RAMPARTS OF FATEHGARH FORT, BHOPAL, MADHYA PRADESH

Ramparts of Fatehgarh fort, Bhopal was architecture of the fort is largely Indian. (Begums of Bhopal’ by Shaheryar Khan). It is said that the Fatehgarh fort was built by Dost Mohhamad Khan in 1722. (‘The Royal Journey of Bhopal’ by SyedAkhtar Hussain’). Under the pressure of Dost Mohammad Khan to marry him,Rani Kamlapati committed suicide in 1723. (‘Banganga Se Halali’ by NiranjanVerma). There is no evidence of her giving up Bhopal until her death. Dost Mohammad Khan died in 1726.

Queen Kamlapati of Bhopal made the mostfatal mistake of hiring Dost Mohammad Khan for avenging the death of her husband. After killing her enemies, Khan killed her trusted bodyguards and left her with no options, but suicide. After her death, he renamed her fort ‘Fatehgarh’. However he renamed the fort on the name of his wife, a Rajput girl called Fateh Bibi. Fatehgarh Fort is the largest of living heritage sites in Bhopal.

A very large part of the fort is now in use by Kasturba Gandhi Medical College Bhopal. The residential quarters of the fort, including the royal balcony overlooking the upper lake and the city are used as a rest house and fort medical college. The main gate of the fort is adjacent to the Hamidia hospital and is used as a medical store now.