01Where Shiva held the poison
Kalanjara is named among the tirthas in the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata. Its name is taken as the place where Kala, time itself, is worn away. Local tradition holds that after drinking the halahala poison at the churning of the ocean, Bhagwan Shiva rested here and the heat in his throat was cooled. The Neelkanth temple sits on a ledge of the western scarp, its linga in a cave, its mandapa built by the Chandelas; water seeps from the rock above it all year. Rock-cut figures cover the cliff around, the largest a Kala Bhairava some ten metres high.
02The Chandela fortress
Kalanjaradhipati, lord of Kalinjar, was a title the Chandela kings carried with pride. In 1023 Mahmud of Ghazni besieged the fort; the Chandela Vidyadhara, who had stood against him before, came to terms and Mahmud withdrew. In 1202 Qutbuddin Aibak besieged it; Paramardi agreed to submit, died before he could, and his minister Ajayadeva fought on until the water ran out. Sher Shah Suri besieged Kalinjar in 1545 and was killed by an explosion of his own gunpowder on 22 May. Akbar took it in 1569. In the 18th century it was held by Chhatrasal Bundela and his heirs, until the British took it in 1812.
The life of this place
- 1023Mahmud of Ghazni besieges Kalinjar; Vidyadhara makes terms and the siege is lifted.
- 1202Qutbuddin Aibak takes the fort after Paramardi’s death; its temples are turned to mosques (Taj-ul-Maasir).
- 22 May 1545Sher Shah dies of burns from a gunpowder blast while besieging Kalinjar.
- 1569Akbar takes Kalinjar.
- 1812The British take the fort.
About 55 km south of Banda. A road climbs to the top; the Neelkanth temple is down a long flight of steps on the western side.
