Page 51 - Lohgarh

Structure and Location of the Lohgarh Fort w 51

archaeological survey of the area a dual Fortification of the hills can be
seen and from here a vast view of the plains, i.e. the battlefield of the
Lohgarh; and, some of the 52 bastions of Fort Lohgarh were easily visible.
The siezure of this area was not possible as there are steep hills and
adjoining these hills the river Markanda flows. The supplies for the Sikh
army were made from the back side of the Fort, which is adjacent to
Nahan.
Remnants of Stone Barricades are found in the Nanhari reserve
forest. This area is in the South east part of the Fort Lohgarh and is
situated on the attacking site of the Fort. Geographically, this area is
situated between the khols and a pass leading to Jafarpur Jafri village
of Haryana.
Archaeological evidences are found in the reserve forest of Kotla.
At the hillock of Kotla and the adjacent area of Himachal Pradesh there
is a heavy Fortification on the hills and parts of Chakki are found here.
It shows that the kitchen of the Sikh soldiers was on the high contours,
so that the food supplies and other basic amenities remained away
from the attack of the Mughals.
In the revenue state of Sangholi, on the higher contours, a random
rubble masonry Fortification is found with stones of different sizes and
shapes brought from the quarry of a bed of a rivulet flowing adjacent
to the area. Lime motor and surkhi was used as the binding material.
This area had a multi Fortification system as it was on the fore front of
the Fort and these are vulnerable to the aggression by Mughal canons.
The historian Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer along with S. Jarnail Singh,
during his visit to Lohgarh, inspected the bastion and a watch tower in
sector 16 of Lohgarh Fort. On the foundation of the bastion, as found in
sector 16 Lohgarh Fort, presently there are only two layers of stones
left on the archaeological site. The rest of the structure was demolished
by the Mughals.
During their visit to sector C-2 of Lohgarh Fort, they found that this
sector is about 10 km deep inside the Fort and this is quite far away
from the forefront of the Fort. The supply depot of the Sikh army has
been found here.