uparkot fort, Junagad, Gujarat India

Uparkot is very old fort, from which the city derives its name (jirna means old) stands on the eastern side of Junagadh and has been rebuilt and extended many times centuries in places. Chandragupta Maurya is said to have constructed the fort in 319 BC. the walls are 20m high and a ornate triple gateway Forms the entrance to the fort. It's said the fort was overwhelmed for a full 12 years. In all, it was besieged 16 times.

Upperkot Fort, also known as the Upper Fort is located on the eastern side of Junagadh. This fort was built in 319 BC by Chandragupta Maurya, though it has been rebuilt and extended many times over the centuries. During the period, various enemies tried to capture the fort but it can not be captured by any of the king for a longer time. The king of Anhilwad Patan once attacked Junagadh to win the Raja’s wife. He won the battle only because one of the Raja’s ministers betrayed him, but he could not win the wife of the Raja as she committed Sati. This fort was the stronghold of the Mauryans and Gupta empire and as such has survived for 16 Upperkot Fort, Junagadh. The entrance to the fort is formed by an ornate triple gateway. This gateway is like the Hindu Toran, leading to flat land dotted with various archeological sites. In some of the places, the walls of this fort are as high as 70 feet. The fort has many interesting exhibits like the canon guns placed on the western wall and believed to have been cast in Egypt. The two step wells (Adi-Kadi Vav and Navghan Kuvo), a tomb, mosque and some ancient Buddhist caves belonging to 200 BC to 200 AD are located within the fort premises. Now only, some of the ruins of the buildings, Jama Masjid and the Buddhist caves are located within the fort premises. Adi-Kadi Vav and Navghan Kuvo are the two step wells which are located within the fort. These wells were built by the Chudasama Rajputs and are the unique water structures among the various step wells of Gujarat. Both these wells served as the main sources of drinking water for years and were the essential part of the basic need of the fort. The Adi-Kadi Vav has a long flight of 120 steps which lead to the water and was built in the 15th century. While the Navghan Kuvo of 1026 AD is built from soft rock and is 52 meter deep, reached by a circular staircase winding around the shaft. The Buddhist caves are fine examples of rock cut architecture. These caves have ornamented pillars, carved entrances, water cisterns, chaitya hall, monastic cells for meditation and chaitya windows.

An impressive fort, Uparkot, located on a plateau in the middle of town, was originally built during the Mauryan dynasty by Chandragupta in 319 BC. The fort remained in use till the 6th century, and then it was covered over for 300 years. Then it was rediscovered in 976 AD. The fort was inundated 16 times over an 800-year period. One unsuccessful siege lasted twelve years.

The fort had all the resources like water tanks and food grain storage to last for twelve years. Besides there are well known places like Adikadi Vav (A stepped well) and Navghan Kuva (A well with steps surrounding it which could hide a large army) which are believed to have been built during the rule of the Solanki of the Chalukya Dynasty in 11th and 12th Century. Dhakka Bari (The window to punish the offenders by throwing them off in the valley) is now closed for public access and can be seen only from the outside of fort.

There is a palace of Ranakdevi which is presently in a devastated state and converted into Jama Masjid. Near the palace, two canons named Nilam and Manek, brought from Diu after conquering it in 1962, have been arranged pointing to the picturesque view of the city. The first canon Nilam is fifteen feet long and made in Egypt in 1531. It was abandoned by a Turkish admiral opposing the Portuguese forces at Diu in the Sixteenth Century.

There are also Rock Caves believed to be Buddhist Caves having stone carvings and floral work carved as early as 500BC. There are also the Khapra Kodia Caves north of the fort, and the Babupyana Caves south of the fort. The fort is worth visiting for the seekers of historical places and forts.