Deep inside the Satpura Jungles, lies a forgotten place. This hidden gem has stood against time and nature holding on to its glorious past. Very few people know about its existence or its history. We are speaking about BAGDA HAVELI where the past beckoned us to delve deeper into its obscurity.
Situated between the Satpura mountains and the Tawa river, the entrance to this haveli is hidden in plain view sight. Built by the mighty Gond king Sangram Shah, this once beautiful place is in ruins now and yet still captivates with its architecture.
Sangram Shah was a powerful Gond king , whose eldest son Dalpat Singh was married to Rani Durgawati. Sangram Shah was best known as a patron of arts and literature and he had great knowledge of Sanskrit. “Rasratnamala” was written by him.
Bagda haveli has numerous bawdis or step wells. These bawdis may have been constructed to ensure water availability throughout the year. One will also be amazed by the steps taken during this time to conserve water. The architecture is predominantly Gond and was altered by the Mughals and later by the British who last held it before independence. It used to serve as the summer abode for the Gond kings, who were more at ease in the jungle. They are many escape routes in the hawali, probably for security reasons, in case of an attack. To the right of the Hawali , on a hill , stands the Bagda Fort. The fort was of strategic importance as it overlooked the Tawa river and had its eye on the naval route. The carvings done in the fort are worth seeing. It may have been broken at many places, but it still attracts people due to its beauty.
There is a tunnel inside
It is said that there was a tunnel inside the ancient fort. From this, kings and queens used to go from one side to the other by coming out from under the water stream of Narmada and Tawa. Used to worship in the ancient temple situated on the other side of Narmada. Talk of kings building tunnels in the palace is also heard in other places.
Legend
Regarding the fort, it is said that there was a huge treasure here and there was also the Philosopher’s Stone. To get this, many people sacrificed birds and also performed tantric rituals. Whose signs are found occasionally.
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