Restoration Work At Hari Parbat Fort

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oi-Staff

By Staff

Friday, August 7, 2009, 15:39

Old is gold, and no matter how hard we try to run away from it, a day comes when we just wish if we could fly back to the time we've come from. Authorities in Kashmir have decided on something similar, but in its own way. They are now working diligently to restore the original glory of over two centuries old Hari Parbat Fort for developing it as a heritage site in the State.

Built in 1808 by an Afghan Governor Atta Mohammad Khan in 1808, the Hari Parbat Fort is a State protected monument. However, the restoration work has been on progress since 2006, and a due care is being taken to keep the original character and architecture of the fort intact.

Experts say that due care has been taken to restore the fort. Khurshid Ahmad Qadri, Director of Archives, Archaeology and Museums in Jammu and Kashmir corroborates: "We are taking care not to alter the original character or architectural features of the fort during the restoration process." He adds: "The fort originally had a mud roof, which we have maintained. In addition, we have used the same stone that was originally used for its construction. Luckily , we found it here. Also, we used limestone in place of cement," said

Needless to say, once the restoration process gets overs, the fort is expected to captivate tourists with its magnificence and splendour. Nazir Ahmad, a local resident adds: "The fort is older than 200 years. It will emerge into a major attraction for the locals and tourists both."

With the restoration work on the fort and other such historic sites, the State Government is hopeful to highlight Jammu and Kashmir''s rich heritage to the visitors. "It's really very good to see that this kind of heritage is being preserved by the government," said Pooja, a tourist. She adds: "I think that most of the heritage is found in Kashmir and it's really very important that the government should take steps and preserve them."

The government has completed 80 percent work on the Hari Parbat Fort, which is spread over an area of 200 Kanals.

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