Chandrapur Fort (Chandrapur)
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Maharashtra /
Chandrapur
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World / India / Maharashtra / Chandrapur
fort, historic city center, city wall, old city
Chandrapur Fort (formerly Chanda Fort) is the oldest area in Chandrapur.
It was built by Gond King Khandkya Ballal Sah in 13th century.
It has eight entrances, in clockwise order, Jatpura Gate, Bagad Khidki, Anchaleshwar Gate, Hanuman Khidki, Pathanpura Gate, Vithoba Khidki, Binba Gate and Chor khidki.
This fort is situated at the confluence of Irai and Zarpat rivers.
On the death of Gond king Surja alias Ser Sah, his son Khandkya Ballal came to the throne. This prince had tumours all over his body. He was looked after by his wise and beautiful wife. When no remedy could heal Khandkya she induced him to leave Sirpur and reside on the northern bank of the Wardha, where he erected a fort named Ballarpur. One day, as the legend goes, while the king was hunting north-west of Ballalpur he grew thirsty and rode up to the dry bed of the Jharpat river in search of water. He discovered water trickling from a hole, and after drinking, washed his face, hands and feet. That night he slept soundly for the first time in his life. Next morning the queen was delighted to see that many of the tumours on her husband's body had disappeared. On enquiry the wonderful cure was ascribed to the water of Jharpat where the King drank water and washed his face. The queen requested Khandkya to take her to the spot where he had quenched his thirst. Both proceeded to the Jharpat and in a little while the hole was found. On clearing the grass and sand there were seen five footprints of a cow in the solid rock, each filled with water. The water source at the spot was inexhaustible. The place was holy-the Tirtha of Acalesvar of the Treta Yuga fame. When the King bathed in the water all the tumours on his body vanished. That night the royal party encamped near the place, and in the visions of sleep Acalesvar appeared to the King, and spoke comforting words. On hearing the dream the queen advised the erection of a temple over the healing waters, and the King, approving of the idea, sent his officers to collect skilled architects for the work. He took great interest in its progress. One morning, after his daily visit, while he was riding he saw a hare darting out of a bush and chasing his dog. Astonished at this unusual sight he looked on and saw the dog running in a wide circle while the hare took zig-zag cuts to catch it. At one point it closed in with the dog which how-ever shook it off and continued its flight. On nearing the point where the chase had commenced, the dog turned on and killed the hare. The King found that on the forehead of the hare was a white spot. Pondering what this might mean, he rode home and recounted to his wife all that he had seen. That wise woman counselled that the occurrence was a good omen, and that a fortified city should he built within the circuit of the chase, with walls following the hare's track. She further advised that special bastions should be erected, both where the hare had closed in upon the dog and where the dog had killed the hare. She ex-pressed her belief that the latter point would prove to be dangerous to the city in future. The King lost no time in giving effect to her suggestions. A trench was dug along the hare's track, which was easily discernible by the footprints of the King's horse. The gates and bastions were planned, the whole marked out, and the foundations commenced. The work was under the management of the Rajput officers of the King, called Tel Thakurs. Thus began the building of the city of Chandrapur. Some scholars derive the name from Indupur (city of the moon), which stood near the Jharpat in the Treta Yuga, but the common people see its origin in the white spot (Chandra) which marked the forehead of the wondrous hare. Khandkya Ballal Sah thus founded the city of Chandrapur.
The current King is Virendra Sah Atram.
It was built by Gond King Khandkya Ballal Sah in 13th century.
It has eight entrances, in clockwise order, Jatpura Gate, Bagad Khidki, Anchaleshwar Gate, Hanuman Khidki, Pathanpura Gate, Vithoba Khidki, Binba Gate and Chor khidki.
This fort is situated at the confluence of Irai and Zarpat rivers.
On the death of Gond king Surja alias Ser Sah, his son Khandkya Ballal came to the throne. This prince had tumours all over his body. He was looked after by his wise and beautiful wife. When no remedy could heal Khandkya she induced him to leave Sirpur and reside on the northern bank of the Wardha, where he erected a fort named Ballarpur. One day, as the legend goes, while the king was hunting north-west of Ballalpur he grew thirsty and rode up to the dry bed of the Jharpat river in search of water. He discovered water trickling from a hole, and after drinking, washed his face, hands and feet. That night he slept soundly for the first time in his life. Next morning the queen was delighted to see that many of the tumours on her husband's body had disappeared. On enquiry the wonderful cure was ascribed to the water of Jharpat where the King drank water and washed his face. The queen requested Khandkya to take her to the spot where he had quenched his thirst. Both proceeded to the Jharpat and in a little while the hole was found. On clearing the grass and sand there were seen five footprints of a cow in the solid rock, each filled with water. The water source at the spot was inexhaustible. The place was holy-the Tirtha of Acalesvar of the Treta Yuga fame. When the King bathed in the water all the tumours on his body vanished. That night the royal party encamped near the place, and in the visions of sleep Acalesvar appeared to the King, and spoke comforting words. On hearing the dream the queen advised the erection of a temple over the healing waters, and the King, approving of the idea, sent his officers to collect skilled architects for the work. He took great interest in its progress. One morning, after his daily visit, while he was riding he saw a hare darting out of a bush and chasing his dog. Astonished at this unusual sight he looked on and saw the dog running in a wide circle while the hare took zig-zag cuts to catch it. At one point it closed in with the dog which how-ever shook it off and continued its flight. On nearing the point where the chase had commenced, the dog turned on and killed the hare. The King found that on the forehead of the hare was a white spot. Pondering what this might mean, he rode home and recounted to his wife all that he had seen. That wise woman counselled that the occurrence was a good omen, and that a fortified city should he built within the circuit of the chase, with walls following the hare's track. She further advised that special bastions should be erected, both where the hare had closed in upon the dog and where the dog had killed the hare. She ex-pressed her belief that the latter point would prove to be dangerous to the city in future. The King lost no time in giving effect to her suggestions. A trench was dug along the hare's track, which was easily discernible by the footprints of the King's horse. The gates and bastions were planned, the whole marked out, and the foundations commenced. The work was under the management of the Rajput officers of the King, called Tel Thakurs. Thus began the building of the city of Chandrapur. Some scholars derive the name from Indupur (city of the moon), which stood near the Jharpat in the Treta Yuga, but the common people see its origin in the white spot (Chandra) which marked the forehead of the wondrous hare. Khandkya Ballal Sah thus founded the city of Chandrapur.
The current King is Virendra Sah Atram.
Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrapur#History
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 19°56'47"N 79°17'48"E
- Ancient city of Warangal 223 km
- Old City of Hyderabad 299 km
- Ancient city of Madbymika 736 km
- Fatehpur Sikri 814 km
- Bharatpur city wall 831 km
- Jodhpur city walls 957 km
- Ancient city of Bhitargarh 1196 km
- Ancient city walls of Balkh 2229 km
- 2nd Shakhristan of Ancient Termez 2259 km
- Medieval city wall of Toos 2666 km
- Gol Bazar 0.1 km
- Chandrapur Central Jail (formerly Royal Palace of Gond dynasty) 0.3 km
- St Andrews Church 0.7 km
- Nehru Junior College 0.9 km
- Vitthal Mandir Stadium 1 km
- Rajiv Gandhi Garden 1.1 km
- Ramala Talav 1.1 km
- Mokshadham 1.2 km
- Water Filteration Plant 1.4 km
- Bridge over Irai River 1.7 km
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