Palamu’s Forts and Palaces: Unfolding a Forgotten Royal Heritage

Palamu district in Jharkhand preserves a remarkable yet largely overlooked legacy of forts and palaces that embody a fusion of Mughal elegance and local tribal traditions. These historic structures, now mostly in ruins, still stand as powerful testimonies to the region’s political history, cultural identity, and architectural ingenuity.​

Palamu: Land, Rivers and Royal Memory

Palamu lies in the Chotanagpur Plateau, between 23°50’–24°08′ N latitude and 83°55’–84°30′ E longitude, bordered by Chatra and Hazaribagh to the east, Garhwa to the west, Bihar and the Son River to the north, and Latehar to the south. The Koel River and its tributaries, Auranga and Amant, not only sustain the land but have historically supported settlements, agriculture and fortifications across this landscape.​

Beyond its forests and wildlife, Palamu is distinguished by a rich cultural heritage expressed through a chain of forts and palaces that once guarded power corridors and caravan routes in this frontier zone of eastern India.​

Twin Palamu Forts: Purana Kila and Naya Kila

At Medininagar, the twin Palamu Forts—Purana Kila (Old Fort) and Naya Kila (New Fort)—form the core of the region’s monumental heritage. Both are associated with the Chero dynasty, which consolidated its authority here between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.​

• Purana Kila, attributed to Raja Medini Rai in the sixteenth century, functions as a defensive hill–plain fort and preserves features like Singh Darwaza, an inscription on the north gate, and secret chambers and tunnels.​

• Naya Kila, linked to Raja Pratap Rai in the seventeenth century, displays Nagpuri Gate, arabesque motifs and an inscribed pillar, again combined with concealed passageways that suggest both strategic planning and a sophisticated sense of security.​

Together, the twin forts encapsulate the evolution of Chero power, from early defensive strongholds to more elaborate Indo-Islamic–influenced fort architecture.​

Kakrigarh Palace: Vanished Fort of Raja Medini Rai

Kakrigarh Palace in Panki block is remembered as the Garh of Raja Medini Rai, a sixteenth‑century defensive palace of the Chero rulers. Today the structure is almost wholly vanished, but surviving sandstone fragments and pottery testify to a once vibrant architectural complex.​

• Architectural remains include lintel-like sandstone pieces with repeated lotus‑petal (kamalakara) motifs and semicircular designs, suggesting a refined ornamental vocabulary.​

• Terracotta sherds with incised linear decoration, large storage‑vessel fragments, and weathered brick pieces reveal domestic activity, construction techniques and ceramic traditions at the site.​

These finds are crucial for reconstructing chronology, everyday life and craftsmanship in Palamu during the medieval Chero period.​

Chainpur Garh: Fort of the Thakurais

Chainpur Garh, the old fort of the Thakurais of Chainpur, dates to the sixteenth century and again falls within the Chero political sphere. The fort combines hill and plain elements, indicating a strategic choice of terrain for both surveillance and defense.​

• Surviving features include decorated gateways, corridors, a substantial water tank, secret chambers and tunnels, and an early‑medieval panchmukhi Shivlinga depicting Shiva with five heads.​

• This coexistence of military architecture and Shaiva sacred space underlines how political authority, religious practice and regional identity were deeply intertwined in Chainpur.​

Ladi Garh: Courtly Life and Seven Yards of Power

Ladi Garh, or Ladi Palace, at Ladi in Chainpur block, represents a later phase of regional history, associated with the Biswen Rajputs of the Manjhauli Raj family from Gorakhpur. Built by Kuar Ambika Prasad Singh between the late eighteenth and twentieth centuries, the complex stands as a plain fort marked more by courtly than purely military functions.​

• The palace was known as “The Seven Yards of House”, indicating a series of sequential residential and administrative yards.​

• Key elements include the court of Kuar Ambika Prasad Singh, where judicial and administrative proceedings, ceremonial gatherings and cultural programmes were held, along with secret tunnels and chambers integrated into the layout.​

Deepmandav (lamp niches) in the walls, arched gateways with scalloped arches, and pillared or open courtyards highlight an Indo‑Islamic aesthetic infused with local sensibilities.​

Shahpur Palace and the Wider Fort Network

Shahpur Palace, near Medininagar, extends the chain of fortified residences into the late eighteenth century. Linked with Raja Gopal Rai of the Chero line, this structure is especially noted for its mysterious passages and secret chambers.​

Across Palamu, these forts and palaces—Purana Kila, Naya Kila, Kakrigarh Palace, Chainpur Garh, Shahpur Palace and Ladi Garh—form a connected network of power centres that mirror shifts in dynasty, alliances and regional politics from the medieval to the colonial period. Their shared motifs of gateways, tunnels, courtyards and ritual spaces underscore a common architectural language adapted to varied functions and eras.​

Architectural and Cultural Significance

The forts and palaces of Palamu capture a nuanced blend of Mughal, Indo‑Islamic and tribal traditions visible in arches, ornamental stonework, courtyard planning and ritual niches. Features like deepmandav, panchmukhi Shivlingas, water tanks, secret tunnels and decorated gates speak to both religious devotion and pragmatic design.​

Even fragmentary finds—terracotta sherds, brick pieces, stone lintels and carved motifs—provide vital evidence for understanding construction technology, ceramic traditions and artistic choices in this frontier region. Collectively, these structures act as “living storytellers”, narrating episodes of resistance, adaptation and cultural synthesis over several centuries.​

Urgency of Conservation and Public Engagement

Most of Palamu’s forts and palaces survive in a ruined or severely weathered state, threatened by neglect, encroachment and natural decay. Yet they hold immense potential for community‑based heritage tourism, academic research and local cultural pride.​

Strengthening documentation, encouraging archaeological and architectural surveys, and involving local communities in preservation can transform these fading remains into anchors of sustainable development. Safeguarding Palamu’s architectural heritage is not only an act of conservation but also a commitment to ensure that the stories, identities and memories embedded in these stones continue to inspire future generations.​

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Analysis of Ancient Sculptures in the Jain Temples of Nainagiri

The Jain temples of Nainagiri preserve a rich corpus of ancient sculptures that illuminate both religious devotion and regional artistic traditions in central India. These images, carved predominantly in sandstone and marble, represent major Tirthankaras and attendant deities, and together they chart a long history of patronage at this sacred hill site.​

The Sacred Landscape of Nainagiri

Nainagiri, also known as Reshandigiri, is located in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh at approximately 24°9′ N and 79°7′ E, with an elevation of about 470 meters. Nestled within the Vindhyan ranges, the site lies in the ecological zone of Panna National Park and the Baxwaha Forest Reserve, on the northern bank of the Semra Pathara river, a tributary of the Beban.​

The hill is revered as the liberation ground of five munis, which enhances its religious significance within the Jain tradition. Archaeological indicators link the region to the Mesolithic age, while the surviving temples and sculptures testify to continued patronage over many centuries.​

Iconography at Nainagiri Hill Jain Temple

The Nainagiri Hill Jain Temple complex houses several important images of Tirthankaras, each displaying distinctive iconographic features. These sculptures encode theological concepts through posture, attributes, attendant figures, and emblematic animals known as lanchhanas.​

The image of Adinath in temple number 8 is carved in sandstone with dimensions of approximately 78 x 44 x 20 centimeters. Vidhyadharas appear at the top corners, elephants perform abhisheka to symbolize the supremacy and honor accorded by all beings, while attendants flank the Jina, with a bull at the lanchhana and a lion on the pedestal.​

Parshvanath images housed in temple number 37, also in sandstone, show snake hood and tail at the lanchhana, with parikar forms that are curved, rectangular, or absent, yet otherwise share similar compositional elements with the Adinath image.​

Sculptures in the Siddha Temple

Within the Siddha Temple, multiple sculptures extend the iconographic range of the site. These include further depictions of Adinath, other unidentified Tirthankaras, and a striking seated Parshvanath.​

One sandstone image of Adinath, measuring about 128 x 27 x 21 centimeters, features both simple and decorated halos, a trijata hairstyle with multiple locks, and chauri-bearer attendants, preserving the same core elements observed in the hill temple image. Another Tirthankara in kayotsarga posture, also in sandstone and measuring roughly 106 x 43 x 25 centimeters, lacks a visible lanchhana but shows multiple hair locks that may suggest an identification with Adinath.​

The Parshvanath image in this temple is characterized by a smiling face, seated padmasana posture on a snake, elongated ears, and a seven-headed snake hood, with an inscription in Nagiri script adding epigraphic interest. A related composition, “Parshvanath and Attendant,” measuring about 88 x 43 x 23 centimeters, shows a five-headed snake hood, tri-chattra, elephants flanking the Jina, two small attendants near the legs, a beautiful attendant in tribhanga, and a lion at the pedestal.​

Images from the Library Depository

The library depository at Nainagiri preserves additional sculptures that broaden the understanding of local devotional practices. These include representations of Tirthankaras as well as attendant deities such as Ambika and Gomedh.​

An image of Ajitnath, measuring approximately 103 x 27 x 21 centimeters, presents the Jina in kayotsarga posture with vidhyadharas above, tri-chattra, elephants performing abhisheka, elongated ears, a thick upper lip, attendants in tribhanga, an elephant as lanchhana, and lions on the pedestal. The Ambika sculpture, around 99 x 32 x 27 centimeters, shows the goddess in sambhanga posture with a five-hooded snake, plump body, necklace, armband, katiband, uttariya, anklet, and a child in her arms, revealing a rich treatment of jewelry and maternal imagery.​

A composite sandstone panel of Gomedh and Ambika, measuring about 98 x 61 x 21 centimeters, depicts the figures in ardhapriyanka posture. Smaller Tirthankara images include a white marble Chandraprabhu (44 x 34 x 17 centimeters) seated in padmasana with a moon symbol on the pedestal, and a black marble Tirthankara (16 x 12 x 4 centimeters) lacking a clear lanchhana, possibly reflecting either damage or a more aniconic intention.​

Major Tirthankara Images and Stylistic Observations

Two large sculptures, one of Adinath and one of Parshvanath, stand out for their scale and refined workmanship. These images embody the culmination of iconographic conventions observed elsewhere in the complex.​

The large sandstone Adinath, measuring about 150 x 78 x 41 centimeters, is seated in padmasana on a decorated pedestal in dhyana mudra, with a well-carved prabhamandal behind the head, a srivatsa symbol on the chest, and a bull as lanchhana, marking a complete and canonical representation. The Parshvanath image, around 61 x 41 x 23 centimeters, shows the Jina in padmasana with dhyana mudra, hair locks touching the shoulders, srivatsa motif, and a multi-headed naga canopy above, with a chipped left knee that records the passage of time and the vulnerability of stone icons.​

Taken together, the sculptures of Nainagiri reveal a sophisticated visual language that integrates posture, gesture, attendants, and animal emblems into a coherent theological program. The continuity of iconographic themes across temples and centuries underscores the sustained patronage of Jain communities at this sacred hill site, while local stylistic variations enrich the broader history of Jain art in central India.​

Ms. Ronita Mondal is an archaeologist and historian from Howrah, West Bengal, committed to the study, documentation, and preservation of India’s cultural heritage. She holds a Master’s degree in Archaeology (2019) from the University of Calcutta, Alipore Campus, and a Bachelor’s degree in History (Honours, 2017) from Gokhale Memorial Girls’ College. She completed her schooling at Tarasundari Balika Vidyabhaban, Howrah.

Her academic and field training reflects a deep engagement with material culture, archaeological methods, and heritage conservation. She participated in the University of Calcutta’s excavations at Asur Danga (2018–2019) and took part in exploration programs at Kotasur, Masra, and Malooti—experiences that enriched her understanding of settlement archaeology and regional cultural dynamics.

Ms. Mondal has further strengthened her expertise through specialized workshops, including sessions on coinage and museum studies at the State Archaeological Museum, and training in temple architecture and iconography at Utkal University, organized by the Asiatic Society. In 2025, she broadened her scholarly exposure by attending the Ministry of Culture’s international conference “Gyan Bharatam: Reclaiming India’s Knowledge Legacy through Manuscript Heritage” held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

She is currently engaged in a collaborative initiative to establish a district museum in Hooghly, focusing on regional heritage curation and public engagement. Proficient in Bengali, English, and Hindi, Ms. Mondal integrates archaeological research with conservation ethics, working toward safeguarding and promoting India’s cultural legacy.