The decision to hand over Gobindgarh Fort, currently under Army’s control here, to the civil administration has generated curiosity among the civilians who would now be able to see great artifacts of historical value preserved in the monument.

It is a coincident that the fort was handed over to Army in October 1948, a year after the Partition of the country.

The fort occupies unique place in the Indian’s military history. Built in 1760, it was called Bhangian Da Kila (Bhangis was one of the 12 Sikh misls). According to historians, in 1808, the fort was known as the fort of Gujjar Singh Bhangi. Later it was re-built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh with the help of Jodh Singh. The Maharaja strengthened fortification of the fort to keep his treasures and treaties in safety. The specially constructed toshakhana, in the Centre of the fort, also stored a large amount of grains and provisions for the 12,000-strong army. 

The Phansi Ghar located in Gobindgarh Fort is the place where a large number of city residents, had lost their dear ones during summary trials under the British rule.

It would help residents gather information about their relatives hanged to death in the Phansi Ghar.

Some of the freedom fighters had sought permission of the government to build a suitable memorial at the Phansi Ghar, which had stood out as a place of resistance against the atrocities of British General, O Dyer, perpetrator of massacre at Jallianwala Bagh in 1919.

The British Army had added Darbar Hall, Hawa Mahal and Phansi Ghar (hanging place) to the fort after the annexation of Punjab. After the Partition, the fort provided temporary shelter to a large number of refugees from Pakistan.

The Army had tried its best to keep the buildings in the fort intact. However, reservations are already being expressed whether the state government would be able to preserve (and restore) its original glory.

The fort was constructed with brick and lime with numerous Army bastions and iron gates with 25 cannons on the ramparts, now replaced with modern weaponry.