Purnia: The fort of Jalalgarh,
which is in ruins, will soon be restored to its erstwhile glory to make it a tourist destination.
Situated 20 km north of Purnia at a place what was
once an island in the old channel of the river Kosi, the fort
was built by Saiyad Muhammed Jalaluddin Khan of the Khagra
family on whome Mughal king Jehangir conferred the title of
the Raja.
However, some believe that it was Saif Khan, the nawab
of Purnia, who built the fort in 1722.
The fort is a large quadrangular structure with lofty walls which served as a frontier post to protect the border against invasion from Nepal.
The repair of the 300-year-old fort was announced by
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during a visit to Purnia on
January six.
Kumar ordered Purnia district authorites to take
stepes in this regard and also for removal of encroachments
in the fort premises.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, January 11, 2012, 11:32