Qila Mubarak, Patiala
Qila Mubarak is a fortress of Sikh architecture in Patiala, Punjab, India. It was the residential palace of the Maharaja of Patiala. Much of the fortress is closed-off to public access, including its Shish Mahal. However, there is public access to the Darbar Hall, Sarad Khana, Jalau Khana, and cannon-barrels on-display.
History
Qila Mubarak was first built as a 'Kachigarhi' by Sidhu Jat ruler Baba Ala Singh in 1763, who was the founder of the Patiala branch of the Phulkian dynasty. Later, it was reconstructed in baked bricks. It is said that the original fort created in 1763 was an extension built on top of an already existing Mughal fortress built by governor Hussain Khan in Patiala. The interior portion of Qila, which is known as Qila Androon is built by Maharaja Amar Singh.According to Atsushi Ikeda, the Qila Mubarak was constructed during the reign of Karam Singh and renovated by his successor, Narinder Singh, who was a patron of the arts.
Qila Mubarak complex
The residential palace of the royal family of Patiala, Qila Mubarak complex is built over in the heart of the city. The whole complex contains the Ran Baas and the Darbar Hall beside Qila Androon. The former Darbar Hall is now a museum. Other parts of the complex are the Sarad Khana and the Jalau Khana, which features ionic-columns. There are different palaces and courtyards within the complex. There is also underground sewerage system in the Qila.Qila Androon
Qila Androon has 13 royal chambers with scenes from Hindu mythology painted in the Patiala art style. Its architecture is a mixture of Rajasthani and Mughal elements. Within the Qila Androon is the Shish/Sheesh Mahal pavilion.Museum of Armoury & Chandelier
The Darbar Hall contains rare cannons, swords, shields and maces, daggers of Guru Gobind Singh, and sword of Nadir Shah.Artwork
The complex's walls are adorned with mural paintings in the form of frescoes. The paintings exhibit Vaishnavist themes, which played a talismanic role for the Patiala ruling dynasty.Restoration work
Being a 300-year-old building, the Qila is described as being in 'bad shape' and has been extensively damaged. The fortress was described by the World Monuments Fund as one of world's 100 "most endangered monuments" in year 2004.Restoration work of Qila has been undertaken by Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage, which has been financially assisted by the state and national governments Archaeological Survey of India. The World Monuments Watch has also funded its preservation. In 2013, a restoration project by Abha Narain Lambah Associates of the complex began with funding provided by the Central Government 13th Finance Commission Grants.
Post restoration in 2021, Ran Baas, the former guest house for the Maharaja of Patiala was developed into a 28-room luxury boutique hotel by The Park Hotels group.