There is no solid evidence of the history of Jalalgarh Fort, however historians say that this fort was built by Sayyid Muhammad Jalaluddin Khan in 1722. Sayyid Muhammad Jalaluddin was the king of Kishanganj and he built the fort to protect the kingdom from invasion from Nepal.
This fort is quadrangle shaped, was once the night and glory of the royal family of Purnia.
Some other historians say that, then Nawab, Saif Khan had built the fort strategically, to defend the city against Nepali invasion. The ruins of this fort is still visited by many enthusiastic tourists. And some have to say that even before 1722, the fort was present there.
The sheer beauty, left even in the remains, holds evidence of Hindi as well as Islamic examples of architecture.
It is also said that this fort was built to protect the people and migrants from loot. A few years later, the Jalalgarh Fort came under the control of Sayyid Muhammad Jalil. He was not ready to give revenue to Nawab Syed Ahmed. That is why he attacked the fort and captured the fort.
Due to the quadrilateral shape of the fort, this fort was once the main attraction of the people. Its high walls often protected it from attacks from Nepal. Experts say that this fort has been built in both Hindu and Islamic architecture.
The history of Mughal rule is hidden in the historical fort of Jalalgarh.
The fort was originally located in a former island on one of the channels of river Kosi and is very well preserved.
Although the land of the fort has been encroached to a great extent and many people are also doing agriculture there. But still this fort is telling its history by screaming.
During the Mughal rule, Jalalgarh was situated on the border of Morang state i.e. Nepal. It is written in a book called Rijasus Salatin that the king of Veer Nagar had 15 thousand cavalry and foot soldiers. People of Chakwar caste used to create a lot of disturbance in this area. In this sense, this fort was built for security.
A dome is built on every corner of this fort, surrounded by walls about 25 feet wide and 40 feet high from all sides. But due to neglect and lack of maintenance, the fort wall and dome are falling from place to place. With the speed of collapse and fall, it seems that in the coming days this fort will remain confined in the pages of history.
In 1999, this fort was declared as a heritage. In the next few years, due to no use of the fort, gradually the fort started getting old and now this fort is completely ruined. The Bihar government has started the work of repairing this fort. It has become a tourist destination for the people of Bihar and other states.
The big crowd of people come to see this fort and due to its unique shape, this fort can be very memorable for tourists. This fort is a must visit place in Purnea.
In January 2012, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced that Government of Bihar would be restoring and repairing the fort. He ordered Purnia district authorities to do this restoration work.
It has the main entrance towards the east, which is 13 feet in width. To the south is the exit gate, the width of which is about seven feet. At present the entire fort is in ruins. People are growing crops in his land. According to the local people, there is about a hundred acres of land in the name of the fort, which is under illegal occupation somewhere.
How to Reach
The Jalalgarh fort is situated about 40 kilometers away from Purnia district headquarters, near Purnia-Jogbani Road NH 57 and can be easily accessible by any private or hired vehicles.