History of jalore The jalore town is scenically located in the jalore district in Rajasthan. It is bound by the districts of Barmer, Pali, Sirohi and Banaskantha district of Gujarat. Originally, jalore was known as Jabalipura, the name of a saint. It was also popularly known as Suvarnnagri or Golden Mount due to the prosperity within the kingdom. It flourished under the Chauhan Rajputs dynasty founded by Kirtipala, the son of the ruler of Alhana in 1181 and the greatest ruler was Udayasimha, whose rule is considered to be the golden period in jalores history. The jalore region changed hands and became part of the Mughal Empire under Akbar. Later it again became part of the Marwar region till the Indian independence. Since ancient times, jalore has been part of the pilgrimage sector in Rajasthan but lately, it has become a popular tourist destination for those seeking the arid beauty of real rustic Rajasthan. jalore is an upcoming town with a rich past, interesting cultural heritage and numerous attractive sightseeing destinations. Ancient temples, mosques and a multitude of historical jalore constituted a politically important division of Marwar in the past. With the Sukri and Khari rivers flowing through it, the land in jalore is fertile and meant much economic benefit for the ruling clan. The fort in jalore was one of the 'nine castles of Maru', when the Paramara clan held paramount rule in Marusthali (the desert) and guarded the southern frontier of Marwar. Later, a branch of the Chauhanas laid siege to the fortress. The Chauhanas enshrined here their guardian divinity, Mallianth. jalore formed that portion of the Chauhanas sovereignty called Happa Raj, whose capital were the twin towns of Junah and Chotun (south of Jaisalmer), connecting the sway of this clan in the areas along the Luni river which it had possessed after having crushed the Paramaras. The Chauhanas reigned in the area till the time the sons of Sevji entered these regions, and this was when the name Sonagir was exchanged for jalore. Sevji, the grandson of the last monarch of Kanauj�s (Uttar Pradesh), with his brother Saitram in 1212AD moved westwards towards the desert to carve out a fresh niche for them selves (some historians believe that their trip west was with the pious intention of making a pilgrimage to the holy city of Dwarka). Sevji in his living years had annexed the western region around the city of Bikaner, Palli and some others on the banks of the river Luni. His three sons, Asothama, Soning and Ajmal extended his territory further including jalore.  Later the Muslim house of Palanpur ruled the principality of jalore as vassals of the Sultans of Gujarat, before the Mughals came to India. When Akbar�s army invaded Gujarat its ruler Ghazni Khan II resisted and was captured and imprisoned by the invading army. A few years later on being urged by Ghazni Khan�s mother Akbar not only released the Khan but also gave him his foster sister in marriage and Palanpur as a part of dowry. Unfortunately their son, who is believed to have been corrupted by bad company and excessive drinking, on being crown emperor killed his mother. The then Mughal emperor in Delhi Jahangir sent for him and having found him guilty of the murder of his mothers and Jahangir�s aunt had him squashed under the foot of an elephant. However his son, Ghazni Khan�s grandson was allowed to rule jalore. In 1704 Durga Das Rathore, ruler of Jodhpur kidnapped the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb�s grandchildren and asked for the return of jalore to the Rajput rulers of Jodhpur as ransom. So jalore once again came under the kingdom of Marwar. The Attractions inside the Fort The mahal or "the residential palace" inside the fort is now desolated, and what is left of it are the ruined symmetrical walls with huge rock formations around it. The cut-stone walls of the fort are still intact at many places. There are some drinking water tanks in the fort. The Fort Mosques Topekhana Masjid (Arsenal Mosque) and the Kila Masjid (Fort Mosque) within the fort are also noteworthy as they demonstrates the widespread influence of the architectural decorations associated with the Gujarati styles of the period . Another shrine in the fort is that of Saint Rehmad Ali Baba. Near the main gate there is the tomb of Malik Shah, a noted Mohammedan saint. The Jain Temples jalore is also a place of pilgrimage for Jains and the famous Jain temples of Adinath, Mahavira, Parsvanath and Santinath are located here. The oldest temple is that of Adinath, which existed as far back as in the 8th century. The mandapa was subsequently built in 1182 A.D. by Yasovira, a Srimali vaishya. The temple stands out the most among the dark fort walls and rocky surrounding . Built in white marble this imposing structure is quite a sight. The temple of Parsvanath was built by the ruler of jalore and then rebuilt in 1785 A.D. This temple has a spectacular toran or an archway and a golden "cupola' in the hall meant for theatre performances. Built near the Bal Pol, which is situated north west of the fort. The temple of Mahavira was also known as Chandanavihara Nahadarao, named after a Pratihara ruler and a hero of Jain tradition who built it in the 14th century. The temples of Santinatha and the Ashtapads are believed to have existed in the 13th century. Hindu Temples There is an old Shiva temple, a temple devoted to Lord Shiva. It was built by Kanhaddev Ruler of jalore. Same was renovated by Mah Singh Ruler of Jodhpur and built a Samadhi Mandir of Shri Jalandharnath. Recently this temple renovated again by Holy highness Shri 1008 Pirji Shri Santinathji Maharaj in 2005 with all facility for dovotees. A triple temple dedicated to Amba mata, Ashapuri and Hanuman is also located within the fort premises.  jalore was ruled by the Parmar, a Rajput clan in the 10th century. Kirtipala, the youngest son of Alhana, ruler of Nadol, is the founder of the jalore line of Chauhans. He captured it from the Paramaras in 1181 and took the clan name Songara after the place. His son, Samarsimha, succeeded him in 1182. After him, Udayasimha became the ruler. The rule of Udayasimha was a golden period in the history of jalore. He was a powerful and able ruler . He ruled over a large area. He captured back Nadol and Mandore from the Muslims. In 1228 Iltutmish circled jalore however Udayasimha offered stiff resistance. He was succeeded by Chachigadeva and Samarasimha respectively. After Samantasimha his son Kanhadadeva became ruler of jalore. During the reign of Kanhad Dev Songara jalore was attacked and destroyed in 1311 by Ala ud din Khilji, Sultan of Delhi. Kanhad Dev Songara and his son Viramdeo Songara died defending. jalore fort is perched atop a steep and perpendicular hill. It commands the town from rocky outcrop 336m (1200 ft) high fortified with a wall and bastions with cannon mounted upon them. The fort has four gigantic gates however it is approachable only from one side, after a two-mile (3 km) long serpentine ascent. The approach to the fort is from the north, up a steep, slippery road through three rows of fortification to a single rampart wall 6.1m (20ft) high. It takes a good two hours to climb. The fort is built on the lines of traditional Hindu architecture. The Main Poles or Gates Built into the front wall are four mighty gates or pols that lead into the fort: The Suraj Pol, Dhruv Pol, Bal Pol and the Siroh Pol. The Suraj Pol or the "Sun gate" is built so that the first rays of the morning sun enter through this gateway. It is an impressive gate with a small watch tower built over it. The Dhruv Pol is rather simple looking compared to Suraj Pol. |
