Jamrud Fort: From Mughals to Hari Singh Nalwa

At the very mouth of the Khyber Pass stands Jamrud Fort (جمرود قلعہ), located in the lands of the Kuki-Khel Afridis. Constructed in 1836 by Hari Singh Nalwa, it holds historical significance. Although Nalwa's construction is prominent, evidence indicates a Mughal fort existed prior to his fortification.

Origin of the Name Jamrud

The word Jamrud is a compound of two Persian terms: Jam (referring to Jamshed, the legendary Iranian king mentioned in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh) and Rud (river). Thus, Jamrud literally means “the river of Jamshed.”

Dr. D. B. Spooner, visiting in 1887, wrote:

“I had the pleasure of going up to Ali Masjid in the Khyber in the spring of 1887, and on my way there, of seeing the fort of Jamrud. While there, I heard the tradition, that the fort was connected with the name of King Jamshed of the Peshdadian dynasty of Persia. The late Professor James Darmesteter, when he was in India, visited the place, when at Peshawar a short time before me, and he records as having heard the same tradition.” [1]

Interestingly, another settlement named Jamrud exists about 38 miles from Ghazni, inhabited by the Hazara community.

Jamrud in Early References (Baburnama)

The earliest recorded mention occurs in the Baburnama, memoirs of Zahir-ud-din Babur. Babur describes halting there while crossing the Khyber:

“Crossing Khyber in a march or two, we dismounted at Jam... we broke up our plan of crossing the Sind-water into Hindustan, marched from Jam, forded the Bara-water, and dismounted not far from the pass through the Muhammad-mountain.” [2]

Jamrud as a Mughal Military Outpost

Jamrud served as a Mughal outpost in the 16th and 17th centuries. Explorer William Moorcroft, visiting in 1824, described remains of earlier constructions:

“The plain terminated at the foot of the Khyber range. It appeared to have been formerly a place of importance, from the number of broken stone walls scattered about, and some large tanks, one of which was sixty yards square.” [3]

Between 1674 and 1678, Maharaja Jaswant Singh served as Thanedar (commander) of Jamrud:

“Meanwhile ‘Ruknus Sultanat’ (the pillar of the state) Maharaja Jaswant Singh came from the thana (post) of Jamrud and paid his respects to the emperor (Aurangzeb Alamgir, at Hasan Abdal), who conferred upon the Maharaja a special robe with an elephant worth Rs.20,000/-, sword with studded hilt and seven trays of fruits.” [5]

The Sikh Fort of Hari Singh Nalwa (1836)

The present fort at Jamrud was constructed by Hari Singh Nalwa in December 1836, named Fatehgarh (“Fort of Victory”). Its purpose was to overawe the Afridis. They sought assistance from Dost Muhammad Khan, leading to a battle in April 1837, where Hari Singh Nalwa was killed.

Later Accounts and British Sources

British publications mention Jamrud Fort. The Calcutta Review (1844) confirms Hari Singh Nalwa’s fort was built on an older site:

“The plain terminated at the foot of the Khyber range. It appeared to have been formerly a place of importance…” [4]

Historian Hasan Dani emphasized Jamrud’s significance in his book [6].

References

1. Asiatic Papers, Vol-II, 1917, p-264
2. Baburnama, translated into English by A.S. Beveridge, pp.229-230
3. Travels in the Himalayan provinces…, William Moorcroft, p-345
4. The Calcutta Review, 1844, p-484
5. Futahat-i-Alamgiri by Ishwardas Nagar, English translation, p-111
6. Peshawar: Historic city of the frontier by Hasan Dani, p-195

Jamrud fort, 1860 (c). Photo by Charles Shepherd.

Jamrud fort, 1922. Photo by Lowel Thomas.

Jamrud fort, 1870. Photo by William Baker.

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