Fort in Pakistan

[farasat_ali]

ALTIT FORTAltit Fort is an ancient fort in the Hunza valley in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. It was home to the hereditary rulers of the Hunza state who took the title Mir. Today Altit Fort is a tourist site.The Altit Fort is in great disrepair, but is currently being restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Historic Cities Support Programme.BALA HISAR FORTBala Hisar Fort is one of the most historic places of Peshawar. The word Bala Hisar is from Persian, meaning, “elevated or high fort”. According to Dr. Hussain Khan, the name was given by the Afghan King Taimur Shah Durrani (1773-1793). The Sikhs who conquered Peshawar in the early 19th century named it Samir Garh in 1834 but the name did not become popular. The fort stands on a high mound in the northwestern corner of Peshawar City. No long ago the fort used to be conspicuously away from the old city of Peshawar but now the construction of new buildings has covered space between the old city and the fort. However the fort being high, gives a commanding and panoramic view of Peshawar and the entire Peshawar valley. On a clear day, one can see the mountains encircling Peshawar valley and beyond. The area covered by the inner wall of the fort is about 10 acres and the outer wall is about 15 acres. The height of the fort is about 90 feet above ground level.HistoryRenowned historian, Dr A.H. Dani in his book "Peshawar-Historic City of Frontier" writes that when Hiuen Tsang, a Chinese traveller, visited Peshawar in 630 AD, he spoke of a "royal residence".He says that Chinese word "Kung Shing" used for its significance and is explained as fortified or walled portion of the town in which the royal palace stood. Hiuen Tsang then made a separate mention of the city, which was not fortified. This shows that the royal residence formed the nucleus of a Citadel, which must have been further protected by a moat.Dr Dani further says that a channel of old Bara River surrounded by a high spot, which includes the Balahisar and Inder Shahr. The higher area could have been the citadel, which is the present Balahisar.Peshawar has always been a strategic city and its capturing and ruling over it was of great importance for the invaders and kings."In the 11th century AD, the Hindu ruler, Raja Jaipal of the Hindushahi dynasty was defeated in the vicinity of Peshawar and Mehmud Ghaznavi garrisoned the fort with his army," says Dr Taj Ali. The British officers who visited Peshawar in 19th century mentioned that the fort used to be a royal residence of Afghan rulers, he added."The Afghan rulers named it "Balahisar" a Persian name meaning high fort while the Sikhs renamed it as Samargarh in 1834 but the name remained unpopular," says Dr Taj.The fort was constructed on a mound with commanding view of the surrounding area including Shalimar gardens presently known as Jinnah Park towards its north. This gave more prominence and grandeur to the fort, he said.In the past, Balahisar has seen its construction and destruction by conquerors, worriers, invaders and kings on several occasions. After the overthrow of emperor Humayun by the Afghan King Sher Shah Suri, the Afghans destroyed the fort.When Hamyun was staying in it he decided to rebuild it before proceeding to Kabul. He wanted to use the fort for his conquest of India at a later stage. As his officers did not want to stay back, Hamayun himself supervised the rebuilding of the fort, which was soon completed.The fort also remained the residence of legendary Afghan king, Ahmed Shah Durrani and his son Taimur Shah Durrani. The Sikhs captured Peshawar and the fort in 1834 following the battle of Nowshera, he added.The Sikhs first destroyed the fort and later either by Hari Singh Nalwa or Sardar Khurruck Singh rebuilt it keeping in view its importance. However Sher Singh, on the orders of his father Ranjit Singh, erected the fort with unbaked bricks.On the entrance of the main courtyard of the Balahisar fort, a Sikh period inscription in marble can be seen on an arch gate. This is the only inscription available today in Balahisar, which reads, "Victory to Porak. This was built by Raja Bikramajit and was named Samir or Samar Garh."The British reconstructed Balahisar after the annexation of Sikh Shahi areas in 1849. At that time the fort had mud walls and was not very strong. The British replaced the whole structure with bricks and the present shape was given to the fort.BALTIT FORTBaltit Fort or Balti Fort is an ancient fort in the Hunza valley in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. In former times survival of the feudal regimes of Hunza was ensured by the impressive Baltit fort, that sits on top of Karimabad. The foundations of the fort are said to date back around 700 years, but there have been rebuilds and alterations over the centuries. In the 16th century the Thum married a princess from Baltistan who brought master Balti craftsmen to renovate the building as part of her dowry. The architectural style is a clear indication of Tibetan influence in Baltistan at the time.The Mirs of Hunza abandoned the fort in 1945, and moved to a new palace down the hill. The fort started to decay and there was concern that it might possibly fall into ruin. Following a survey by the Royal Geographic Society of London, a restoration programme was initiated and supported by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Historic Cities Support Programme. The programme was completed in 1996 and the fort is now a museum run by the Baltit Heritage Trust.DERAWAR FORTDerawar Fort is an ancient fort located 48 Km from Dera Nawab Sahib in Cholistan Desert in Pakistan. The Fort was built by Deoraj, a prince of Jaisalmer. It was in possession of royal family of Jaisalmer when it was captured by Abbasis in 1735. In 1747, the Fort slipped from the hands of Abbasis in the reign of Nawab Bahawal Khan due to his pre-occupations at Shikarpur. Nawab Mubarak Khan took the stronghold back in 1804.It is still in a good condition. The rampart walls are intact and still guarded by the personal guards of the Amir of Bahawalpur. The tombs of the ex-rulers of Bahawalpur and their families are located in this fort. The tombs have nice glazed blue tile work. Prior permission of the senior Amir of Bahawalpur is required to enter the fort.KOT DIJI FORTThe Kot Diji Fort, formally known as Fort Ahmadabad, dominates the town of Khairpur in Pakistan, about 25 miles east of the Indus River at the edge of the Nara-Rajisthan Desert. The initial fortifications were made from 1785 to 1795 by Mir Sohrab Khan Talpur, founder of the Kingdom of Upper Sindh in 1783. They comprised a 12 feet wide mud wall that had bastions throughout its length and a huge iron gate.The fort was considered invincible and served as the residence of the Ameers of Khairpur in war and peace. It is, therefore, the ancestral home of Khairpur. When the royal house (Zenana) moved into the comfort of palaces, it stood mainly as a decorated reminder of more violent times. Throughout its whole history, however, Fort Kot Diji was never attacked.ConstructionKot Diji is a very practical fort constructed on a limestone hill with kiln-baked bricks. Bricks were used because the locally available limestone rock was very brittle and would have shattered easily on impact with a cannonball. The hill is over 100 feet high, above which the walls of the fort rise another 30 feet. It has three strategically placed towers about 50 feet tall.The fort is about 1 km long. Its walls are segmented by about 50 bastions, and its 2.6 km perimeter identically follows the double crescent-shaped contours of the hill it stands on. This allows the fort to surround the attacking enemy on three sides on the west front. On the east, where the entrance lies, the fort is divided by three elephant-proof gates into three overlapping levels, so that the first two levels can be attacked by the next level above them in the event of the lower level being overrun by the enemy. The first gate is not a prominent portal but rather an indirect entry so that the gate cannot be rammed on a charge. The walls and bastions have slits in them, allowing defenders to attack their enemy from two levels: from on top and from within the wall.The fort was built at a time when cannons had become common and its design and position reveals that. It includes a multitude of stations for cannons and, because it is positioned high on a narrow ridge, enemy cannons would have had to fire at a great distance, permitting little accuracy. Cannonballs could either hit the hill or perimeter or would simply fly over the fort and fall on the enemies' own forces on the other side.LocationKot Diji was located at the edge of the desert; this provided an advantage over enemies marching from the east, because an exhausted army could be met before it could take supplies and water from the irrigated lands. In fact, the Mirwah canal was built in 1790 specifically to irrigate the lands west of the fort and bring water to the military base.Role under the British EmpireThe Kingdom of Upper Sindh later was recognized by the British as the princely state of Khayrpur, after the East India Company had reduced its area to less than a third of its original size of about 50,000 km². The Fort was allocated the role of central military base for the Kingdom, especially to resist Afghan invasion. It was the strongest of the 20 or so Talpur forts and was named after the Persian architect Ahmed, who designed it. According to folklore it took 30 years to build; in reality, a much shorter, tactically feasible period may have been possible by mobilizing peasants and soldiers on a massive scale.Recent historyAfter the merger of the State with Pakistan in 1955, the fort could have been included with the personal property of the Mir of Khairpur (as is the case with other ex-sovereign rulers who still possess their forts). However, Mir Ali Murad II thought it appropriate to hand it over to the government of Pakistan, expecting better maintenance. Since then, the fort has fallen into serious disrepair and is presently in a derelict condition. Most of the lime mortar plaster has fallen of the walls, leaving the bricks exposed. During the dictatorship of Ayub Khan, 192 cannons and mortars based at and collected in the fort were stolen or destroyed by being thrown from the bastions; other decorative fixtures and fittings were stolen as well. Apart from many indigenously made cannons, the collection included those built for Nadir Shah, the Kachar emperors, and the Kalhora, Mughal and Safavid dynasties, along with antique European cannons.In 1994 the provincial government of Sindh leased out the limestone hill on which the fort stood for demolition and quarrying for limestone extraction, in order to construct buildings and form foundations for government-built roads. However, public outrage - focusing partly on the abundance of limestone throughout the region - caused the surprised government to back down.Today the town wall is barely visible. The massive historic Iron Gate was sold for scrap soon after the takeover of Khairpur by Pakistan. Here, as with other places, Khairpur's heritage and history are being erased; some claim that this part of a deliberate effort by the federal government to erase the Khairpur identity. In 1995 a check of 500 rupees (approximately US$8) was provided for the repair of Kot Diji. Repeated requests by citizens for permission to repair it privately have apparently been ignored. In 2005, about 25 million rupees were handed over to a repair scheme which has apparently left it even more damaged. Sand was used as mortar to replace the original mortar and, as a result, the walls are highly susceptible to rainfall.Recently, the federal government handed over the fort to the government of Sindh. Since Sindh, which nominally has a provincial status, is widely considered to have a corrupt government, it is perhaps unlikely that the fort will benefit. However, Prince Mir Mehdi Raza Khan Talpur (younger of the two sons of the ex-ruler) is giving personal attention to the fort and has stated his commitment to its repair if sufficient funds can be acquired.LAHORE FORTThe Lahore Fort locally referred to as Shahi Qila citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the northwestern corner of Lahore, adjacent to the Walled City. Some of the famous sites within the fort are: Sheesh Mahal, Alamgiri Gate, Naulakha pavilion, and Moti Masjid. The fort is 1,400 feet long and 1,115 feet wide. In 1981, the fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Shalamar Gardens.OriginsAccording to available historical information, the origin of Lahore Fort is obscure. Traditionally the foundation of Lahore and its fort is based on myths and, is attributed to Lav, the son of Rama, Avatara of Lord Vishnu of Hinduism, and hero of the Ramayana of epic age (1200-800 B.C.). However, during the excavation done in the year 1959 A.D. by the Department of Archaeology, in front of Diwan-e-Aam, a gold coin of Mahmood of Ghazni dated A.H. 146 (1025 A.D.) was found at a depth of 25 feet from the level of the lawns. Cultural layers continued to a further depth of 15 feet, giving strong indications that people had lived here, long before the conquest of Lahore by Mahmud in 1021 A.D. Further mention of the fort is traceable to Shahab-ud-Din Ghori's successive invasions of Lahore from 1180 to 1186 A.D.TimelineIt cannot be said with certainty when the Lahore Fort was originally constructed or by whom, since this information is lost to history, possibly forever. However, evidence found in archaeological digs gives strong indications that it was built long before 1025 A.D.1241 A.D. - Destroyed by Mongols.1267 A.D. - Rebuilt by Sultan Ghiyas ud din Balban.1398 A.D. - Destroyed again, by Amir Tamir's army.1421 A.D. - Rebuilt in mud by Sultan Mubark Shah Syed.1432 A.D. - The fort is occupied by Shaikh Ali of Kabul who makes repairs to the damages inflicted on it by Shaikha Khokhar.1566 A.D. - Rebuilt by Mughal emperor Akbar, in solid brick masonry on its earlier foundations. Also perhaps, its area was extended towards the river Ravi, which then and up to about 1849 A.D., used to flow along its fortification on the north. Akbar also built Doulat Khana-e-Khas-o-Am, the famous Jharoka-e-Darshan (Balcony for Royal Appearance), Masjidi Gate etc.1618 A.D. - Jehangir adds Doulat Khana-e-Jehangir in 1618 A.D.1631 A.D. - Shahjahan builds Shish Mahal (Mirror Palace).1633 A.D. - Shahjahan builds Khawabgah (a dream place or sleeping area), Hamam (bath ) and Khilwat Khana (retiring room).1645 A.D. - Shahjahan builds Diwan-e-Khas (Hall of Special Audience) and probably also Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) in the same year.1674 A.D. - Aurangzeb adds the massively fluted Alamgiri Gate.(Sometime during) 1799-1839 A.D. - The outer fortification wall on the north with the moat, the marble athdera, Havaeli Mai Jindan and Bara Dari Raja Dhiyan Singh were constructed by Ranjit Singh, Sikh ruler from 1799-1839 A.D.1846 A.D. - Occupied by the British.1927 A.D. - The British hand over the Fort to the Department of Archaeology after demolishing a portion of the fortification wall on the south and converting it into a stepped form thus defortifying the fort.QILLA SAIFULLAHQilla Saifullah or Saifullah Qilla is a mud fort (qilla) built by Saifullah Khan, an influential personage among the Khudiadadzai The Qilla Saifullah District of Pakistan derives its name from this fortRANIKOT FORTRanikot is a large fort in the region of the Kirthar Range, about 30 km southwest of Sann, was in the Dadu district of Sindh now in district Jamshoro, approximately 90 km north of Hyderabad in Pakistan. It is one of the largest forts in the world. It has an approximate diameter of 9 km. Its walls are on the average 6 meters high and are made of gypsum and lime cut sandstone and total circumference is about 29 km. While originally constructed for bow and arrow warfare it was later expanded to withstand firearms.It is reputed to be the largest unexplored fort in the world. The purpose of its construction and the reason for the choice of its location are still unknown.Ranikot is the most talismanic wonder of Sindh. Visible from five kilometers away its massive undulating walls twist and dip over the hills. With the circumference of more than twenty-nine kilometers, its walls, built with dressed sandstone and reinforced with 45 bastions along the outer wall, of which 7 are rectangular and the remaining are round. All modified through the ages to accommodate the use of gunpowder, this perhaps makes it the largest fort in the world. Who constructed it first and why, is an enigma yet to be resolved by researchers. Some historians attribute it to Arabs, built by Imran Bin Musa Barmaki, the Governor of Sindh in 836 A.D., some to Sassanians, and some to the Greeks or Romans and some to the Persians, and some even to the Great Wall of China! Though the prehistoric site of Amri (Aamri) is nearby, and fossils and animal skeletons are found inside the fort on the Lundi Hills, there is no trace of any old city inside the fort. The present structure doesn't appear to be 'prehistoric'. Some historians point to 17th century AD as its time of first construction but most agree that some of the present structure was constructed or reconstructed by Mir Karam Ali Khan Talpur and his brother Mir Murad Ali in 1812 AD at a cost of 1.2 million rupees.This enchanted fort is located in Lakki Mountains of the Kirthar range on the right side of the mighty River Indus at a distance of about 30 kilometers from the present day town of Sann. A mountainous ridge, 'Karo Takkar' (Black Hill), running north to south, forms its western boundary and the 'Lundi Hills' forms its eastern boundary. 'Mohan Nai', a rain-stream enters the fort from its rarely used western 'Mohan Gate', where it is guarded by a small fortification, changes its name to 'Reni' or 'Rani Nai' or rain-stream and gives the fort its name. Ranikot is thus the 'fort of a rain stream' - Rani. It runs through it, tumbles in a series of turquoise pools to irrigate fields and leaves the fort from its most used 'Sann Gate' on the eastern side. It then travels about 33 kilometers more to enter the Lion River - Indus.Most of the twenty-nine kilometers long wall is made of natural cliffs and barricades of mountainous rocks which at places rise as high as two thousand feet above sea level! Only about 8 km portions of its wall are man-made, built with yellow sandstone. This was first measured on foot by Badar Jamal Abro along with Syed Jalal Mehmud Shah and local guide Sadiq Gabol. Badar Abro has also written a book on the Fort. As one enters the fort, one can find hills, valleys, streams, ditches, ponds, pools, fossils, building structure, bastions, watchtowers, ammunition depots, fortresses - all inside the Ranikot, adding more to its beauty and mystery. A spring emerging from an underground water source near the Mohan Gate is named as 'Parryen jo Tarr' (the spring of fairies). According to a tale told by the local inhabitants, fairies come from far and wide on the Ponam Nights (full moon) to take bath at this spring near 'Karo Jabal'! Splashing sounds of water falling on the rocks can be heard at another spring, 'Waggun jo Tarr' or the Crocodile Spring, named so as crocodiles once lived there.Meeri and Shergarh fortresses Within Ranikot, there are two more forts - Meeri and Shergarh fortresses. Meerikot takes its name from the word 'Mir' meaning top. Both the main Ranikot and the inner Meerikot have similar entrances - curved, angulated with a safe tortuous path. "The bridge in front of Ranikot resembles to a smaller bridge in front of a fortress in Verona, Italy,” writes Ishtiaq Ansari, the writer of 'Sindh ja koat aaein qillaa' (Forts and Fortresses of Sindh) and a member of Sindh Exploration and Adventure Society. From the military point of view, Meerikot is located at a very safe and central place in the very heart of the Ranikot with residential arrangements including a water-well. Talpur Mirs used Meerikot as their fortified residence. One can explore ruins of the court, harem, guest rooms, and soldiers’ quarters inside it. Its 1435 feet long wall has five bastions. Every structure in the Ranikot has its own uniqueness and beauty. Looking up from Meerikot one can find another fortified citadel - Shergarh (Abode of Lions) built with whitish stone. Though its location at 1480 feet above the sea level makes this fortress a unique structure, it also makes it equally difficult for supply of water, which can only be had from the brooks and rain streams, hundreds of feet below! The steep climb upto Shergarh gives a commanding view down over the whole fort and its entrance and exit points. On a clear day one can even see Indus, 37 kilometers away to the east.Beside the Mohan Gate and the Sann Gate, there two more gates, rather pseudo gates. One is towards the side of ancient town of Amri. This 'gate' is called the 'Amri Gate'. Certainly it takes its name from the prehistoric ruins of Amri, but it must have taken this name much later than the times of Amri as the fort itself doesn't appears to be as old as the Amri itself. In fact there is a bridge over rain stream 'Toming Dhoro' exiting from the fort called 'Budhi Mori'. The breach in fort wall due to the river stream has been referred as a gate. Similarly, the Shahpir Gate to the south also appears to be a pseudo gate taking its name from a limestone rock with a rough shape of foot imprinted on it. The sacred footprint supposedly belongs to Hazrat Ali or some other religious personality and is venerated by locals. It seems to be a later breach in the fort wall instead of a formal gate because one can't find any bastion or watchtower or their remains at the site, needed to guard any formal entrance or exit points.A mosque found in the fort appears to be a later modification of a watchtower. Scattered animal skeletons and prehistoric fossils can be found on the top of Lundi Hills. One of the three graveyards has about four hundred graves made of Chowkundi like sandstone with engraved motifs of sunflowers and peacocks. Whether we can call them as theriomorphic and phytomorphic motifs, is an open question. Another one appears to be a graveyard of Arabs. The third one, about a mile away from the Sann Gate, had sixteen or seventeen graves earlier but now there are only four graves. The local inhabitants call it the Roman's graveyard.The fort is notoriously deficient of shelters and shady places but the view of the terrain from the top of 'Shimla Hills' is not only attractive but mystifying too! "The size of Ranikot defies all reasons. It stands in the middle of nowhere, defending nothing" writes Isobel Shaw. So why was this fort built here in the desolate terrain of the Kirthar range? Many theories have been developed to answer this question. According to Ishtiaq Ansari, the Talpurs had sent their families to Thar and Kachchh when Afghan's attacked Sindh during the times of Kalhoras. However, after acquiring the rule of Sindh, they wanted a safe and secure place where they can send their families during the troubled times. This might have prompted them to rebuild this fort to their needs. Rahimdad Khan Molai Sheedai holds view that its location in Kohistan on the western frontiers of Sindh gave it its strategic value. Talpurs (they are Balouch by origin) had good terms with Khan of Kalat (Head of all Balouch Tribes), Talpurs were helped by them when they attacked Kalhoras and in return they gifted Karachi to Khan of Kalat and wanted a secure western frontier.Mazher Ali Ansari is of the view that Persians (Achaemenid Empire, 559 BC - 338 BC) were the first to construct this fort to secure their eastern frontier from the Indian rulers, as their empire extended from the Caspian Sea in the west to the River Indus in the east which also served as a natural boundary and barrier. They had constructed a similar wall of 155 km called the Gorgan Wall near the Caspian Sea to protect their empire.Beside this, in olden times a trade route from Mesopotamia, Iran (Kirman Shah, Hamadan, Sulatanabad, Qum, Bimpur), Mekran and Sindh (Amri, Sehwan, Mohenjo-daro) used to pass from this area. Another branch of this route traversed Thano Arab Khan, Karchat, Sann an Amri, to reach Brahmanabad on the left bank of the mighty River Indus. Hence the importance of the location in earlier times, if the fort existed then. The condition of fort is rapidly deteriorating, as is the case with most of archeological heritage of Sindh. One third of the man-made walls have already collapsed and the rest may soon follow suit.Access to this man-made marvel of ancient times is possible through a motor able road, which goes up to Meeri Kot. A 4x4 is recommended.ROHTAS FORTRohtas Fort is a garrison fort built by the Great Afghan King Sher Shah Suri. He named Qila Rohtas after the famous Rohtasgarh Fort in Shahabad district near Baharkunda, Bihar which he captured from the Raja of Rohtas Hari Krishan Rai in 1539. Rohtasgarh is situated on the upper course of the river Son, 20 37’ N and 85 33’E. It was built by Harish Chandra of the Solar dynasty and was named after his son Rohitasva after whom the fort (Rohtasgarh) was named.Reasons of ConstructionSher Shah constructed Qila Rohtas to block Emperor Humayun return to India after defeating him in the Battle of Kanauj. This fort lies on the old GT Road between the North (Afghanistan) to the Plains of Punjab. It blocked the way from Peshawar to Lahore. The other reason was to suppress the local tribes of this region Potohar called Gakhars who were allies of Humayun and refused their allegiance to Sher Shah Suri.LocationQila Rohtas is situated in a gorge approximately 16 km NW of Jhelum. It was constructed on a hillock where the tiny Kahan River turns east towards Tilla Jogian Range.Overview of ConstructionQila Rohtas is a garrison fort and could hold a force of up to 30,000 men. Due to its location, massive walls, trap gates and 3 Baolis (stepped wells) it could withstand a major siege although it was never besieged.The fort is irregular in shape and follows the contours of the hill it was constructed on. The fort is approximately 4 km in circumference. A 533 meter long wall divides the citadel (for the Chieftain) from other parts of the fort.The fortification has 68 bastions (towers) at irregular intervals. Out of the 3 Baolis, one of them is in the citadel and the rest are in the other parts of the fort. One of the Gates (Langar Khani) opens into the citadel and is a trap gate because it is in the direct line of fire of the bastions.The Khwas Khani gate is an example of double walling. A small enclave on the western side is a citadel within a citadel. It is accessible by only one gate and also had a very fine Baoli which suggests that it was meant for the Chief and his family. In this citadel there is a beautiful Masque called the Shahi Mosque (Not to be confused with the one in Lahore). There are no palaces in the Fort except for a structure built by Raja Man Singh called the Haveli of Man Singh. It is built on the highest point of the citadel.Cost of ConstructionThe work on this fort was started in 1541 with Todar Mal Khatri, the revenue minister in charge of the project. The Gakhars whose area the fort was built on refused to provide labor for this project.Todar Mal faced with such problems informed Sher Shah about these difficulties who wrote in reply, “I know you for a man of business, understanding and intelligence. I see no work can be expected from you, because you consider money as your friend. When I have commanded you to do a thing you ought not to have cared for money in fixing the rate. Whatever be the expenses shall be borne by my government.”After receiving this reply, he fixed one red Ashrafi for each slab on the first day. The rate gradually decreased to one Paoli or Bahluli.Because of the boycott the cost of construction was huge. It would have been much lower had it not been for the Ghakkars. The following sources all give slightly different estimates of the costWaqiat-i-Jahangiri says the cost was Rs. 34,25,000. It refers to an engraved stone over the Shishi Gate which reads:“The amount is 16, 10, 00,000 Dams and something more, which is 34, 25,000 Rupees of Hindustan, 120,000 Tumans of Iran or 1,21,75,000 Khanis of Turan”.According to Tarikh-i-Daudi, its cost is 80,505,002 Dams (Bahlulis).Fortification WallThe height of the outer wall varies between 10 and 18 meters. Its thickness varies between 10 and 13 meters. The wall has 2 or 3 terraces and varies in thickness, the maximum being 13 meters near the Mori Gate. The terraces are linked by staircases. The topmost terrace has merlon-shaped battlements. Muskets can be fired from these battlements. Soldiers could also pour molten lead over the walls.The wall is built in sandstone laid in lime mortar mixed with brick. The gates are in grey Ashlor Masonry. Some portions have been built using burnt brick.The GatesThe Rohtas Fort has the following 12 gates. All of them are built in Ashlor Stone.Sohail GateThis gate is the best example of masonry in use in the time of Sher Shah. It derives its name from a Saint names Sohail Bukhari buried in the southwestern bastion of the gate. Others say that it was names after the Sohail Star which rises on this side of the fort.It is a double gate rectangular in shape. It is 21.34 meters (70 feet) high, 20.73 meters (68 feet) wide and 15 meters (50 feet) deep. The central archway is 4.72 meters (15 feet) wide. It has an inner and an outer arch which is decorated with beautiful and simple motifs of sunflower. This decoration is repeated in all parts of the Qila.There are balconies on either side of the central arch. These balconies have a small dome and their sides and bottom are also decorated. Unlike other parts of the Qila which has been built in Afghan-Persian style, the balcony is an example of Hindu architecture. These same balconies can be seen in Haveli Man Singh. There is a small window in the middle of the outer arch. This window is different from the two balconies to either side of the outer arch. It is much simpler that these two balconies.There are seven merlons on this gate. The bastions are with battlements which have loopholes. These bastions have three levels on the inside. The inner side of the gate mirrors the outside but has less decoration. There are no battlements towards the inside and no balconies either. The rooms in the upper storey of this gate have windows that open towards the inside of the Qila. Like the outer arch there is a small window in the middle of the inner arch. The gate now houses a Visitors information center and a Museum set up by the Himalayan Wildlife Foundation.Shah Chandwali GateThis gate links the citadel to the main fort. It is named after a Saint Shah Chandwali who refused to get his wages for working on this gate. The saint died while still on work and was buried near the gate. His shrine still stands to this day.This gate is also a double gate. The outer gate, the entrance of which is from the citadel is 13.3 meters wide and 8.23 meters deep. The inner gate is a simple archway which is 3.66 meters wide.Kabuli GateThis gate opens to the west and is named “Kabuli” because it faces Kabul. It is a double gate and its opening is 3.15 meters (10 feet) wide. It has two bastions on each side. The gate has 5 battlements on top and has stairs leading up to it from the outside. On the southern side of the gate is the Shahi (Royal) Mosque because of which many people also call it Shahi (Royal) Darwaza (Gate or Door). There is a Baoli near this gate.Shishi GateThe gate derives its name from the beautiful glazed tiles used to decorate its outer arch. These tiles are the earliest examples of this technique which was later refined in Lahore. These tiles are blue in color.An inscription on the left side of the gate gives the date of construction of the fort. The inscription is in Persian and is translated as followsIn the Hijri Year 948 came the exaltedAt that time constructed the great fortThe emperor is Sher, with long lifeThere is no match to his good fortuneItwas completed by Shahu Sultan. The Hijri year 948 is 1541 AD.Langar Khani GateIt is a double gate 15.25 meters (50 feet) high, 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) wide with a central arched opening. The outer arch has a small window like the Sohail Gate. The outer opening leads to a Langar Khana (Mess or Canteen).There are two bastions on either side of the gate which have kitchen, stores and a well for water. The opening of this gate is L shaped. As soon as one enters from the outer gate one has to turn right.Talaqi GateThis gate is 15.25 meter high and 13.8 meter wide with two bastions on either side. This gates name derives from “Talaq” (divorce). According to a legend, Sabir Suri entered the gate and had an attack of fever which proved fatal. This was regarded as a bad omen and the name became “Talaqi”.Mori or Kashmiri GateThe gate opens to the north and faces Kashmir. This gate opens into one chamber which opens into another.Khwas Khani GateThis gate is named after one of Sher Shah Suri’s greatest general, Khwas Khan. This was the original entrance to the Qila (Fort) because outside the gate lies the old GT Road.It is a double gate. The outer gate is 12.8 meter wide (42 feet) and 8 meter (26 feet) deep. This gate has a bastion and a defensive wall on each side. On the bastions canons could be deployed. The inner and outer gates are almost mirror images of each other. The top of the gate has five battlements. All of these have loopholes as well as machicolation. Unlike other gates of this Qila, the inner side of the gate has five battlements.The inner and outer arches have sunflower motifs like the Sohail Gate. The gate also has a room which has windows opening to the inside and the outside.Gatali GateIt is a single gate 9.15 meter high and 6.1 meter deep. This gate faces Gatali Ford (ravine), thus the name.Tulla Mori GateThis is an entrance rather than a gate. It is on the eastern side of the fort. It is about 2 meters wide. There is a bastion next to this entrance.Pipalwala GateThis is a small entrance like the Tulla Mori Gate. It is 2.13 meter wide.Sar GateThis is a small entrance. There is a bastion next to this gate. There is a Baoli next to this gate. It is called “Sar” because “Sar” means water.Other BuildingsShahi MosqueThis small mosque is near the Kabuli gate. It has a prayer chamber and a small courtyard. The prayer chamber is 19.2 meter long and 7.3 meter deep. It is divided into 3 equal chambers. There are domes from the inside but from the outside no domes can be seen. This mosque is built into the fortification wall i.e. soldiers walked over the mosques roof. The outer wall of the mosque is the fortification wall itself.On the outer wall of the mosque are beautiful round designs in which Islamic verses are written in Naqsh script. These verses are surrounded by a Lilly going around the Naqsh script. The Lilly design was later used by Mughals in Tomb of Jahangir, Tomb of Nur Jehan and the Shah Burj Gate in Lahore Fort. The design seems to have been copied from the coins used in that time.BaolisThere are 3 Baolis in the fort. These were made by cutting deep into the lime rock. They are:1.The Main Baoli in the middle of the Fort for soldiers, elephants, horses etc. This Baoli has 148 steps. Each step is 20 cm (8 inches) wide. The upper portion has been cut in stone. It has arches three arches that span the length of the baoli.The Shahi Baoli near the Kabuli Gate for the Royal family. It has 60 steps and has small chambers that were used as baths by the Royal family.A small Baoli near the Sar Gate, most likely used by soldiers.Haveli Man SinghThis is not an original structure of the fort. It was built by a general of Akbar, Raja Man Singh I of Amber. He died in 1614 so it must have been built between 1550 and 1614. It is a 2 storey building constructed with bricks and plastered neatly. Architecturally it bears no resemblance to the Qila Rohtas. A part of the structure has fallen away. There seems to have been 4 rooms out of which only one exists now.The existing room is 5.5 meters square and there are balconies on the outside of it. These balconies are similar to the one outside Sohail Gate. One could see the whole fort from these balconies.Unlike Qila Rohtas which is an example of Afghan architecture, this Haveli is an example of pure Hindu architecture.GallowsThere is a small gallows near Haveli Man Singh. It is a one-storey structure. One room has been built on top of another. There was an upper storey where people would be hanged or their head would be cut off. The lower chamber would be used to collect the body. Bricks seem to have been used in the construction of this building which makes it likely that it was not an original structure of the fort. In addition, it is near Haveli Man Singh which makes it likely that it was built later than the main Qila.Decorative Features This fort is an example of purely “Masculine” architecture. It places function over form. This can be gauged from the fact that the fort had NO building for living. Even Kings had to live in tents when they came here.Stone CarvingsThese carvings are found on the gate and in the mosque. Most of these are engravings in Arabic and sunflowers.Calligraphic inscriptionsMost of these inscriptions are on the Shahi Mosque. On top of the mosque the word “Allah” is written on merlon shaped arches. On the outer wall of the mosque are the “Kalima” and other religious inscriptions.There is an inscription in Persian on the Shishi gate which gives the date of start of construction. The same inscription is also found over the Talaqi gate.There are other inscriptions on the Khwas Khani, Langar Khani and Gatali gate.Glazed TilesThese tiles are found on Shishi gate. This type of tile became extremely popular with the Mughals who further refined them. The tiles on Shishi gate are the earliest example of the usage of these tiles. These tiles were made in Lahore.Plaster Plaster has been used in the Shahi Mosque.Architectural StyleThis fort was built in the Afghan-Persian architectural style. Afghans and Persians Kings had been coming to the Indian subcontinent for at least 5 centuries before the construction of this fort. Before the construction of this fort, the combination of these styles had not been harmonious. Qila Rohtas is the earliest example of the successful mixing of these two styles with the Afghan style being more prominent.The elements of Hindu Architectures are1. Balconies on Sohail Gate.2. Decorations on Shahi Mosque derived from Hindu Architecture.3. Haveli Man Singh (Pure Hindu Architecture).The elements of Afghan architecture are1. Utilitarian Construction.2. Use of stone instead of bricks in building wall.3. No Living quarters.4. Comparatively less decorations.UsageSher Shah Suri died before the completion of this magnificent structure. Ten years after Sher Shah’s death and the end of the Suri dynasty, Emperor Humayun returned to rule India for another 15 years.When Humayun returned the Governor of Rohtas, Tatar Khan Kasi fled.This fort was never popular with the Mughals because of its military character. Emperor Akbar stayed here for a single night. Emperor Jahangir rested here for a single night while going to Kashmir for some R&R. He said the following about its location.This fort was founded in a cleft and the strength of it cannot be imagined.The later Mughals seem to have made no use of the fort. The Durranis kept a garrison and a Governor here. The Sikhs held power after the Durranis, Maharaja Ranjit Singh was in camp here when he heard the news that his greatest general Hari Singh Nalwa had been killed at Jamrud by the Pukhtuns under the leadership of Wazir Akbar Khan a son of the great Amir Dost Mohammad Khan. The Kabul suburb of Mina Akbar Khan is named to honour the memory of this great Afghan general.The Maharaja gave the fort to Sardar Mohar Singh who was succeeded by Gurmukh Singh. It was subsequently leased to different people and the last people to manage Rohtas was Raja Fazal Din Khan who joined Sher Singh in rebellion.HistoryThe history of Rohtas is a long and chequered one. From old texts and inscriptions found near Rohtas, it appears that the fort was in the possession of the Hindu king Pratapdhavala of the Japla dynasty. Other inscriptions mention that it was ruled by the Khayarwala clan who were sovereigns of Shahbad (the area now known as Bhojpur and Rohtas). Historians are of the opinion that the Hindu kings of Rohtas did a lot of construction – a road through the jungle leading from the foothill to the plateau, the fortifications on the jungle roads, plus the four gates on the four ghats. The main fortifications at the Raja ghat and the Katauthiya ghat can still be seen. Apart from a matrix for making seals belonging to the 7th century king Sasanka, all other artifacts are from the time of Sher Shah Suri onwards.1500sThe fate of Rohtas took a turn in 1539 when it fell out of the hands of the Hindu kings into those of Sher Shah Suri. At war with the Mughal emperor Humayun he had just lost the fort at Chunar and was desperately trying to gain a foothold for himself. Sher Shah made a request to the ruler of Rohtas that he wanted to leave his women, children and treasure in the safety of the fort, while he was away fighting in Bengal. The king agreed and in the first few palanquins there were women and children but the later ones the wily Sher Shah had substituted with fierce Afghan soldiers, who captured Rohtas, forcing the Hindu king to flee. During the Sher Shah’s reign the fort was guarded by 10000 armed men under the command of one of his trusted general, Haibat Khan Niazi. Haibat Khan Niazi built the Jami Masjid in 1543 AD, which lies to the west of the fort and is made of white sandstone, consisting of three domes. Another monument of this time is a mausoleum, perhaps of the daroga (superintendent of works) of Sher Shah, Habsh Khan.Then in 1558, Rohtas saw the rule of Man Singh, Akbar’s Hindu general, who made it his political stronghold. Northern India had been under Mughal rule, in contrast eastern India was highly unstable, with the various kings putting up resistance against the Mughals. Man Singh as governor of Bengal and Bihar made Rohtas his headquarters in view of its inaccessibility and other natural defences. He constructed a beautiful palace for himself, which is still in a fairly good condition, repaired the rest of the fort, cleared the ponds and made gardens in Persian style. The palace was constructed in a north-south direction, with its entrance to the west with barracks for soldiers in front. The main gate is known as the Hathiya pol or elephant gat…named after the figures of the behemoths which decorate it. It is the largest of the gates and was made in 1597.1600sAfter the death of Man Singh, the fort came under the jurisdiction of the office of the Emperor’s wazir (Prime Minister) from where the governors were appointed. In 1621, the Prince Khurram (later Emperor Shahjahan) revolted against his father Jehangir, and fled to the safety of Rohtas, where the guardian of the fort, Saiyyad Mubarak handed over the keys of Rohtas to the prince. Once more, Khurram tried to win avadh, but lost the battle of Kampat and again sought refuge in Rohtas. It was here that his son Murad Baksh was born to his wife Arjumand Bano who later became as famous as Mumtaz Mahal. During Aurangzeb’s reign the fort was used as a detention camp for those under trial and for housing prisoners sentenced for life.1700s, 1800sOnce again the fortunes of Rohtas changed. In 1763 in the battle of Udhwa Nala, the Nawab of Bihar and Bengal – Mir Kasim, lost to the British and fled with his family to Rohtas. But Mir Kasim’s luck was out and he fared no better at the fort. Finally the Diwan of Rohtas, Shahmal handed it over to the British Captain Goddard. During his two-month stay at the fort, the captain destroyed the storeroom and many of the fortifications. When Goddard left he put some guard in charge, but they too left after a year. Perched on a plateau where the fertile land and abundant water supply once supported 10000 matchlock men, Rohtas was now empty. There was peace at the fort for the next 100 years or so, which was finally shattered during the time of the First War of independence in 1857. Umer Singh, the brother of brave Kunwar Singh together with his companions took refuge here. There were many encounters with the British where the latter were at a disadvantage, for the jungles and the tribals in them were of great help to the Indian soldiers. Finally, after a long drawn out siege and many skirmishes, the British overcame the Indians.Architectural LegacyHere is what the World Heritage list (Document 586) says on page 2 of the report: “Rohtas Fort is an outstanding example of early Muslim military architecture in the Indian subcontinent which incorporates features from elsewhere in the Islamic world. It also had a profound influence on the development of architectural styles in the Mughal Empire (and hence on the European colonial architecture that made abundant use of that tradition).”“It is also outstanding by virtue of the refinement and high artistic value of its decorative elements, notably its high- and low-relief carvings, its calligraphic inscriptions in marble and sandstone, its plaster decoration, and its glazed tiles.”And“There are no surviving examples of military architecture of this period on the same scale in the sub-continent which survive to the same degree of completeness and conservation. Fatehpur Sikri (India) which is already on the World Heritage List represents the full Mughal realization of a form and style that owes everything to its precursor, Rohtas Fort.”The recommendation by ICOMOS (the organization that makes the World Heritage list) made the following recommendation:“Rohtas Fort is an exceptional example of the Muslim military architecture of central and South Asia, which blends architectural and artistic traditions from Turkey and the Indian sub-continent to create the model for Mughal architecture and its subsequent refinements and adaptations.”Present State Most of the fort is in a very good state of preservation. In the portions that have fallen away (Haveli Man Singh) one can still see some part of the original construction.The central archway of the Chandwali Gate has been rebuilt recently so that is the only “fake” part of the fort.In early 2005, seepage, heavy rains, and general neglect caused the left inner face of the Talaqi Gate to collapse, and the right flank and foundation to become detached from the original structure.The Gatali Gate forms one of the original entrances to Rohtas. Over time, its right bastion and supporting wall have collapsed as a result of permeated rainwater and the erosion of its foundations.World Heritage SiteQila Rohtas was designated a World Heritage Site in 1997. Here is what the World Heritage list says on page 3 of the report: “That this property be inscribed on the World Heritage List. Rohtas Fort is an exceptional example of the Muslim military architecture of central and South Asia, which blends architectural and artistic traditions from Turkey and the Indian sub-continent to create the model for Mughal architecture and its subsequent refinements and adaptations.”Himalayan Wildlife FoundationThe Rohtas Fort Conservation Programme was conceived by the Himalayan Wildlife Foundation in 2000 to help protect the sixteenth-century Rohtas Fort near Jhelum, and develop it as a heritage site conforming to international standards of conservation and tourism. It is undertaking the following projects in conjunction with the Royal Norwegian Embassy.Complete Restoration of Shah Chandwali GateConservation of Haveli Man SinghConservation of Talaqi Gate and Gatali GateEstablishment of Sher Shah Suri Museum in upper storey of Sohail GateImprovement of quality of life in Rohtas Fort villageFactoids12 gates, 4 are trap gates68 bastions1900 battlements9500 stairsSKARDU FORTSkardu Fort or Karpachu Fort is a fort in Skardu city in Northern Areas of Pakistan that dates from the tenth century CE. An ancient mosque is also present inside the fort. The fort and its mosque are located on the eastern face of the Khardong hill 40 ft above Skardu city. A view from these monuments brings into vision the entire valley, the Indus River and the settlement below.FORT MUNROFort Munro lies on the Quetta Road at 85 km from D.G. Khan. It is the only hill station in southern Punjab in the Sulaiman Mountains Range. Its altitude is 1800 meters and attracts many people for short stays during the summer. TDCP resort at Fort Munro offers excellent boating on the Dames Lake. The resort also provides accommodation, a restaurant and a snack bar.MULTAN FORTThe Multan Fort, a Pakistani military installation, was a landmark of Indian defense and architecture. It was built near the city of Multan, in Punjab province, on a hillock separated from the city by the Ravi River. Its date cannot be fixed with accuracy. The fort was destroyed by British forces during the British occupation of India to avenge the murder of one Mr. Agnew in 1848.The fort was notable both for its effectiveness as a defense installation and for its architecture. Contemporary reports put the walls of the fort at 40 to 70 feet high and 6,800 feet (2 km) in circumference. The fort's 46 bastions included two flanking towers at each of the four gates (the De, Sikki, Hareri and Khizri Gates). A ditch 25 feet deep and 40 feet wide and an 18-foot glacis protected the fort from intruders.Within the fort stood a citadel flanked by 30 towers, enclosing mosques, a Hindu temple and a Khan's palace. The citadel was severely damaged by the battering it got from the guns of Ranjeet Singh in 1818.At present it is survived by some parts of the old rampart and bastions besides the shrines of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakaria and Shah Rukn-e-Alam, an obelisk in memory of Agnew and a Hindu temple. The famous Qasim Bagh and a stadium are located within the walls of the fort. A panoramic view of Multan City can be had from the highest point in the fort.MUZAFFARABAD FORTSBorder skirmishes between the armies of renowned Mughal The Great Akbar and the Chak rulers of Kahsmir were common. To ensure safety of the people, and the land, the Chaks realised to raise defence posts and efficiently countered the offensivesThere are two historical forts on the opposite sides of the river Neelum.Red FortBlack FortDuring the year 1949 the construction of the red fort was undertaken. It was finally completed by Sultan Muzaffar Khan the founder of Muzaffarabad city during 1646. When the Mughals overtook the Kashmir rule, this fort lost its importance. The Mughals were more interested in Kabul, Bukhara and Badakshan. During the Durrani rule the fort again came into limelight and its importance was rediscovred.Maharaja Gulab Singh and Ranbir Singh, the Dogra rulers, reconstructed and extended the fort for political and military operations. Towards the end of 1947 the Dogra forces filed away leaving the fort wide open to anybody.The architectonics of the fort show that great experts in design and structure participated in its construction. It is surrounded on three sides by Neelum River formally known as Kishan Ganga. The northern part had terraces with steps leading to the bank of the river. The Eastern side of the fort was very well protected from the hazards of flood waters but some parts in the north were slightly damaged. There was an inn at the entry of the fort of which there is only traces left now.RAWAT FORTRawat Fort is located 17 km east of Rawalpindi, on the Grand Trunk (G.T) Road leading to Lahore. Gakkhars, a fiercely independent tribe of the Potohar Plateau built the fort, in early 16th century. The grave of a Gakkhar Chief, Sultan Sarang Khan is located inside the fort. He died in 1546 AD fighting against the forces of Sher Shah Suri. If one dares to climb the broken steps inside the tomb, one may get a panoramic view of the plateau and the Mankiala Stupa.PHARWALA FORTThis fort is about 40 km from Rawalpindi beyond Lehtrar road. A Gakkhar ruler, Sultan Kai Gohar, on the ruins of a 10th century Hindi Shahi Fort built it in 15th century. Emperor Babar conquered the fort in 1519 AD. Later, in 1825, Sikhs expelled Gakkhars from this fort. Though the fort is in a crumbling state, it is still an attraction for castle lovers. The fort, being situated in prohibited area, is only open for Pakistani visitors.ATTOCK FORTIt is situated about 101 km west of Islamabad on the left bank of Indus River. The fort was completed in 1583 under the supervision of Khawaja Shamsuddin Khawafi, a minister of Emperor Akbar. The Mughal caravan sarai outside the fort, which is almost on the G.T. Road, was also built during this period. Please note that no visitors are allowed inside the Fort.GIRI FORTThe glen of Giri is located 8 km northeast of Taxila, at the foot of Margallah. It is approached through a rough torrent bed near two villages named Khurram Gujar and Khurram Paracha. There are remains of two monasteries and stupas, one on the top of the hill and other below it. The remains of Giri Fort are perched on the hilltop, with spring water falling within it. The fort was built in 5th century by the Buddhist monks. Later, it was used by Sultan Masud, son of Sultan Mahmud of Gazni.FORT OF MUNDE SHAHIDThe old fort of Munde Shahid, 50 Km from Bahawalpur and Marot Fort are considered to be antiquities. A place outside the Marot Fort is known as 'Baithak Maula Ali'. The tomb of Naugaza is located in the Munde Sharif Fort.