the Rathore kings of Kannauj. With the advent of Sharqis, the fortifications were further strengthened and numerous royal edifices added, but only to be reduced to rubble by the Lodis a century later.Mughal emperors Humayun and Akbar recreated the fort after extensive repairs. Much later it was acquired by the British and once again damaged during the first war of independence in 1857 and a few years later the English blew off its 40 pillared Chil Sitoon.
The fort still offers a few interesting monuments together with the eastern gateway that has been salvaged along with a portion of the fort wall. Within the fort complex, one can visit the spacious Turkish Hammam of the Sharqis, locally referred to as Bhul-bhulian. Close to it is a three domed mosque built in a typical Bengali style with a four feet high sandstone minar in front. Arabic inscription on the minar assigns its construction to Ibrahim Naib Barbak (brother of Sultan Firoz Shah) in 1377. However, other historians read it as 1395 and credit it to Prince Ibrahim (subsequently Sultan Ibrahim) during the reign of the first Sharqi king (1395). Another six feet high pillar with 17 lines of Persian prose is placed outside the gateway. It dates back to 1769 and exhorts al Muslim and Hindu kotwals of the fort to continue the allowance, possibly to the descendants of the Sharqis. The inscription continues:
“I administer oath to a Muslim in the name of God and His prophet; and if he is a Hindu I give him the oath in the name of Ram, Ganges and tribeni. If he does not act upon this deed he will be cursed by God and his Prophet and if God wishes his face will be blackened on the Resurrection day, and he will go to Hell.” Source
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[...] SHAHI QILA: Situated in the heart of the city on the left bank of the Gomti, Shahi Qila was built by Freoze Shah in 1362 A.D. The inner gate of this fort is 26.5 ft. high and 16 ft. wide. The central gate is 36 ft. high. A top this there is a huge dome. At present only its eastern gate and, within, some arches etc. remain which narrate the tale of its ancient splendor. Muneer Khan had got its majestic front gate built with a view to security and it was decorated with blue and yellow stones. [...]
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