Barmer Fort Travel Guide : History, Structure, Timings and Entry Fee, Best Time To Visit The Alwar Fort, Getting There (2024)
When it comes to enthralling their visitors with glorious forts, the sandy state of Rajasthan stands tall and mighty with pride. This beautiful state is full of large and small, popular and not so popular forts which have captivated the interests of thousands of tourists throughout the world. It is a given fact that every tourist visiting Rajasthan should include couple of forts in their itinerary.
Since, the number of forts in Rajasthan is quite huge, it is best to do a bit of research and choose the ones that you truly wish to visit and explore. This is will enable you to utilize your time properly and not miss out on visiting the forts that you actually wish to explore.
In this post, we have covered everything about the magnificent Barmer Fort which is located in the fifth largest district of India – Barmer. Read on as we take you through the history and structure of this beautiful ancient fort. We will also be covering information about the timings to visit the fort, entry fees, best time to visit, how to reach Barmer Fort, etc. By the end of this Barmer Fort guide, you will have all the information required to plan your perfect trip to the Barmer Fort.
History of Barmer Fort
Built on top of a rocky hillock, the Barmer Fort was the brainchild of Rawat Bhimawho built it in 1552 AD when the old Barmer was shifted to the present one. This city is also known as BarmerGarh and it is believed that Rawat Bhima had built this fort on top of the city.
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The hillock on which the Barmer Fort stands has a height of 1383 feet; however, the fort was built at a height of 676 feet which was considered to be a safe height for the fort rather than building it right on top of the hill. In the year 1308, the Barmer Fort came under the ownership of Alauddin Khilji who was later defeated by Luntiga Chauhan who took over the Barmer Fort after killing the Muslim battalion. After this battle, no Sultan of Delhi took over the Barmer Fort.
Structure of Barmer Fort
Though the Barmer Fort is currently in ruins, it is still worth a visit as this tourist attraction was a significant part of Barmer’s history. As mentioned earlier, the fort was built on the side of the hillock to maintain safety. The fort was constructed using the stones from the hillock itself. The Barmerfort’s main entrance is in the North direction and the Safety Burg are on the east and west side.
The Barmer Fort is surrounded by temples and people from all over the country visit this religious site for two of the most important temples – Jogmaya Devi temple which is also known as Garh Mandir (located at 1383 feet height) and Nagnechi Mata temple (located at 500 feet height). Both these temples experience high footfall during the Navratri festival.
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The rest of the fort is closed for public as it houses the former royal family members. Visitors can explore the interior of the fort in the presence of Rawat Tribhuwan Singh Rathore, the current Maharaja of Barmer. Currently, visitors can only visit the court room inside the fort which houses various ancient relics and antiques such as radios, family portraits, figures of Shiva and Gauri which are used in the Gangaur festival, and two antique Ganesh statues which were placed to ensure a safe and smooth construction of the fort.
Entry Fees of Barmer Fort
Visitors to the Barmer Fort will have to pay an entry fee. The current charges are:
- 20 INR for Indians
- 10 INR for Children (Indian)
- INR 100 for Foreigners
Best Time to Visit Barmer Fort
Though Rajasthan can be visited anytime during the year, it is highly recommended to avoid visiting the state during the summers. This is because the temperatures can really soar up and can also lead to heat strokes. Monsoons are also a good time as the climate is pleasant and you will also get to experience nice greenery in the land of desert.
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The best time to visit any part of Rajasthan is during the winters which is from October to March. During these months, the temperature during the day is quite mild and pleasant which makes it perfect for sightseeing and visiting all the tourist spots. However, remember that the nights can get quite chilly, so ensure that you have sufficient woolen items.
How to Reach Barmer Fort?
There are three ways by which you can reach Barmer Fort – by air, rail, and road.
- By Air: The Jodhpur Airport located at a distance of about 200 kms away from Barmer is the closest domestic airport. It will take you around three and half hours to reach Barmer from the Jodhpur Airport. For international travelers, the closest international airport is located in Ahmedabad which is about 375 kms away from Barmer. This airport is well-connected to a number of cities in India such as Hyderabad, Mumbai, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Pune, etc.
- By Road: The Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) as well as a number of other private tour operators run buses from major cities in Rajasthan to Barmer. You can easily book an A/C or non-A/C bus from other nearby states as well.
- By Rail: This is one of the easiest modes of transportation to reach Barmer as there is a railway station in Barmer city itself. There are a number of trains running to and from the Barmer station to major cities in India.
Though the Barmer Fort is mostly in ruins today, it still attracts a lot of tourists because of its rich history and significance. So, make sure that you have this Barmer Fort guide handy whenever you plan your trip to Rajasthan.