TWIST SOUL AND SENSE AN ECHO OF LOST . . . . . .

With feeble shades that vanish while we gaze..

The mountain tops are tinged, day fades away..

Though those art unmoved, like a warrior crest..

Like the rustle of leaves or like dark water...

Flowings in its stream..

this castle standing magnificently against a backdrop of mountains to the south and the west. 

Like it is in a dark silhouette, backlit under the glare of the setting sun. The entire green valley to the west of the castle is bathed beautifully in evening light.

It is more the setting than the castle itself that gives it a romantic edge. The castle stands on a hillock with rocks and roughly cut stones strewn about the place.

These must have been part of extensions or outer walls that are no longer standing. It is a unique structure that stands in eight levels. It is more like a tower, like In many fairy tales of Rumpelstiltskin'' there are three common settings: a village where the people are poor and hard-working, a castle that houses royalty, and the forest, which may be associated with an evil villain or something kind of magic. 

We headed in search for Eastern mysticism Lahaul may have been perfect as it is the melting pot of Hindu and Buddhist beliefs. Both religions co-exist seemlessly into each other. The locals refer to their religion as Hindu-Bodh and it is a mixture of both great systems of belief. The two religions intertwine in a way which could be a model for any two religions to exist side by side. Lahaul is where India and Tibet meet and merge unlike at other places where one culture gives way to another.

The Gondhla fort is situated in Lahaul district of himachal pradesh. The Gondhla fort is situated 18 km away from Keylong. The altitude of Gondhla fort is 3160 m from sea level.

Lahaul has only one fort Gondhla. It was built by Raja Man Singh of Kullu in 1700AD. The Gondhla fort is built with wood in the tower type architecture in front Chandra River across the valley.

Gondhla Fort is a tiny hamlet situated by the banks of the Chandra River some 15 kilometres from Sissu towards Keylong on the Manali- Leh Highway. The history of this massive wooden fort, the only fort of Lahaul, goes way back. While some say the fort was built 20 generations ago from the present Thakur, Fateh Chand, 

Though Lahaul and spiti district officially claimed that this fort dates back to the 1700s and was built under one Raja Man Singh of Kullu who married into the Gondhla family to strengthen and expand his territory.

The staircases of the Gondhla fort are partially notched wooden logs. The fifth storey was belong to the Thakur. The fifth storey is used by thakur for prayer and listen to public and later pronounce his judgement.

The walls of the Gondhla fort is painted in stone colours. The facade of the Ganesha carved on the prayer chamber. The window connecting to the outer room has excellent work of wood carving. The Gondla Fort has antique artifacts like bows arrows,quivers,catapults guns and canons beside age old costumes.

It is in the traditional style of Kuth-Kuni construction meant to withstand earthquakes. What is unique in this castle is that structurally there are no diagonal or vertical beams of wood, just horizontal beams packed in between with stones without use of mortar.

The castle stands in a dangerous state of disrepair. We wonder if getting inside, is really safe. Although there is a little door and a staircase on the southern side, the access is overgrown with weeds. It is not a castle for tourists. It is a romantic ruin in a state of natural decay. This is exactly why I like it so much.

The castle stands straight and tall. At its top is a jettied balcony supported on brackets, at places decorated with horns of sheep. The southern side has projected balconies and gables on two levels. Many wooden boards are missing, the parapets gone and the balcony floor fallen. Recessed windows break the monotony of the castle, particularly on the southern and eastern sides.

The walls are packed with flatly cut stone blocks wedged tightly together between the horizontal wooden beams. 

After 300 years, the structure which appears at a glance to be of primitive construction, is still standing. 

The Gondla Fort is sadly no more accessible and We read (not sure) that it may be being sold off to somebody who is planning to turn the fort into a museum. We would’ve wished for a restoration project but well, Who are We to wish…just..

.....neither we as tourists nor the tourism ministry or the tourism industry is sensitive  enough for the conservation of local heritage and culture. As soon as a new site is discovered it is destined to be destroyed by unplanned money making rat race. The biggest culprit is State Tourism Ministry which knows nothing about developing tourism...We as tourists are also to be blamed, for us tourism only means uncivilized drink, drive, dance and hooliganism. Just think of any famous tourist spots of Himachal and you will realise what we mean.
So wish these places remain unexplored from ..... for their own sake until....

ॐ नमः शिवायः