The Jataq, or the common public space, is located next to the Himaltar and the Altit settlement is placed between it and the Fort. This may well reflect the royal desire to keep community activities at a distance. Enclosed by four verandahs attached to traditional houses the Jataq has historically been a place of great cultural significance. It has provided space for events, social gatherings, religious and traditional festivals. The verandahs provided seating for the king, the nobles or elders of the village. Village folk would gather in this space to listen to songs, and watch colorful dance performances. For the 4 traditional clans of Altit; the Hussainukutz, the Shushoroting, the Khunukutz and the Hakalukutz, the Jataq holds a wealth of memories, some narrated to the young by the elders, others shared by the community. One such historic event is the King and his family standing on the top balcony of the fort to watch the villagers dance and sing during the Ginani or barely festival.

Salient Feature(s):

This space is a cultural asset and a repository of historical memories as well as manifestation of the settlement's socio-political history. The visual relationship of the fort’s balcony with the Jataq is a testimony of the political structure, at a time when the Raja was all-powerful and had little contact with the citizenry.

State of Conservation and Site Management:

Cleaned for public events, plans for the revival of the Jataq have been developed by the AKCS-P while the Japanese government has shown interest in providing funds for its conservation and rehabilitation.