SA Site Cover: History Enveloped in Danger

The mosque inside the Chingus Fort, Rajouri

If you're an intrepid traveller like us Speaking Archaeologically lot and ever visit the Indo-Pakistan Border, you will be sure to notice a plenty of things to surprise you as they surprised me. The area of Poonch, in Rajouri District of Jammu, is perhaps the last point that is politically under India.
Although under military control, now, this area once thrived with trading activity and fell on the Old Silk Route. Even today, when the roads have fallen into disrepair, you still see the Afghani Workers along the roads, best known for road maintenance.

"They are the fastest in their job," our driver tells me as I point towards one. "You will be surprised how many countries hire them."

However, I soon lose interest in the workers as an imposing Mughal structure catches my eye. Lesser known but a Mughal Fortress from the times of the Great Mughals, Chingus was built during the reign of Jehangir.  Back in the Mughal era, the route from Jammu to Srinagar passed through Rajouri. Srinagar was home to Mughal Pleasure gardens and Jehnagir's summer retreat. Therefore, the route was also frequently travelled through by the Emperor and his wide, Nur-Jehan during their journey to Srinagar.  Since the Mughal entourage halted at convenient places during their journey, the route is flanked by small fortresses from the Mughal Era.

One such fortress, and the only one I had the good fortune of passing by, is the Chingus Fort. What makes it more interesting though is the story that Jehangir died here and is partially buried within the fort. Apparently, the Empress buried the entrails of her late husband here, carrying the body with her to Lahore, without disclosing the death lest the Empire should disintegrate and a war of succession break out, resulting in anarchy before she reached the capital. Regardless of such efforts of Nur Jehan, however, a war of succession did eventually break out after the Emperor's death in 1627.

Chingus Fort does not feature on the global archaeological map, nor does its name ever appear in the annals of history. The present political conditions of the area and the lack of monument restoration and preservation in Jammu and Kashmir, make the chances of its survival even slimmer.

Looking at Chingus Fort with my twelve-year-old eyes back in 2002, and recalling its serene splendour, its magnificent marble mosque and the imposing gateway, even today, makes me think of P.B.Shelley's Ozymandias.

"Nothing beside remains. Round the decay 

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare 

The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

That  road in disrepair was once the fabled Silk Route of yesteryears, the road that facilitated much trade, much travel and a lot of cultural interaction and assimilation that defines our present today. Under this monument, below these turbulent skies of Jammu and Kashmir, lies an Emperor's entrails, whose wife buried him thus, because she didn't want any unpleasant lawlessness, because she wanted peace to reign even when the ruler has died.

Ironic, isn't it? That nothing is the same for Chingus and Silk Road or even Jammu and Kashmir anymore.