A hill fort believed to be around 2,000 years old, held in turn by the Mauryans, Vakatakas, Sengars, Kalachuris and Baghels, and left empty since 1935.
Bandhavgarh Fort sits on the flat top of Bandhavgarh Hill, near the centre of the national park, and is believed to be around 2,000 years old. Texts such as the Narad Panch Ratra and the Shiva Purana carry references to it, and the recorded history of the area reaches back to the 1st century. Folklore credits the fort to Lord Rama, who is said to have built it on his way back from Lanka after defeating Ravana and to have given his brother Lakshmana charge of it so that Lanka could be watched from here.
The hill changed hands many times. The Mauryans held it from the 3rd century BC, the Vakatakas from the 3rd to the 5th century, the Sengars from the 5th century and the Kalachuris from the 10th; the Maghas are also named among its rulers. In the 13th century the Baghels took over and ruled from Bandhavgarh until 1617, when Maharaja Vikramaditya Singh moved the capital of Rewa State to Rewa town. The hill was not abandoned at once. People went on living up here for another three centuries, and the last inhabitants left in 1935.
Figures of the incarnations of Vishnu stand on the fort hill, each one carved out of a single rock. They are dated to the 10th or 11th century AD and are the reason most visitors make the climb. The largest of them is the reclining Shesh Shaiya, which lies further along the hill beside its own pool.
A temple dedicated to Lakshmana, known here as Bandhavdish, stands near the fort. It keeps the Rama and Lakshmana legend attached to the hill rather than only to the texts. It is a short walk from the main group of statues.
The fort is ringed by smaller hills separated by gently sloping valleys, and the cliffs below the walls hold several endangered species of vultures. Caves are cut into the fort rock and the hillocks around it, and some are passed on the way up. The hill is as much a wildlife site as a historical one.
The fort stands inside Bandhavgarh National Park, so getting to it is a park matter rather than a monument matter. Access is by permitted safari vehicle on a booked route, with a guide, and the park has closed periods during the year when no entry is allowed. Confirm current access with the park authorities before planning the day, because the fort route is not always open even when the park is.
Visit when the park is open, and prefer the cooler, drier months for the climb and for clear views over the valleys and the vulture cliffs. Mornings are easier than the middle of the day on exposed rock. The park closes for part of the year, so check the current open season before fixing dates.
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