Ludhiana’s historic Lodhi Fort

Ludhiana’s Lodhi Fort, a relic of the past, is languishing in neglect. Once a place where kings and rulers lived lavishly, the place has now become a safe haven for anti-social elements and drug-addicts.

The fort, a blend of historical richness and architectural brilliance, is situated in Qila Mohalla, the oldest locality in Ludhiana, and has a few visitors nowadays. The place is managed by the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Museum, Government of Punjab. Although a guard has been appointed by the government to ensure the safety of the place, he alone is helpless to keep a tab on the anti-social elements who roam inside the fort daily.

The fort surroundings have many encroachments which has diminished its beauty. Sources said in 1989, a clean-up effort was led by the then-MC administrator SP Singh during which numerous truckloads of debris were removed from the fort.

The apathy of the government is that there are no signboards installed in the city or around the fort to guide the visitors. Even there is not any board explaining the history of the fort put up anywhere inside the fort.

An elderly shepherd, who daily visits the fort with his goats, said the place was a proud testament to the kings and rulers who once lived within its walls. Today, it’s a shadow of its former self, overrun by anti-social elements, its historical significance lost on the younger generation.

Built around 1480 by Sikandar Lodhi, the fort has seen severe deterioration. Collapsed outer walls, ransacked doors and rampant weeds paint a grim picture of the place. Encroachments have diminished the fort’s grounds, with Qila Mohalla now surrounding it. The access road is in disrepair, and a nearby garbage dump greets the visitors, making them lose interest in the place.

Vinod Sahota, a guard appointed by the state government for care-taking, showed Tribune team a rumoured underground 16-km tunnel (long passage) to the Phillaur police academy, adding to its mystique, but this history remains largely unknown to the present generation. The guard also showed a large horse barn where horses of the kings used to stay. Vinod also took the team atop the fort from where the entire city is visible. Interestingly, Sahota, who is just 32-year-old, is deeply aware of the history of each nook and corner of the fort. He explained that Ludhiana, formerly Mir Hota village, was renamed Lodhi-ana after the Lodhi dynasty. The fort, commissioned by Sultanpur Lodhi, once stood on the banks of the Sutlej. He also showed a room of the king’s wazir (highest officer) where tobacco products were kept.

This is a place of great historical importance, but hardly any visitors come here. Earlier there used to be a cannon placed on the top of the fort, but that was taken to the Chandigarh by the department, added Sahota.

A few months ago, some people from Egypt and Australia came here and took mud and samples of bricks along with them for research, Sahota said.

Some residents living near the fort for decades have witnessed the fort’s transformation. They said once the fort was visible from the Jalandhar bypass, before the city expanded. They expressed their deep sorrow at the fort’s current state, saying it could have become a symbol of Ludhiana’s identity.