Palamu Forts, on the banks of the Auranga River, is 40 km south-west of
Daltonganj in
Palamu District. There are two forts, Purana Kila or Old Fort and Naya Kila or New Fort, located close to each other.
Both belong to the same age, and they were built by the chero chiefs: Medani Roy and Pratap Roy. The forts were first captured by the
Mughals and then by the British. The architectural style of forts takes after that of Rohtasgarh and Shergarh.
The old fort contains the remains of two storied houses and a mosque, which has three domes. The new fort, built around the slopes of a pointed hill, is noted for its beautiful gate named Nagpuri. The walls of these forts are built with stones and concrete.
A specialty is that the remnants of ancient paintings and stucco ornamentation are still present here. Apart from this, Buddhist and Hindu idols can be found, which are in a ruined state.
Situated amid dense forest at Palamu, these forts are a favorite haunt of tigers, whose pug marks can be seen nearby.
