Located just around 6 kilometres away from Patiala in Punjab, the imposing structure of Bahadurgarh Fort, covering an area of about 21 sq kilometres in a circular shape surrounded by two ramparts and a moat, was originally constructed as early as 1685, during the rule of Nawab Saif ud-Din Mahmud, also called Saif Khan, a high ranking noble loyal to Aurangzib.

The fort remained under the rule of the successors of Nawab Saif Khan till 1774, when it was taken over by the state of Patiala. Much later, it underwent a grand renovation between 1837 and 1845 by Maharaja Karam Singh of the princely state of Patiala, who named it after Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhism, in 1837. The current form of the fort is in fact the result of nearly eight years of meticulous effort on the part of Karam Singh to restore its past grandeur.

The structure of the Bahadurgarh Fort, reflecting a unique  blend of Mughal and Sikh architectural style and surrounded by a  25 feet (7.62 m) deep and 58 feet (17.67 m) wide moat, looks practically impregnable.

In addition to that, the wide ditch, filled with water, is encircled by two circular massive battlements with a whopping height of 29 feet (8.83 m), built one after the other, with a gap of 110 km between the inner and the outer wall, for the additional protection and security of the fort. The fort is accessible through a high arched gateway, resembling the style of several gateways of the Mughal era, which is probably the original gateway of the fort, with the Patiala rulers adding the present outer one at a later date.

Surrounded by lush greenery and steeped in centuries-old history, the Bahadurgarh Fort, named after the ninth Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur, contains within its walls the serene Gurudwara Sahib Patshai Navin, as well as a mosque, along with a tomb, symbolising communal harmony and peaceful religious coexistence.

The Gurudwara, under the administration of Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, is one among the many Gurudwara Sahibs, while the mosque, a small building by Mughal standards, is a three-bay structure with graceful minarets extending from either end of its roof. An inscription, located just above the arches of the mosque attributes the construction of the mosque during the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, around 1666 to 1667. Unfortunately, public access to the interior of the fort is now restricted, for its new role as the venue of the Punjab Police Commando Training School, and is under the control of the Punjab Police, although despite this limitation, visitors can still admire the architectural marvels from quite a distance.

The Bahadurgarh Fort, a captivating destination for the tourists for its historical legacy, and its enduring presence as a silent guardian of Patiala's rich heritage, also plays host to the annual Mela Roza Sharit Nawab Saif Ali, a fair filled with local traditions and spellbinding cuisine, arranged every year in January and June, in the fond remembrance of the Nawab, enjoyed by the locals and the tourists alike.