Garh Panchkot

Discover Garh Panchkot

Among the hills in the Purulia district of West Bengal, the ruins of Garh Panchkot (গড় পঞ্চকোট Gaṛ Pañcakoṭ) are a silent testimony to the Bargi attack during the 18th century. The ruins sit on the slopes of Panchet Hill and adjacent to Panchet Lake, is a scenic hilly forested area, with a tinge of history. Garh Panchkot was a fortified area owned by the Rajas of Panchkot, the Singh Deo dynasty. Their antiquity and history are still to be ascertained properly. The family is reputed to have been established in 90 CE. They were possibly linked with the Tilkampa dynasty. The ruins of Telkupi, an ancient Jain centre, were submerged when Panchet Dam was built. It is said that the Singh Deos lost out to Bir Hambir of Bishnupur Raj around 1600, albeit for a short period. The Maratha raiders, locally known as Bargis, ransacked the place in the 18th century. The Singh Deo family, ultimately, moved out to Kashipur, in present-day Purulia district.