Heritage,  Travelogues

The mausoleum of Gond kings and Shri Anchaleshwar temple

Just inside the Gond fort, near the Anchaleshwar gate in Chandrapur, is the ancient Anchaleshwar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It was built in the 16th century.

But what is more interesting than the temple are the tombs of the Gond kings located in the mausoleum just adjacent to the temple. 

There are three temples and a mausoleum in the complex located inside the fort built by the Gond king Dhundya Ram Sah in the 16th century. The temple is located at the banks of the Zarpat river. The water of the main Shiva linga is said to have medicinal properties.

The majestic mausoleum of the Gond king Veer Sah was built by Gond Queen Rani Hirai in memory of her beloved husband in early 17th century. The tomb is the biggest mausoleum of a king in Maharashtra and has intricate carvings. Queen Hirai ascended to the throne after her husband King Veer Sah, as Gond dynasty at that time had no male heir. She ruled for next 15 years – from 1704 to 1719 – and during this period she built the monument. It is the only mausoleum built by a queen in memory of her husband.

Unfortunately these glorious remains lie in a rather dilapidated state- utterly neglected, or worse, defaced by people who have no sense of history.

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