Photo: AJK Tourism & Archaeology DepartmentField guides / Azad Jammu and Kashmir / Rawalakot & Poonch / Baral Fort, Palandri
Field guide · Heritage
Sudhnoti
Sudhnoti District · Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
Baral Fort, Palandri
A square Dogra fort of 1837–39 with octagonal corner towers, on a hillock near Palandri.
Baral Fort stands on a low rocky hill in Baral village, about 26 km south-west of Sudhnoti. It was built by Maharaja Gulab Singh between 1837 and 1839 to hold the area for his government, and is protected under the AJK Antiquities Act of 1986.
Why go
- ✦Four octagonal corner towers
- ✦Walls about 18 m high
- ✦A central sandstone water tank
- ✦Built 1837–39 by Gulab Singh
About
The fort is square, with an octagonal watchtower at each corner and walls still standing to about 18 m, pierced with firing slits. A cusped arched entrance on the south side leads through a partly ruined domed chamber to the main courtyard, with a water tank of dressed sandstone in the middle and rows of small cells along the walls. It was once two storeys high, with wooden pillars and a wooden gate, but the upper floor has gone. There is no inscription.
History
Maharaja Gulab Singh built the fort between 1837 and 1839 to strengthen Dogra control over the area. It has no inscription, and its upper floor and wooden fittings have since collapsed.
How to Reach
In Baral village, about 26 km south-west of Sudhnoti, off the Kotli–Palandri road.
Responsible Travel
Treat the site as protected heritage: do not scratch, climb or remove material, and follow caretaker instructions.
Planning tip
Best Time to Visit, October to April.
Getting there, In Baral village, about 26 km south-west of Sudhnoti, off the Kotli–Palandri road.
Allow, About an hour.
What to Do
Nearby
Straight-line distance from Baral Fort, Palandri, within 5 km.
