Srinagar, April 10 -- In the heart of Poonch, where history lives not just in memory but in stone, stands a monument that once defined the region's political, cultural, and administrative life. Poonch Fort, which once echoed with authority and movement, today stands in a state of uneasy silence-partially restored, largely neglected, and steadily drifting towards irreversible ruin.

This is not merely the story of a structure falling apart. It is the story of a heritage that is being quietly abandoned, even as it continues to stand in plain sight.

The origins of Poonch Fort are closely linked with the emergence of Poonch as an important hill principality in the 18th century. Built initially under Raja Abdul Razak Khan and later expanded b...