View source for Asirgarh Fort

{{distinguish | Asigarh Fort }}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name          = Asirgarh Fort
| partof        = [[Madhya Pradesh]], {{flag|India}}
| location      = [[Burhanpur]], Dist- Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh, India <ref>{{cite web | url=https://burhanpur.nic.in/en/ | title=District Burhanpur, Government of Madhya Pradesh &#124; the Gateway to Southern India &#124; India }}</ref>
| image         = Asirgarh fort -Asirgarh-Burhanpur-(Madhya Pradesh, India).JPG
| image_size    = 300
| caption       = Asirgarh Fort in 2013
| map_type      = #India
| map_relief    = yes
| map_size      = 300
| map_caption   = Asirgarh fort within [[India]]
| type          = [[Hill fort]]
| coordinates   = {{coord|21.47|76.29|type:landmark|display=inline}}
| code          = 
| built         = 
| builder       = Asa [[Ahir]], [[Yadav]] King
| materials     = Stone, Limestone and Lead
| height        = 
| used          = 
| demolished    = 
| condition     = dilapidated
| ownership     = [[Government of India]]
| open_to_public = yes
| controlledby  = 
| garrison      = 
| current_commander = 
| commanders    = 
| occupants     = [[Ahirs]]->[[Faruqi dynasty]]->[[Mughal (tribe)|Mughal]]->[[Maratha]]->[[Holkars]]->[[Shinde]]->[[British Raj|British]]
| battles       = 
| events        = 
| image2        = 
| caption2      = 
}}

'''Asirgarh Fort''' is an Indian fortress ''([[qila]])'' situated in the [[Satpura Range]] about {{convert|20|km}} north of the city of [[Burhanpur]], in the Indian state of [[Madhya Pradesh]]. Because the fortress commands a pass through the Satpuras connecting the valleys of the [[Narmada River|Narmada]] and [[Tapti River|Tapti]] rivers, one of the most important routes from northern India to the [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]], it was known as the "key to the Deccan". During the [[Mughal Era]], it was considered that the Deccan started here while the empire from Asirgarh to [[Delhi]] was considered [[Hindustan]].

== History ==
[[File:Map Asirgarh MP India.jpg|thumb|Fort map and image of gold coins issued by Akbar when he captured it.]]
The Asirgarh fort is said to have been built by a king named Asa Ahir in the early 15th century. He was murdered by [[Faruqi dynasty|Nasir Khan]] of [[Khandesh]].<ref>{{cite book |author=B H Mehta |title=Gonds of the Central Indian Highlands Vol II |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gu_cN0MhteMC&pg=PA569 |publisher=Concept |page=569 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Numismatic Digest|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i1NmAAAAMAAJ|access-date=22 April 2018|year=2003|publisher=Numismatic Society of Bombay, Original from the University of Michigan.|page=141}}</ref>

Nasir Khan's descendant Miran Bahadur Khan (1596–1600) declared his independence and refused to pay homage to the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] emperor [[Akbar]] and his son [[Daniyal (Mughal prince)|Daniyal]]. Akbar marched towards Burhanpur in 1599 and occupied the city. Akbar then besieged Asirgarh fort and captured it on 17 January 1601.<ref name="sen2">{{Cite book |last=Sen |first=Sailendra |title=A Textbook of Medieval Indian History |publisher=Primus |year=2013 |isbn=978-9-38060-734-4 |pages=164}}</ref>

During the [[Second Anglo-Maratha War]], on 18{{nbsp}}October 1803, [[Presidency armies|Company forces]] took the [[wikt:pettah|pettah]] of Asigarh with a loss of two killed and five wounded. The fort's garrison subsequently surrendered on the 21st after the attackers had erected a [[Artillery battery|battery]].<ref name="RG_Burton">{{cite book|author=Reginald George Burton|title=Wellington's Campaigns in India|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_6Za0AAAAMAAJ|year=1908|publisher= Calcutta : Superintendent Govt. Print., India|isbn=978-0-9796174-6-1|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_6Za0AAAAMAAJ/page/n80 67]–68}}</ref>

Toward the end of the [[Third Anglo-Maratha War]] in early 1819, most Maratha forts had been captured by the British, with the lone holdout being Asirgarh Fort, which was under the command of qiladar Jeswant Rao Lar. In March of that year, a massive British contingent laid siege to Asirgarh, capturing and occupying the town next to the fort to serve as a temporary base of operations. The 1,200-strong garrison was subject to constant artillery bombardments before the British launched an assault, which led to the fort's capture on 9 April. With the capture of Asirgarh Fort, the British victory in the conflict was complete and all military operations ceased.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cannon |first1=Richard |title=Historical Record of the 67th Foot |date=1849 |publisher=Parker, Furnivall & Parker |location=London |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/57663/57663-h/57663-h.htm#Page_14}}</ref><ref name="mapw">{{cite book |last1=Burton |first1=R.G. |title=The Mahratta And Pindari War |date=1910 |publisher=Government Press |location=Simla |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.284400/mode/2up}}</ref>

== Architecture ==
The architecture of the fort was influenced by the [[Mughal architecture|Mughal]]s, an amalgamation of Islamic, Persian, Turkish and Indian styles. There are three man made ponds to provide a water supply.

There is a temple known as Gupteshwar Mahadev Mandir, dedicated to the Hindu deity [[Shiva]]. There is a local legend that [[Ashwatthama]], a character in the Indian epic ''[[Mahābhārata]]'', used to come to this temple to worship and offer flowers each morning to Lord Shiva.

There is a ruined mosque with minarets known as Asir Masjid inside the Fort. Apart from the Hindu and Muslim architecture, some ruins are of [[British Raj|British]] origin and there are also British graves. This fort has been deserted following the departure of the British.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Asirgarh Fort}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hibnXwV2zJY Haunted Fort Of Asirgarh - Truth Revealed]
* [http://www.madhya-pradesh-tourism.com/heritage/forts/asirgarh-fort.html Asirgarh Fort]
* [http://hindi.nativeplanet.com/khandwa/attractions/asirgarh-fort/ असीरगढ किला, खंडवा]

{{Forts in India}}
{{Forts in Madhya Pradesh}}
{{Forts of Khandesh}}

{{coord|21.4710|76.2937|display=title}}

[[Category:Forts in Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Burhanpur district]]
[[Category:Mountain passes of Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Former capital cities in India]]