Is the Fort of Samartah captured by Raja Gulab Singh in 1824 has relevance with one of the forts of Mahoregarh Dhergarh Bhupnergarh in Distt Samba in JKUT. ?

                                     Image courtesy Google

  Is the Fort of Samartah captured by Raja Gulab Singh in 1824 has relevance with one of the forts of Mahoregarh Dhergarh Bhupnergarh in Distt Samba in JKUT.  

  The Battle of Jammu was fought between the Royal Sikh Army & Rajputs of Jammu in 1808 in which Rajputs defeated.  After the battle in 1820, in appreciation of services rendered by the family, and by Gulab Singh in particular, Ranjit Singh bestowed the Jammu region as a hereditary fief upon Kishore Singh & Gulab Singh was coronated as Raja Gulab Singh (vassal of Ranjit Singh)  Apart from their sterling services, the family's intimate association with the region commended Kishore Singh's candidature to the Lahore court.

  In 1821, Gulab Singh captured the conquered Rajouri from Aghar Khan and Kishtwar from Raja Tegh Mohammad Singh (alias Saifullah Khan).  That same year, Gulab Singh took part in the Sikh conquest of Dera Ghazi Khan.

  In 1824 Gulab Singh captured the fort of Samartah, near the holy Mansar Lake (Wikipedia Maharaja Gulab Singh) in 1827 he accompanied the Sikh Commander in Chief Hari Singh Balwan who fought and defeated a horde of Afghan rebels led by Sayyid Ahmed at the Battle of  Shaidu of which little is known.

  If we look about the ancient remains of the forts along the Mansar Lake we have the remains of the only three forts which are in close Viscinity of the Mansar Lake Mahoregarh Dhergarh & Bhupnergarh.  Bhupnergarh is only 8kms from Mansar Lake & it is also a proven fact that these three forts are actually Afghan Outposts.

  There is no other fort in such a close proximity with the Mansar Lake.  So we have no other choice to believe that one of these forts was the fort of Samartah or we may say that all these three belong to one big Fort Complex that at time may be called Fort of Samartah.

  

                              Mahoregarh fort

  

                                 Dhergarh fort

  

                                 Bhupnergarh fort.

क्या राजा गुलाब सिंह द्वारा 1824 में कब्जा किए गए किले  की प्रासंगिकता JKUT में जिला सांबा के महोरगढ़ डेरगढ़ या भुपनेरगढ़ के एक किले के साथ है।  ?

   जम्मू की लड़ाई 1808 में शाही सिख सेना और जम्मू के राजपूतों के बीच लड़ी गई थी जिसमें राजपूतों को पराजित किया था।  1820 में लड़ाई के बाद, परिवार द्वारा प्रदान की गई सेवाओं की सराहना में, और विशेष रूप से गुलाब सिंह द्वारा की गई सेवायों  पर रणजीत सिंह ने जम्मू क्षेत्र को किशोर सिंह पर एक वंशानुगत अधिकार दिया के रूप में सम्मानित किया और गुलाब सिंह (रंजीत सिंह के जागीरदार) के रूप में राज्याभिषेक किया गया।  उनकी स्टर्लिंग सेवाओं के अलावा, क्षेत्र के साथ परिवार के अंतरंग सहयोग ने किशोर सिंह की लाहौर अदालत की उम्मीदवारी की सराहना की।

   1821 में, गुलाब सिंह ने अघोर खान से राजौरी और राजा तेग मोहम्मद सिंह (उर्फ सैफुल्ला खान) से किश्तवाड़ पर कब्जा कर लिया।  उसी वर्ष, गुलाब सिंह ने डेरा गाजी खान की सिख विजय में भाग लिया।

   1824 में गुलाब सिंह ने पवित्र मानसर झील के पास समरताह के किले पर कब्जा कर लिया, 1827 में वह हरि सिंह नलवा सिख कमांडर के साथ आए जिन्होंने सैय्यद अहमद को लड़ाई में और अफगान विद्रोहियों के को  शैयदू की लड़ाई में हराया जिसे बहुत कम जाना जाता है।

   यदि हम मानसर झील के किनारे के किलों के प्राचीन अवशेषों के बारे में देखते हैं तो हमारे पास केवल तीन किलों के अवशेष हैं जो मानसर झील महोरगढ़ डेरगढ़ और भूपनेरगढ़ के निकट के क्षेत्र में हैं।  मानसर झील से भूपनेरगढ़ केवल 8 किमी है और यह भी एक सिद्ध तथ्य है कि ये तीन किले वास्तव में अफगान चौकी हैं।

   मानसर झील के साथ इतनी नजदीकियों में कोई दूसरा किला नहीं है।  इसलिए हमारे पास यह मानने के लिए कोई अन्य विकल्प नहीं है कि इन किलों में से एक समरताह का किला था या हम कह सकते हैं कि ये तीनों एक ही बड़े किला परिसर से संबंधित हैं, जो उस समय समरताह का किला कहलाता था। 

   

Rani Samadyian

Rani Samadyian is a place near the banks of River Basanter where a monument was constructed in memory of Queen/Rani of Raja Suchet Singh one of the famous trio of Jamwal Dogra Brothers who were the king makers in the erstwhile Lahore Darbar (Sikh Kingdom). 

Suchet Singh was the younger brother of Maharaja Gulab Singh & Raja Dhiyan Singh (who served as Prime Minister in the Sikh kingdom under Maharaja Ranjeet Singh for 25 years). After the death of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh this trio controls the affairs of Lahore Darbar. In the famous Lahore Intrigues both Dhiyan Singh & Suchet Singh were murdered along with Dhiyan Singh's son Hira Singh(then Prime Minister) in the years between 1843-1844 when Duleep Singh the five year old infant was the crowned as emperor of Lahore Kingdom.

Maharaja Gulab Singh (Then Raja) gave the fort of Samba & it's principality to his brother Suchet Singh in 1824. The Rani of Suchet Singh who constructed famous ancient Rani Temple Shiv Mandir & used to worship there,when heard of death of her husband, decided to be Sati ( the custom that was prevalent at that time) with her husband. In the memory of Rani JI, a monument was constructed there which in local dogri dialect called rani Samadyian that is the Rani has taken Samadhi with her dead husband. 

This place is in total ruins here. The River Basanter had played havoc with this place & constant floods for years destroyed it. The ruins of the plinths & walls are still there that glimpses on its great magnificence. The designs on the stone are carved in a very beautiful way which u can seen still on the fragments. The beautiful coloured designs till can be seen on falling walls. In my childhood, I visited this place. At that time two complete compartments were there with beautiful coloured Graffiti pictures & designs but now there is nothing only a fragment of crumbling wall with a peepal tree who emerged from the walls. 

But when you go there, the loneliness of the place, the murmuring sound of River Basanter & the ruins of the place with decorative designs three feet or more wall widths submerged your mind in Nostalgia that what was the beauty of this place when the monument erected there.

       You also ponder that every dynasty whatever strong and exalted it is, has to face doon in the last

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Neglected Tourism 10: Rani Mandir

Rani Mandir / Shiv Temple 

Rani Mandir  or ancient Shiva temple is located in Arazi Samba region of district Samba, Samba. This historical Shiva temple has memories of the past. From Sambyal Chowk in Samba on Arazi Samba road, a left hand kutcha street leads us there. From the condition of the road it doesn't look that on its end there is an ancient temple which has historical significance. Near its entrance is a Nag Dev Temple the which has a very impressive entrance but all in shambles 

A board or Dharmarth Trust there tell u the direction of the temple. But u will feel disappointed because of a dirty & filthy unbuilt Nullah that flows along the kuccha road & u have to cross it before entering into the temple. There is no culvert on this Nullah & still date Nullah is also not built

  Rani Mandir is written on the temple gate.  The Dharmarth trust has recently renovated it but it is better if it is preserved in its old golden color which looks splendid

  This temple embraces history in itself. Standing alone in a lonely place, it still speaks of its grandeur. Legend says that this temple was built by the queen of Maharaja Suchet Singh. She used to worship Lord Shiva after taking ablutions  in the holy river Basanter. As built by the queen, it is called as Rani Mandir. The temple is well looked after by the charitable trust & after renovation it looks beautiful. 

But the tourism authorities have done nothing. The road and surrounding area itself expresses its carelessness.The well of the temple has not been cleaned. The Garb Grahya of the temple is very beautiful.  The atmosphere here is very delightful. I often wonder this historical place is not on the tourism website.  It tells the whole narrative itself.

The temple itself has a lot of land both in the front & in the backside with proper water fascilities for irrigation. If used properly it can provide revenue to the temple for its development.  But there is lack of will power in the system and in the people. There is another place of Nag Devta in the temple premises where people pray for their safety. 

No matter what the circumstances will be, this ancient temple will remind the people of its great Golden days 

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