Lasur is a village in Chopda taluka of Jalgaon district, located 14 km from Chopda and 34 km from Amalner. The Jalgaon District Gazetteer mentions this fort, but it is now completely destroyed. Only a few remnants of the structures that once stood within the fort can be seen today. Before these ruins too vanish with time, this site deserves a visit. The remains of Lasur Fort consist only of the ruined mansion of the Thoke family, a square, stone-built stepwell with steps, and a mosque situated on its bank. Local people say that the open space beside the tank was once a garden belonging to the Thoke family. When the site was visited four years ago, a Gajlakshmi sculpture was seen on the tank's edge, but it is no longer present. The tank and mosque ruins lie behind the bus station, while the ruins of the mansion are located in a lane opposite the station. A few years ago, the mansion had remnants of three floors; now, only one floor remains. ... According to the Gazetteer, the history of Lasur Fort begins in the early 19th century. During this time, Lasur and the surrounding region in Khandesh were under the control of the Thoke family. As the Maratha presence increased in the area, Gulzar Khan Thoke built the fort at Lasur and stationed Arab mercenary troops there. When these troops stopped receiving their wages, they rebelled against Thoke and planned to kill him and his eldest son, Aliavar Khan. Thoke’s second son, Alif Khan, managed to escape the Arabs’ clutches and fled to Yawal to seek the protection of Suryajirao Nimbalkar. With some troops provided by Nimbalkar, Alif Khan returned to Lasur, entered the fort under the pretext of clearing the dues of the Arab soldiers, and massacred all of them. After gaining control of the fort, the Marathas refused to relinquish it. In this dilemma, Alif Khan, with the help of Bhil tribesmen, launched an attack on the fort but was defeated. Eventually, the Nimbalkar agreed to hand over the fort on the condition of receiving ₹10,000. British officer Captain Briggs paid this amount in advance to the Thoke family, and British troops took possession of the fort. Later, the British demolished the fort. In the subsequent fire, the Thoke family’s mansion suffered extensive damage.
© Suresh Nimbalkar