<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>GOBINDGA&#7770H FORT</TITLE>
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<p class="C1">&#65279GOBINDGA&#7770H FORT, raised in the time of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh on the ruins of an old fortress built at Amritsar by Gujjar Si&#7749gh (d. 1788) of the Bha&#7749g&#299 clan, was named in honour of Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh. The Fort took four years, 1805-09, to build. According to Lepel Griffin, Sham&#299r Si&#7749gh &#7788he&#7789har (d. 1824), one of the army commanders, was entrusted by Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh with the task of building the Fort. He was also appointed its first <i>qil&#257d&#257r</i> (commandant). The Fort, an imposing structure with a gilded dome, was surrounded by a high wall. It had eight towers. The moat around it was lined with bricks. The huge wooden door on the eastern side marked the main entrance. The Fort contained magazines, arsenals and royal stables, besides a mint. Im&#257m ud-D&#299n, one of the renowned three Faq&#299r brothers of Sikh times, remained in charge of the Fort for many years.</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;	The Fort also served as the State treasury. Here were kept the crown jewels as well as the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257's gold and silver. Political prisoners were sent here for detention. The Fort retained its importance under the British and is at present used by the Indian defence forces.</p>
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BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> S&#363r&#299, Sohan L&#257l, <i>'Umd&#257t-ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u>&#8221 </i>. Lahore, 1885-89<BR>
<li class="C1"> Smyth, G. Carmichael, <i>A History of the Reigning Family of Lahore</i>.Patiala, 1970<BR>
<li class="C1"> Harbans Singh, <i>The Heritage of the Sikhs</i>. Delhi, 1983<BR>
</ol><p class="CONT">B. S. Nijjar<br></p><BR>
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