Buxa Fort

Buxa Hill Forest, West Bengal, India

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Buxa Fort is a historic fort located in the Buxa Tiger Reserve of West Bengal, India, at an altitude of about 867 meters (2,844 feet), roughly 30 kilometers from Alipurduar town.

Originally constructed by the Bhutanese and later captured by the British in 1865 under the Treaty of Sinchula after the Dooars War, the fort was rebuilt from a bamboo and wood structure into a strong stone fortress. It played a crucial military and trade role, guarding a key passage on the ancient Silk Route connecting Tibet with India via Bhutan.

During British rule, it became a high-security prison known for its inaccessibility, second only to the Cellular Jail in the Andamans, where many Indian freedom fighters, communist revolutionaries, and intellectuals were imprisoned.

The fort also gained importance as a refuge for Tibetan monks fleeing Chinese occupation in the late 1950s. Today, Buxa Fort stands amid dense forest and rich biodiversity within the tiger reserve, drawing tourists for its mix of historical significance and natural beauty.

It remains a poignant symbol of resistance and heritage, with fading inscriptions at its entrance commemorating poet Rabindranath Tagore's words of encouragement to the imprisoned nationalists.