Ater Fort
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4.5
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keith h
Chesham, UK1,170 contributions
Feb 2019 • Solo
I approached Fort Ater by crossing the Chambal River from the U. P. side to the M. P. side.
As I was staying at a tourist lodge I was able to cross via their launch but a public ferry serves the same route & poles across crammed loads of passengers & motorbikes. From the M. P. Side it is an easy 2- 3km stroll along a road, uphill at first but then fairly level & easy going.
You are flanked by sandy mounds & ravines dotted with acacia scrub where birds & mammals can be spotted. I went up by camel, courtesy of the tourist lodge.
No doubt road access is easy from the M. P. side. It will be easy from U. P. soon, too , as a massive new bridge over the Chambal River is under construction. You will see a regular passage of camels passing you on the way carrying firewood collected in the ravines & building materials.
The Fort dominates the skyline as you near it, a large, bare flat area to the fore: the road winds around this & doubles back to run parallel beneath the fort's towering wall's, past the remains of a gated archway & finally to the entrance. A man at the gate gave entry- there is no ticket facility, no charge & no literature concerning the fort available.
However, as you proceed uphill flanked by high walls you will see an information stone informing you that the fort was begun by Badan Singh Judeo of the Bhadoria Chief's in 1664 AD & completed in 1668 AD by Mahasingh.
Although the fort is ruined much remains to be seen of what is, essentially, construction of a decidedly Mughal flavour with the Zenana, Diwan - i - am, Diwan - i - khas etc.
An imposing 7 storey tower is not accessible for safety reasons.
The views to the surrounding area are impressive- the Chambal river can just be seen, as can the nearby village which also contains some ruins of the same period.
The wind blew, strong & cold.
A very impressive place & not at all well visited. M. P. has some mighty forts (Gwalior for one ) , maybe this deserves a little more attention. There has been little work done on the fort so it is good to see no over restoration but I think some conservation is much needed.
There is a pleasant little garden to one side with benches.
As I was staying at a tourist lodge I was able to cross via their launch but a public ferry serves the same route & poles across crammed loads of passengers & motorbikes. From the M. P. Side it is an easy 2- 3km stroll along a road, uphill at first but then fairly level & easy going.
You are flanked by sandy mounds & ravines dotted with acacia scrub where birds & mammals can be spotted. I went up by camel, courtesy of the tourist lodge.
No doubt road access is easy from the M. P. side. It will be easy from U. P. soon, too , as a massive new bridge over the Chambal River is under construction. You will see a regular passage of camels passing you on the way carrying firewood collected in the ravines & building materials.
The Fort dominates the skyline as you near it, a large, bare flat area to the fore: the road winds around this & doubles back to run parallel beneath the fort's towering wall's, past the remains of a gated archway & finally to the entrance. A man at the gate gave entry- there is no ticket facility, no charge & no literature concerning the fort available.
However, as you proceed uphill flanked by high walls you will see an information stone informing you that the fort was begun by Badan Singh Judeo of the Bhadoria Chief's in 1664 AD & completed in 1668 AD by Mahasingh.
Although the fort is ruined much remains to be seen of what is, essentially, construction of a decidedly Mughal flavour with the Zenana, Diwan - i - am, Diwan - i - khas etc.
An imposing 7 storey tower is not accessible for safety reasons.
The views to the surrounding area are impressive- the Chambal river can just be seen, as can the nearby village which also contains some ruins of the same period.
The wind blew, strong & cold.
A very impressive place & not at all well visited. M. P. has some mighty forts (Gwalior for one ) , maybe this deserves a little more attention. There has been little work done on the fort so it is good to see no over restoration but I think some conservation is much needed.
There is a pleasant little garden to one side with benches.
Written February 23, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kampala_Hoop
London, United Kingdom52 contributions
Dec 2015
Ater fort is great fun. I arrived by Camel from the Chambal River which was a great experience. The fort has not been restored and is in a state of disrepair. Therefore I would not advise children visit as there are a lot of places to trip or fall including an uncovered well which is at least 100ft deep! However, for others, it is great fun, a real adventure where you can explore, read a book or just imagine what the fort must have been like, all while looking out over the gorgeous scenery!
Written August 8, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tusharrcmn
Gurugram (Gurgaon), India38 contributions
Oct 2015 • Solo
Its abandoned massive piece of art with huge gateway and great architecture. It just required a lot of conservation work though I still doubt that it can get back the way it would have been.
But to explore a fort which 400 years old, gives a spate thrill.
But to explore a fort which 400 years old, gives a spate thrill.
Written October 21, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wanderink
New Delhi, India61 contributions
Mar 2015
The Ater is a marvel, an architectural delight with terraced residences and elevated courtyards, labyrinthine walkways and secretive seraglios. Open apadanas and pretty belvederes, the ornate cupolas and cornices. It ought to be right up there with the forts of Gwalior and Jaipur. But unlike them, it doesn’t occupy reams in tourist glossies nor is it adequately promoted by tourism bodies. Probably lack of original references to design – or an issue of right competence – the ASI has limited its role in the conservation to keeping a tab on visitor numbers.
The regal silhouette is suddenly visible on a distant motte. An unmanned entrance leads to a majestic gateway, the towering arches bearing close semblance to the Mughal architecture of the period. Construction of the Fort was begun by King Badan Singh, of the Bhadoria dynasty, in 1644 and eventually completed by Maha Singh in 1668. It is replete with all the elements of a typical Mughal palace – the Diwan-I-Am (or the ‘hall of public audience’) where the king sat meting out justice, the Diwan-I-Khas (the ‘hall of private discussions’) where he met the ministers and army chiefs as well as the residences of queens, entertainment quarters, harems and prayer halls.
The regal silhouette is suddenly visible on a distant motte. An unmanned entrance leads to a majestic gateway, the towering arches bearing close semblance to the Mughal architecture of the period. Construction of the Fort was begun by King Badan Singh, of the Bhadoria dynasty, in 1644 and eventually completed by Maha Singh in 1668. It is replete with all the elements of a typical Mughal palace – the Diwan-I-Am (or the ‘hall of public audience’) where the king sat meting out justice, the Diwan-I-Khas (the ‘hall of private discussions’) where he met the ministers and army chiefs as well as the residences of queens, entertainment quarters, harems and prayer halls.
Written September 10, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EnigmaticIndia
Hyderabad, India506 contributions
Just across the Chambal river(depending on from where you approach and we did it from UP side Jarar) it's a 3 km walk, camel or jeep ride.
As you approach the fort it doesn't give the magnificent look like the many you may have seen in Rajasthan and other parts of central India.
This 16-17th century monument was built by the Bhadoria dynasty and King Badan Singh started the construction in 1644 and was completed in 1668. It has a flavour of the Moghal architecture with thr dewan-e-khas and dewan-e-aam. There are four main door on each direction and the whole fort is quite large.
The ASI has started restoration work and hopefully soon this would be a nice place. It is definitely worth a visit and one should just go there to experience part of our history.
As you approach the fort it doesn't give the magnificent look like the many you may have seen in Rajasthan and other parts of central India.
This 16-17th century monument was built by the Bhadoria dynasty and King Badan Singh started the construction in 1644 and was completed in 1668. It has a flavour of the Moghal architecture with thr dewan-e-khas and dewan-e-aam. There are four main door on each direction and the whole fort is quite large.
The ASI has started restoration work and hopefully soon this would be a nice place. It is definitely worth a visit and one should just go there to experience part of our history.
Written December 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KushanMitra
New Delhi, India58 contributions
Jun 2023 • Business
It is a rarely visited place and while you do need to control your sense of smell - the bird/bat poop really does stink - it is a remarkable piece of history.
Written July 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yorkie1970
York, UK166 contributions
Jun 2015 • Friends
Visited the fort by car from Gwalior and was pretty impressed. It seems that a lot of conservation work has now been done since the last review and work continues. Access is free and you can explore at will.
Highlights are the palace complex which whilst fairly ruined still has some fantastic carving and the view from the tower atop the palace. Well worth the drive which also allows you to see something of the ravines. The Chambal river is about 2km away and is worth seeing for the way it snakes through the ravines, if you're lucky you might see a gharial (crocodile)!
Highlights are the palace complex which whilst fairly ruined still has some fantastic carving and the view from the tower atop the palace. Well worth the drive which also allows you to see something of the ravines. The Chambal river is about 2km away and is worth seeing for the way it snakes through the ravines, if you're lucky you might see a gharial (crocodile)!
Written June 6, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Do any one knows about the later history of the fort ie.during maratha period and british rule??
Written May 23, 2020
From where did you get the camel and how did you get to the river?
Written October 13, 2017
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