Ancient Citadel of Kalinjar, Banda dist., Uttar Pradesh...

Kalinjar is one of the most characteristic specimens of the hill-fortresses, originally hill-shrines, of central India. Its antiquity is proved by its mention in the Mahabharata. Kalinjar means The destroyer of time in Sanskrit. 'Kal' is time and 'jar' destruction. It is therefore a common belief associated with the Kalinjar hill that Lord Shiva had slain the god of time on it.

The hilly peak has several legends attached to it. Its origin being shrouded in mystery, not much is known as to when and by whom the fort was built on this holy hill, though modern historians conjecture that Bargujar Kings built it from A.D.150 to A.D.250 the fort contains Shiva temple of Neelkanth Mahadev Similar to the one built by King Manthandev Bargujar,(a shilalekh/rock edict stands testimony to this fact,now inside Sariska Tiger Reserve ) confirmed by Col.James Tod in his classical ,"Annals and Antiquties of Rajasthan" 18th century British historian,and at Baroli near Rana Sagar Dam.Later the Bargujars were part of a much bigger Gurjara - Pratihara Empire in North India which was at its peak from 500 C.E. to 1150 C.E.. The fort was a unique monument of its time and had no parallel in any other part of the country in terms of sheer grandeur and artistry.

Its historical background is replete with numerous battles and invasions. The Hindu princes of different dynasties as well as the Muslim rulers fought hard to conquer it and the fort continued to pass from one ruler to another. But, except for the Chandelas, no other ruler could reign over it for long,Chandelas are also a branch of the Bargujars called Chandela Rajputs.

It was besieged by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1023, and here the Pashtun emperor Sher Shah Suri met his death in 1545. Kalinjar played a prominent part in history down to the time of the Revolt of 1857, when it was held by a small British garrison. Both the fort and the town, which stands at the foot of the hill, are of interest to the antiquary on account of the remains of temples, sculptures, inscriptions and caves.