In 2005 we reported on the sad state of
Manauli fort . A recent article in The Tribune by
Rajmeet Singh reports that at last the Mohali
district administration has paved the way for
preservation of the historical Manauli fort.
Located few kilometers from Mohali, the
Mughal fort had been decaying for lack of
preservation. After acquiring the land of the
fort, the possession of the fort has been
handed over to the State Department of
Cultural Affairs, Archeology and Museum.
Officials of the district administration today
visited the site to ascertain the security of the
site.
The fort was won by legendry Nawab Kapoor
Singh in 1763. The centuries-old fort declared
as a protected monument by the Punjab
Government in 2001, presents a poor picture
of its original glory.
In the past, there has been a legal battle
between the Punjab Government and
descendants of Nawab Kapoor Singh, who had
been contending the declaration of the fort as
a protected monument.
The grand gate that guarded the entrance of
the fort has perished and only two of the four
corner towers are still standing. These are,
however, fissured and it is just a matter of
time before the entire structure becomes a
heap of rubble. It is among the few forts that is
made of bricks and belongs to an era when
stone was largely used. The small bricks,
known as the Sirhindi brick among the locals,
are hanging loose from almost every wall of
the fort.
Villagers of Manauli lament that despite that
being declared a protected monument, the
Punjab Archeology Department officials have
nothing to say about the fort.
