Hari Parbat Fort

Hari Parbat Fort is a historic hilltop fort situated on Hari Parbat hill overlooking Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. The present fort was built in 1808 by Afghan governor Atta Mohammad Khan within the rampart wall first erected by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1590. The hill is a prominent landmark offering panoramic views of Dal Lake and the old city and is known for its layered heritage and religious sites on its slopes.

Visitors can expect a hilltop fort complex with massive stone walls, bastions and gateways set on a forested hill above Srinagar. Access involves an uphill walk to the fortified enclosure. From the ramparts there are wide views of Dal Lake, Zabarwan hills and the city. The hill slopes also contain places of worship including Sharika Temple, shrines and a gurdwara, which visitors encounter on the approach. Interiors may have restricted access.

The outer wall around Hari Parbat hill was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1590 as part of a planned fortified city called Nager Nagor, though the project was not completed. The present fort at the summit was constructed in 1808 by Atta Mohammad Khan, the Afghan governor of Kashmir. The fort has served as a military stronghold and is maintained as a protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Hari Parbat hill is revered by multiple communities. It is sacred to Hindus as the abode of Goddess Sharika at the Sharika Temple on its slope, to Muslims due to the shrine of Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom (Makhdoom Sahib) and to Sikhs due to Gurdwara Chatti Patshahi associated with Guru Hargobind. The hill thus represents a shared cultural and religious landscape for visitors.