Forts & Palaces of Jammu and Kashmir by Iqbal Ahmad

The evolution of palace and fort construction in Jammu and Kashmir is accounted for from the period of Karkota dynasty. Lalitaditya Mukhtapida who ruled Kashmir from 699AD to 736AD is known to the Kashmir history as the great builder. Kalhana attributes him, the foundation of several towns and buildings across the Kashmir. The ruins of a monastery at Martand and ruins of a Raja Palace and monastery at Parahaspura are still the finest specimens of the early architecture of Kashmir. The Muslim period rulers like Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin (Budshah), Jalal-ud Din Mohammad Akbar, Noor-ud Din Jahangir and Shah Jahan are learnt to have built their respective palace and forts in Kashmir. The Pathan governors and Dogra rajas also built the forts and palaces, besides forts in Jammu province were built by its local Rajas. Similarly, palaces were also built in Ladakh by its royal families and kings. The book titled, 'Forts and Palaces of Kashmir is an attempt wherein information of this type of architectural heritage of all the three regions of the state has been first time collected and documented.

Publisher - Gulshan Books