Stone Fortification, Landscape, Architectural and Tourism Importance of Ancient India-Tibetan Trade Route Outpost and High Security Detention Camp of Indian Freedom Fighters Buxa Hill Fort, West Bengal, India

Abstract

Buxa Fort was rebuilt in form of a cantonment in 1873. It was initiated by the East India company to safeguard the International route between Bhutan and India. The establishment of the Buxa fort is exactly unknown but it is more than 200 years old. The Ruler of Kamatpur King Sangaldwip had built the Fort using Bamboo and woods. Buxa Fort had been in possession of Koch kings before it was preoccupied by the Bhutanese and it was handed over to the British on 11th November 1865 under the Treaty of Sinchula. The Architecture Design is observed as a Solitary (Cell) Detention camp. Initially, few of the structures of the Fort was made up of Bamboo and Wood. It was redesigned and rebuilt by the British with masonry stone blocks. The Heritage structure is now became ruined in large part with time span except the Entrance Gate which is found intact in form. The entrance shows inscriptions Stones of prisoners messages to Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore on one Stone. The fort is located in an attractive site for Tourism. The road length of 5 Kms. with dense Tropical Forest reached the fort from the main way. The fort safeguard the Ancient Silk route in Ancient periods. It had also been utilized as Check Post for the Trading of silk. The Refugees of Bhutan and Tibet also utilized the route passage/corridor to reach India illegally. The Buxa Fort importance lies in the glory of Freedom Fighters of India. Many freedom fighters were kept there in the Buxa Fort, including Great Worrier, Chief of Azad Hind Fauj, Captain (Netaji) Subhash Chandra Bose. The sculptures of the fort indicate the fearless Fights and cruelties faced by the Indian Freedom fighters. The huge amount of sediments loaded by the streams had been deposited in the BTR. It causes severe floods very frequently. It needs Conservation and Protective measures of Buxa Hill Fort and Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR). The Stromatolitic Dolomite limestone rock formation Near Namchi Village locality known as Buxa Formations has been declared as "National Geo-heritage of India " by the Geological Survey of India, to promote Geo–tourism in Buxa Region.