Arki Fort – (2) Forts of Himachal Pradesh , India
Arki palace is located in Arki, India, a town in Himachal Pradesh.
Rana Prithvi Singh, a descendant of Rana Sabha Chand, built the Arki palace between 1695 and 1700. The Gurkhas captured the fort in 1806.Rana Jagat Singh, the ruler of Baghal had to take refuge in Nalagarh. During this period from 1806 – 1815, the Gurkha General Amar Singh Thapa used Arki as his stronghold. He used it to make further advances into Himachal Pradesh as far as Kangra.
Rana Ajai Dev, a Panwar Rajput, founded the princely hill state of Baghal and established Arki as its capital. Rana Sabha Chand declared Arki as the capital of Baghal in 1650, after Rana Ajai Dev founded the state around 1643.
People believe Rana Prithvi Singh established Arki Fort between the 17th and 18th centuries, during his reign when Arki served as the capital of Baghal State, ruled by the Ranas and Rajputs. Later, the Gorkhas conquered Arki Fort in the early 18th century and used it as their base camp to expand their kingdom into Himachal Pradesh.
Built at an elevation of about 4100 ft, Arki Fort is one of the magnificent forts, which narrate the glorious and miserable past of the state. Even though it is acting as the official residence of the descendants of Arki kings, you can still capture its captivating beauty on your camera. Surrounded by sky-high hills covered with rich vegetation, the environment of Arki Fort is all set to take you back in time.
There are a number of places in Arki which will certainly allure you. These places include Lutru Mahadev Temple, Dhundan, Baniya Devi, Shiv Guffa and Devdhar Temple. As the region of Arki is rich in natural beauty with the presence of forests and hills, you can also go trekking and camping here.
