Manimajra Fort
{{short description|Fort situated in Mani Majra town of Chandigarh city}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = Manimajra Fort
| image = Mani Majra Fort, North side view Chandigarh, India 03.JPG
| caption = Manimajra Fort, East side view
| partof =
| location = Chandigarh, India
| map_type = India Punjab
| map_size =
| map_caption = India
| type = Fort
| coordinates = {{Coord|30|42|52|N|76|50|14|E|region:IN_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| code =
| built =
| builder = Ghareeb Das Dhillon
| materials = Nanak Shahi bricks
| height =
| used =
| demolished =
| condition = Deteriorating
| open_to_public = No
| controlledby = Meharwal Khewaji Trust
| garrison =
| current_commander =
| commanders =
| occupants =
| battles =
| events =
}}
Manimajra Fort, is a fort situated in Mani Majra, Chandigarh (city of Indian Union).{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vg89BAAAQBAJ&q=Burail+fort&pg=PT96 |title = First Raj of the Sikhs: The Life and Times of Banda Singh Bahadur|isbn = 978-93-81398-39-5|last1 = Dhillon|first1 = Harish|date = May 2013}}{{Cite journal |last=Verma |first=L. |date=January 2023 |title=Heritage Education as a Tool for Public Engagement: A Case Study of Forts Near Chandigarh |url=https://www.academia.edu/120638991/The_Speaking_Archaeologically_Journal_Volume_VI |journal=Speaking Archaeologically |volume=VI |issue=1 |pages=101–120}} It is over 360 years old and has become more popular with the shooting of the Oscar-winning movie Zero Dark Thirty.{{Cite web|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/battling-neglect-manimajra-fort-faces-conflict-over-ownership/1151154/|title=Battling neglect, Manimajra Fort faces conflict over ownership - Indian Express}} It was built by Gharib Dass Dhillon of Dhillon clan as the capital of his newly created state of 84 villages.
History
The fort was built by Gharib Dass Dhillon (also spelled Gareeb Das) of Dhillon clan as the capital of his newly created state of 84 villages. Gharib Dass submitted to Patiala State. Dhillons of Manimajra later also occupied Sailba, 28 km northwest of Manimajra and now in SAS Nagar district, and Gurbakhsh Singh Dhillon was appointed kiladar (governor) of the Sailba fort.Bhagat Singh,1993, A History of the Sikh Misals.
As per Mahan Kosh, popularly known as Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Mani Majra was a town of (then) Ambala district of Punjab Province, which was conquered in 1821 by a local zamindar Ghareeb Dass along with 84 other villages and turned into the capital of his newly created State. The State was last ruled by Bhagwan Singh Dhillon of the clan of Ghareeb Dass Dhillon. As Bhagwan Singh Dhillon was childless, the Government took control of the property of this fort.{{cite book | title=ਮਹਾਨ ਕੋਸ਼ | publisher=ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਵਿਭਾਗ , ਪੰਜਾਬ | author=ਭਾਈ ਕਾਨ੍ਹ ਸਿੰਘ ਨਾਭਾ | year=1999 | location=ਪਟਿਆਲਾ | page=951}}{{cite web|url=http://punjabipedia.org/topic.aspx?txt=%E0%A8%85%E0%A8%AE%E0%A8%B0%20%E0%A8%B8%E0%A8%BF%E0%A9%B0%E0%A8%98,%20%E0%A8%B0%E0%A8%BE%E0%A8%9C%E0%A8%BE|title=ਅਮਰ%20ਸਿੰਘ, ਰਾਜਾ|trans-title=Amar Singh, Raja|language=Punjabi|date=11 March 2015|access-date=26 December 2015}}
Ownership
Presently the property is owned by Meharwal Khewaji Trust along with other related properties. The ownership of this property is controversial, and the case is under trial in the court.{{Cite web|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/battling-neglect-manimajra-fort-faces-conflict-over-ownership/1151154/|title=Battling neglect, Manimajra Fort faces conflict over ownership - Indian Express}}{{cite web |url=https://www.punjabitribuneonline.com/news/archive/features/%E0%A9%9E%E0%A8%B0%E0%A9%80%E0%A8%A6%E0%A8%95%E0%A9%8B%E0%A8%9F-%E0%A8%A6%E0%A9%87-%E0%A8%AE%E0%A8%B9%E0%A8%BE%E0%A8%B0%E0%A8%BE%E0%A8%9C%E0%A9%87-%E0%A8%A6%E0%A9%80-%E0%A8%9C%E0%A8%A8%E0%A8%AE-%E0%A8%B6%E0%A8%A4%E0%A8%BE%E0%A8%AC%E0%A8%A6%E0%A9%80-%E0%A8%A6%E0%A9%87%E0%A8%B5%E0%A9%87%E0%A8%97%E0%A9%80-%E0%A8%B2%E0%A9%8B%E0%A8%95%E0%A8%AA%E0%A9%B1%E0%A8%96%E0%A9%80-%E0%A8%AA%E0%A9%8D%E0%A8%B0%E0%A8%BE%E0%A8%9C%E0%A9%88%E0%A8%95%E0%A8%9F-%E0%A8%A8%E0%A9%82%E0%A9%B0-%E0%A8%9C%E0%A8%A8%E0%A8%AE-781832 |title=ਫ਼ਰੀਦਕੋਟ ਦੇ ਮਹਾਰਾਜੇ ਦੀ ਜਨਮ ਸ਼ਤਾਬਦੀ ਦੇਵੇਗੀ ਲੋਕਪੱਖੀ ਪ੍ਰਾਜੈਕਟ ਨੂੰ ਜਨਮ |newspaper=The Tribune India |lang=pa |trans-title=The birth centenary of the Maharaja of Faridkot will give birth to a popular project |date=27 January 2015 |access-date= 25 February 2022}}
Present condition
The present condition of the fort is not good and it is deteriorating day by day. The premises is being used as a playground or for parking vehicles by people living in the adjoining area. The walls are decaying and weed growth is visible on the walls (see pics in Gallery).{{Cite web|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/battling-neglect-manimajra-fort-faces-conflict-over-ownership/1151154/|title=Battling neglect, Manimajra Fort faces conflict over ownership - Indian Express}}
Gallery
File:Mani Majra Fort,east side view Chandigarh, India 02.JPG|Northeast side view
File:Mani Majra Fort, west side view Chandigarh, India 04.JPG|West side view
File:Mani Majra Fort, Chandigarh, India 01.JPG|Deteriorating building of fort
File:Mani Majra Fort, ruined courtyard view, Chandigarh, India 05.JPG| Ruins of courtyard