Naggar Castle

The Naggar Castle is one of the best places in Himachal Pradesh. It is in the small, old town of Naggar in the Kullu district. Naggar is a small village 22 km north of Kullu's district offices. It is on the road from Kullu to Naggar and then to Manali. The most famous place for tourists to visit here is the 15th-century Naggar Castle, which is close to Manali.

Naggar, one of the places to visit in Naggar, is about 1,800 meters above sea level and lies on the bank of the river Beas. For nearly 1,500 years, it served as the seat of the Kullu kings. Later, around the mid-18th century, they shifted the center to the Kullu town when they built it.

What makes Naggar Castle historically significant?

Naggar Castle is a beautiful historical building with a view of the Kullu valley. Ratan Sidhi Singh built the Castle in the year 1460. The Castle was the home of the king and the seat of government until the British took over all of Kangra and Kullu from the Sikhs in 1846.

Raja Gyan Singh gave Major Hay, the first deputy commissioner, the gun in exchange for it. Later, they added stairs, a fireplace, and chimneys to the northern side of the house to make it resemble European homes. Afterward, he sold it to the government for use as a jail. When the British left in 1947, the court stopped doing anything.

The unique architectural features of the Castle

The castle was built in the native Pahari style and is called Kathkuni. The house has a beautiful garden in the middle and exquisite wood carvings everywhere. You can see the snow-covered hills in the distance from the curved balconies and the Beas Valley below.

The builders used stone and wood to build the Castle, avoiding nails and iron. They constructed the walls with layers of rocks and wooden boards. The 1905 earthquake destroyed most of the area, but Naggar Castle remained mostly unharmed with its unique structure designed to withstand shocks.

During the British rule, they added an extra staircase, chimneys, and fireplaces. Over the years, the Castle has changed, but its unique historical design remains preserved, making it a highlight of Naggar tour packages.

Are there any legends associated with Naggar Castle?

People link Naggar Castle to some interesting stories. One of the most well-known stories explains how workers carried stones from the Beas River to the site of the Castle, forming a chain that transported them for its construction.

People also believe that God chose the site because the stones used for the foundation wouldn't stay in place anywhere else. It is thought that this means the site was meant to be the Castle's home. These stories about Naggar Castle add to its mystery and charm.