Nurpur is a small town in Himachal Pradesh, known for its ancient fort ruins. Nurpur Fort ruins can be seen in this town. This town was the capital of the kingdom of Nurpur, originally known as Dhameri.

Nurpur Fort

This kingdom was founded during the end of the eleventh century, by Raja Jhet Pal.  He was the younger brother of the then-ruler of Delhi. The Kings of Nurpur kingdom bore the title Raja.

During the reign of Raja Basu Dev, this kingdom reached its peak. It was between 1580 and 1613. Raja Basu Dev built the fort here.  The kingdom became a feudatory state under the Mughals. Later on, they were defeated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1815, who established the Sikh Empire.

In 1849, this tiny kingdom with an area of just 180 square kilometers was annexed by the British East India Company. Raja Jaswant Singh Pathania was the last monarch of the kingdom.

The 16th-century Brij Raj Swami temple is situated inside the fort. This temple is unique in that the idols of Lord Krishna and Meera Bai are worshipped here.

The British destroyed the fort partly, and an earthquake also destroyed this fort in 1905.

Legend Behind Name Change from Dhameri

The name change of this town from Dhameri to Nurpur has a story behind it. It is believed that Nur Jahan, wife of the Mughal emperor Jahangir, was so impressed by the beauty of this small town that she decided to stay there for the rest of her life.

To avoid the town becoming the central point for Mughal domination, the then-rulers decided to tell her a lie to avoid her from staying there. They told the queen that staying in the town for long periods may spoil her beauty due to a fictitious local disease.  The terrified queen immediately left the town.

The town’s name was then changed to Nurpur, to honor Nur Jahan. (Nur Jahan was the most powerful and influential woman in the Mughal court. She was the only Mughal empress to have coinage in her name. )

How Do I Go to Nurpur Fort?

Nurpur Fort is in Nurpur town, connected by a road network to all parts of the state. Pathankot-Kullu – Manali highway passes through this small town. Pathankot is around 26 kilometers away. Palampur  is at around 87 kilometers and Dharamsala is around 60 kilometers from Nurpur

The nearest airport is situated at Dharamshala.  Jammu Airport is around 129 kilometers distance, while Amritsar Airport is around 134 kilometers away.

The nearest Railway station is Pathankot, which is a major station in Punjab.