*~*historical Places In Pakistan *~*

[shahabi 23]

Asalam o alikum allz,

Today i share the topic.

"Historical places in pakistan"

Hopefully all members will take information about historical places.

Thanks

[shahabi 23]

Hiran Minar (Sheikhupura)

About Hiran minar

Those who take their chance to cross the River Ravi from Saghian Bridge to go to Sheikhupura in the suburbs of Lahore have to pass through the flower nurseries. Also, along the road has come up a Flower Market near Saghian Bridge. After turning on Sheikhupura-Sargodha Road from the Chowk where a beautiful replica of Hiran Minar (The Deer Tower) has been made, you drive along the bumpy two-way road lined up on both sides with smoke emitting factories of different kinds: fabrics, chemicals, glass, and paper pulp. At places the pungent whiff reminds as if one is driving on Grand Trunk Road near Kala Shah Kaku. Wall chalking, religious and or commercial slogans – is another thing that one notices all along the road to Sheikhupura.

Jehangir Abad turned Sheikhupura is situated in Ravi-Chenab corridor and fast turning from a market agricultural town to an industrial city. Adjacent to Lahore, the town is surrounded by old places like Sangla Hill (old Sakala), Nankana Saheb (birth place of Baba Guru Nanak) and Jandiala Sher Khan (last resting place of Waris Shah).

Hunting grounds were an important part of the physical environment of Moghal emperors. The place where the town stands today was one of Jahangir’s (Prince Salim) princely dominions during his father Akbar’s reign. The town was founded by Jehangir, near village Sahu Malli, during his rule in 1607. The king declared the barren jungles adjoining the place as royal hunting ground. After the death of king’s darling deer Mans Raj, this hunting ground was changed into a protected sanctuary and hunting was prohibited. In the memory of his favourite antelope, the king also constructed an octagonal tower in 1607 at the foot of the grave of the deer. In 1620, a square lake like pond and Baradari was added to the monument. A causeway with its own gateway connects the pavilion with the mainland and minaret. At the centre of each side of the tank, a brick ramp slopes down to the water that used to provide access for royal animals and wild game. Later he conferred the entire area upon Sikandar Moin.

Special Features:-

A special feature of Hiran Minar is its location and environment: the top of the Minar is perhaps the best place in the province of Punjab to get a feel for the broader landscape and its relationship to a Moghal site. Looking north from the top of the Minar, one can see a patch of forest which is similar to the scrub forest vegetation of Moghal times, while to the west are extensively-irrigated fields, a product of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, but similar in size and appearance to the well-irrigated fields of the Moghal period. The Lower Chenab Canal has turned the land into one of the most fertile area in the country now.

In eighteenth century, Nadir shah and Ahmed shah Abdali passed through Jehangir Abad once they came to attack India. Punjabi poet Syed Waris Shah had composed some pointing details of the attacks and conditions of the society of the time in his classic folk romance Heer Ranjha. Sikh came to the power in the later half of eighteenth century when Moghal authority weakened after the death of Aurangzeb Alamgir. It is during Sikh rule that the name of the town was changed from Jehangir Abad to Sheikhupura.

[shahabi 23]

Wazir Khan Mosque (Lahore)

Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan, is famous for its extensive faience tile work. It has been described as ‘ a mole on the cheek of Lahore’. It was built in seven years, starting around 1634-1635 A.D., during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan. It was built by Shaikh Ilm-ud-din Ansari, a native of Chiniot, who rose to be the court physician to Shah Jahan and later, the Governor of Lahore. He was commonly known as Wazir Khan. (The word wazir means ‘minister’ in Urdu language.) The mosque is located inside the Inner City and is easiest accessed from Delhi Gate.

[shahabi 23]

Jehangir Kothari Parade (Karachi)

Jehangir Kothari Parade is located in Clifton beach in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.

Access to the sea at Clifton is provided by the terraced Parade known as the Jehangir Kothari Parade. The site, owned by Mr. Jehangir Kothari, an eminent Karachi citizen, who gifted it along with a handsome donation Rs. 300,000 to the Municipality for the development of recreational facilities. The foundation stone was laid by the Governor of Bombay, Sir George Lloyd on 10th February, 1919 and formally opened by Lady Lloyd on 5th January, 1920. The Lady Lloyd Pier was also opened by her on 21st March, 1921.

The Kiosk at one end of the parade, with its elliptical roof structure, built in Jodhpur stone, has an octagonal seat in the center and was used as a Bandstand in yester-years. The pier is 1300 ft long, 15 ft wide and ends in a 70 ft by 50 ft sea-side Pavilion constructed on piles. Gizri limestone and Jodhpur stone were used for its construction.

Edited August 1, 2010 by shahabi

[shahabi 23]

Rohtas Fort (قلعہ روہتاس – Qila Rohtas)(Jehlum)

The Rohtas fort lies sprawling upon a low rocky hill north of Jhelum in a bend of the river Ghan (mostly spelled as Kahan). It occupies an uneven piece of land cut up by deep mountain torrents of which the ChandWali Kas and Parnata Kas are the most important. The eastern wall of the Anderkot follows the edge of the former whereas the corresponding walls the outer fort follows that of the latter. This Rohtas is not to be confused with the Rohtasgarh fort in Bihar, from which it derives its name.

The fort was built in compliance with the orders of Sher Shah (actual name Farid Khan) son of Hassan Khan, son of Ibrahim Khan, and Afghan of the Sur section of the Lodhi tribe. The project was financially looked after by Todar Mal, the finance minister of Sher Shah; it was executed by Shahu Sultani who acted in the capacity of what may presently be called a superintending engineer.

The project took many years to complete (perhaps 10 years) and was finished during the reign of Sher Shah’s son and successor Jalal Khan who assumed the title of Islam Shah at the time of his accession to the throne in AD 1545. The expenditure is variously recorded by the Tahrik I Daudi as eight crores five lace five thousand and two and half dams i.e. Bahluli’s and Tuzuk I Jehangiri as sixteen crores , ten lacs of dams and a little more. Both the source refer to inscribed to a stone slabs fixed on gates as their source of information, It is likely that the estimate if the Tahrik I Daudi pertains merely to the Anderkot and that of Tuzuk I Jehangiri to the outer fort.

Nasiruddin Humayun (r.1530-1540, 1556-1556), son and successor of Zahiruddin Babur (r.1526-1530), the Mughal emperor of India had at the hands of Sher Khan (Sher Shah Suri, (r.1540-1545) suffered devastating defeats in two pitched battles, the first at Chaunsa on the Ganges below Benares, and the second near Qanaauj, also on the Ganges, but much higher up the river. He had to retire into the Punjab where he expected to reach some kind of an accommodation with his younger brother Mirza Kamran who held Kabul and Ghazni under his control. When Humayun reached the sarai (Inn) of Daulat Khan near Lahore, Kamran came forward to receive him. Humayun stayed in the garden of Khawaja Dost, but suspecting deception on the part of his brother, he decided to fall back on Sindh in search of a possible exit to Persia. Sher Khan who had now assumed sovereignty and the tile of Sultan Sher Shah and had reached Khushab on the river Jhelum. It was here that the Afghans of Roh presented themselves and paid homage to him. Amongst those who attended upon him were the Baluch chiefs Ismail Khan and Fateh Khan of the Dudai clan of Hut, and Ghazi Khan the Marlani, the founders of three Deras bearing their respective names. Sher Shah expended a vast sum of money and presents upon the Afghans who presented themselves before him, but, although all the zamindars and nobles of the areas had done so, the Gakkar chief, the Rai Sarang, who depended upon the strength of his country in the Koh e Jud, did not think fit to do so, and, according to one source, when Sher Shah summoned him, dispatched some lion and Tiger skins in reply. This enraged Sher Shad so much that he decided to ravage and lay desolate the Gakkar country. On this occasion he inspected the Kohistan, visiting Nandana and Tilla Balnath the Jogi, for a possible site to erect a fort, saying, that he would drive such a spike into the breast of the Gakkhars as should remain there till the end of time. How far the story is correct it is difficult to say. The obvious reason that led him to take such a decision was the Gakkar –Mughal alliance which could pave the way for the Mughal reentry. His own analysis of the situation led ultimately led him to believe that a strong frontier fort was urgently needed for the dual purpose of suppressing the Gakkars and blocking the successful Mughal advance from Kabul or Kashmir.

The new fortress was placed under the charge of Haibat Khan Nayazi, Khawas Khan, Isa Khan Nayazi and Habib Khan Kakar- his most trusted generals, along with numerous armies. The posting of his great amirs in Rohtas shows the kind of concern Sher Shah in his mind regarding the sensitive nature of the frontier. In AD 1543-44, Sher Shah recalled the other generals and left Haibat Khan in sole charge of the Punjab. Haibat Khan held Rohtas with a force of 30,000 Afghan horse; all in his own pay. After his services in Multan the same Haibat Khan was raised to the highest rank, with the title of Masnad- Ata Azam, Humayun (The Most August, The Occupant of the Exalted Seat of Dignity). He was likewise assigned a scarlet tent, which only the family of the sovereign was hitherto allowed to use. The fortress was not finished, however till some years later.

[shahabi 23]

Badshahi Mosque (Lahore)

 The Badshahi Mosque (Urdu: بادشاھی مسجد ), or the 'Emperor's Mosque', was

built in 1673 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore.

It is one of the city's best known landmarks, and a major tourist attraction

and characterizes the beauty and greatness of the Mughal era.

 Capable of accommodating over 55,000 worshipers.

 It is the second largest mosque in Pakistan, after the Faisal Mosque in

Islamabad.

 The architecture and design of the Badshahi Masjid is closely related to the

Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, which was built in 1648 by Aurangzeb's father

and predecessor, Emperor Shah Jahan.

 The Imam-e-Kaaba (Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Al-Sudais of Saudi Arabia) has

also led prayers in this mosque in 2007.

[shahabi 23]

Lahore Fort (Shahi Qila)

The Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila (Urdu: شاهی قلعہ ) is citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the northwestern corner of the Walled City of Lahore. The trapezoidal composition is spread over 20 hectares.

Origins of the fort go as far back as antiquity, however, the existing base structure was built during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar (1556-1605), and was regularly upgraded by subsequent rulers, having thirteen gates in all.Thus the fort manifests the rich traditions of Mughal architecture.Some of the famous sites inside the fort include: Sheesh Mahal, Alamgiri Gate, Naulakha pavilion, and Moti Masjid. In 1981, the fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Shalimar Gardens (Lahore).

[shahabi 23]

Malot Temple

"The only remains of any antiquity at Mallot are a temple and gateway in the Kashmirian style of architecture. They are built of a coarse sandstone of various shades of ochreous red and yellow, and many parts have suffered severely from the action of the weather, the surface having altogether crumbled away...The temple is a square of 18 feet inside, with a vestibule or entrance porch on the east towards the gateway. The gateway is...a massive building...divided into two rooms...On each side of these rooms to the north and south there are highly decorated niches for the reception of statues, similar to those in the portico of the temple. These niches are covered by trefoil arches which spring from flat pilasters. Each capital supports a statue of a lion under a half trefoil canopy...The roof is entirely gone; but judging from the square shape of the building, I conclude that it must have been pyramidal, outside with flat panelled ceilings of overlapping stones."

[shahabi 23]

Ketas Temple (Kallar Kahar)

It is located on the main road leading from Lake Kallar Kahar to Choa Saidan Shah and is not far from the Lake.Built in the 9th-11th century when the Salt Range was part of the powerful Hindu Kingdom of Kashmir, this large complex houses several temples most of which, unfortunately, are in a rather derelict condition. There is also a fortress surrounding a pool. Legend has it that the pool was formed by the tears of the Hindu God Shiva while weeping over his dead wife.

According to an Indian website I looked up, the pool reportedly has "magical powers" and is mentioned in the great Indian epic Mahabharata. The Katas Temple Complex used to be a major place of pilgrimage for the Hindus before the partition of India in 1947 and to this day several devotees visit it in spring every year.

There is talk that it may be placed on the World Heritage List and a joint India-Pakistan project to restore and renovate it is under discussion.

The Katas site houses the Satgraha, a group of seven ancient temples, remains of a Buddhist stupa, a few medieval temples, havelis and some recently constructed temples, scattered around a pond considered holy by Hindus. The temples at Katas are mostly constructed on square platforms. The elevation of the sub shrines seems to form a series of cornices with small rows of pillars, crowned by a ribbed dome.

The Ramachandra Mandir is situated to the east of the Hari Singh Haveli and is closed from all sides except for an entrance on the east. The double-storied structure has eight rooms of various dimensions on the ground floor and a staircase at the south leading to the first floor. The mandir has two jharokas (balconies) that have been severely damaged.

The Hanuman Mandir is on the western extreme of a high rectangular enclosure with entrances on the south and the north. The temple's ceiling is undecorated, and lime-plastered. The Shiva temple is also built on a square platform. Its entrance is a recessed round arch with faint cusps and a rectangular opening to the north.

Katasraj temple complex is believed to date back to the Mahabharata era. There are stories about the Pandavas spending time there during their long exile. The lake in the complex is believed to have magical powers and supposed to be where Yudhisthira defeated the Yaksha with his wisdom to bring his brothers back to life.

[shahabi 23]

Shalimar Garden (Lahore)

The Shalimar Gardens (Punjabi, Urdu: شالیمار باغ), sometimes written Shalamar Gardens, is a Persian garden and it was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in Lahore, modern day Pakistan. Construction began in 1641 A.D. (1051 A.H.) and was completed the following year. The project management was carried out under the superintendence of Khalilullah Khan, a noble of Shah Jahan's court, in cooperation with Ali Mardan Khan and Mulla Alaul Maulk Tuni. The Shalimar Gardens are located near Baghbanpura along the Grand Trunk Road some 5 kilometers northeast of the main Lahore city.

The Gardens have been laid out from south to north in three descending terraces, which are elevated by 4–5 metres (13-15 feet) above one another. The three terraces have names in Urdu as follows:

The upper terrace named Farah Baksh meaning Bestower of Pleasure.

The middle terrace named Faiz Baksh meaning Bestower of Goodness.

The lower terrace named Hayat Baksh meaning Bestower of life.

The site of the Shalimar Gardens originally belonged to one of the noble Zaildar families in the region, well known as Mian Family Baghbanpura. The family was also given the Royal title of 'Mian' by the Mughal Emperor, for its services to the Empire. Mian Muhammad Yusuf, then the head of the Mian family, donated the site of Ishaq Pura to the Emperor Shah Jahan, after pressure was placed on the family by the royal engineers who wished to build on the site due to its good position and soil. In return, Shah Jahan granted the Mian family governance of the Shalimar Gardens. The Shalimar Gardens remained under the custodianship of this family for more than 350 years.

In 1962, the Shalimar Gardens were nationalised by General Ayub Khan because leading Mian family members had opposed his imposition of martial law in Pakistan.

The Mela Chiraghan festival used to take place in the Gardens, until President Ayub Khan ordered against it in 1958.

[shahabi 23]

Mohen-jo-daro (Harrapa)

Mohen-jo-daro, discovered in 1922, is situated on the West Bank of the river Indus. It has one of the earliest and the most developed urban civilizations of ancient world. It forms a part of the Indus River civilization and was discovered in 1921. It is located 1287.48 km away from Mohen-jo-daro. The Indus River civilization flourished from somewhere third till the middle of second millennium B.C. before it vanquished from the world.

Mohen-jo-daro had mud-brick and baked-brick buildings. Covered drainage system in addition to this, soakpits for disposal bins, a large state granary, a spacious pillared hall, a collage of priests, a large and imposing building (probably a palace) and a citadel mound which incorporates in its margin a system of solid burnt brick tower.

Mohen-jo-daro looks like a planned, organized and master architecture of urban settlement. Beneath the citadel, parallel streets, some 30 feet wide, stretched away and are crossed by other straight streets, which divide the town into a great oblong block, each 400 yards in length, and 200 to 300 yards in width. The most imposing remains are those of a Great Hall which consisted of an open quadrangle with verandahs on four sides, galleries and rooms on the back, a group of halls on the north and a large bathing pool. It was probably used for religious or ceremonial bathing.

Nearby are the remains of Great Granary, possibly a public treasury where taxes were paid. We can assume the sensibility of the artistic mind by the discovery of necklaces, pendants of beads, earrings and ankles of ivory and mother of pearl, vessels of silver and bronze and stone weights and measures which suggests the existence of stringent civic regulations.

When the first seal was found in Harappa in 1875 it was thought to be of a foreign origin. A humpless bull with an illegible inscription comprising six characters, were engraved on dark brown jasper.

The significance of this, and the multitude of other seals to follow, was felt when it was realized that the engraved characters and pictures are not only indigenous to the Indus civilization but a thorough understanding of engravings can give a comprehensive account of the true nature of the Indus civilization. First it was thought that the pictograph and the ideograms were related to Brahmi characters or where perhaps the forerunner of Brahmi. It was also suggested that the seal was ideo-phonographic and resembled the Hieroglyphic seal.

On the other hand work was being carried on to prove that Dravdian had inherited many Indus signs thus proving the Dravdic affinity of the Indus seal. Its destruction was by the hands of invading Aryan hordes, as some historians believe, or was triggered by an earthquake, or flood the remains of which are yet to be established. The Mohen-jo-daro museum, close to the site of excavation, houses price-less relics found there, including these engraved seals, ornamental utensils, pottery, weapons and toys. Some of the precious things have been recently shifted from the site museum to the local government treasury.

Interestingly, the bullock carts, boats, drinking jars, toys used even today in the all the towns of Sindh, bare strong resemblance to those used by the ancient citizens of Mohen-jo-daro. Through the discovery of coins and potteries, archeologists believe that trade and cultural links existed between Mohen-jo-daro and the contemporary civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt.

Various objects d'art found at Mohen-jo-daro include burnt clay male and female figurines, and models of bird, a steatite bust a noble man or a priest-king, wearing a loose robe on which the trefoil pattern is engraved and a small dancing girl of bronze with slim figures and flat Negroid features. Steatite seals bearing lifelike representation of animals and mythological creatures such as the unicorn best illustrate the figural. They bear short inscription in a remarkable pictographic script, which has yet to be deciphered.

The various layers of the excavated site show that upon the debris of the ancient civilization rose the buildings and edifices of a much latter settlement dating back to the Kushan period (between the first and the third centuries A.D.). The remains of the Buddhist stupa and the monastery, rising to the height of 10.66 meters (35 feet) above the surrounding area, are of this later period. How this remarkable civilization came to an end after 1800 B.C. remains a mystery. Human skeletons show signs of violent end. Weather this came as a result of massacre is not certain

[shahabi 23]

Kot diji fort (Sindh)

Kot Diji is situated between Ranipur and Khairpur on the highway from Hyderabad, at the east bank of the Indus close to Rohri. The discovery of Kot Diji provides the evidence that there is a civilization before Mohen-jo-daro. Archaeologists say that the discovery of this pre-historic site has furnished information of high significance since it pushed back the pre-historic of Pakistan by at least another 300 years from about 2,500 B.C. to 2,800 B.C.

Evidence of new cultural elements of pre-Mohen-jo-daro time has been found at Kot Diji. Excavations have proved that the Indus Valley Civilizations borrowed or developed some of the basic cultural elements of the Kot Dijians.The site consists of two parts: one comprising of the citadel area on the high ground where the ruling elite lived and an outer area inhabited by common man.

The Kot Diji culture is marked by well-furnished, well-made pottery and houses built of mud-bricks on solid stone foundations. In fact, the Kot Dijian ceramics, though different in form and technique, are in no way less artistic than the sophisticated back-on-red pottery of Mohen-jo-daro civilization.

[shahabi 23]

Thatta and Makli Graveyard

Thatta, also called Thatto in Sindhi language, ninety-eight kms (60 miles) East of Karachi, on the National Highway, just west of the Indus River and the Arabian Sea coast. Thatta was once called the El Dorando of the east. At one time Thatta was important for being Sindh's capital city and as a center for Islamic arts. From the 14th century four Muslim dynasties ruled Sindh from Thatta, but in 1739 the capital was moved elsewhere and with it Thatta declined. Thatta has a very rich heritage of Muslim architecture during the era of the 16th and 17th century. The history of Thatta goes back some 2000 years. It is now a mere vestige of its former greatness as 16th-century capital of the Samma dynasty in Lower Sindh. It was Incorporated as a municipality in 1854. The Makli Hill near Thatta is the world largest graveyard spread over 15.5 sq. kms, having millions of graves. Here in eternal sleep lie kings, queens, Scholars, Philosophers and soldiers of a by-gone era-an era renowned for its culture and learning. It is believed that this was the place where Alexander the Great rested his legions after their long march. The surrounding region includes the barren and rocky Kohistan area and the swampy deltaic land of the Indus. Sugarcane is the chief crop; camel breeding is significant. Nearby excavations reveal occupations dating from the first century B.C.

We can see the masterpieces of stone carvings over the gravestones and mausoleums. These grave stones and mausoleum stones represent the different era's and dynasties. There are monuments of Summa period (14th to 16th centuries), the Tarkhan & Arghun period (16th century), and the Mughul period (16th to 18th centuries). You can examine the minute and delicate workmanship on the tombs of famous Mughal governor's. The structure is strong and beautiful exemplifying its immaculate beauty. The main stone used in the construction of these monuments are; marble and granites which have a tendancy to last for generation's. You could easily see a rhythmic construction in these monuments. The largest and the most impressive tomb among the tomb's is the tomb of Isa Khan Tarkhan who died in 1644 who was known for his tyrny towards locals. Isa khan had personally observed the construction of this tomb in his lifetime. After a partial completion of that tomb, Isa khan cut off the hand's of most talented craftsmen, so that no other emperor could engage them to copy the same monument again. Besides the most preserved monuments are, the tomb's of Mirza jani Beg, Mirza Tughral beg and Diwan Shurfa Khan.

In Thatta district, there is the Shah Jehan Mosque, which is the masterpiece of Mughal construction. This mosque was built by the constructor of Taj Mahal in 1647 A.D. Build towards the middle of the 17th century, this sets a glorious example of Muslim architecture and heritage. This mosque was build by Mir Abdullah under the order of The Mughal emperor, Shah Jehan. Shah Jehan mosque is a superb example of crafty tile work. Its 93 domes and 33 arches with varying sizes add to their architectural beauty. The domes have been exquisitely laid in a mosaic of radiating blue and white tiles. Thatta with so much offering poses to be a prime choice of visitors

[SimpleRayyan 4]

MASHALLAH.gud topin gud effort faraz bhai

[shahabi 23]

MASHALLAH.gud topin gud effort faraz bhai

Thanks RAYYAN

[shahabi 23]

Chaukundi

While travelling on the national highway, 17 miles from Karachi, one can see clusters of unusual graves in the shape of stepped rectangles. Built between the 15th and 19th centuries by Balochis and Burpats the tombs are of various sizes and designs but fall into two basic types. One which support roofs on pillars while other which consist of solid oblong pyramids standing two to four meters high and completely covered with finely carved geometric designs. The stone of these graves are exquisitely carved in relief with intricate motifs. The small rosette is a frequent motif that may have some forgotten connection with pre-islamic sun-worship, as may the sunflowers wheels and chrysanthemums, which also suggest the sun. Squares, diamonds, triangles, zigzags and crosses are also used in every possible combination.

Chaukundi means four cornered and thus the site became famously known as chaukundi. The distinguishing feature of these graves is the superb carving and engraving on the slabs with various designs of jewellery; floral patterns, horses and even their riders. The tomb slab of a woman's grave is embellished with designs of jewellery, necklace, earrings and rings resembling those still worn today. The men's graves bears stylised stone turban on top, carvings of weapons of war or animal heads, horses and riders. This design may have originated in the Rajput custom of temporarily burying a fallen soldier in the battlefield and marking his grave with his upright sword crowned with his turban.

[shahabi 23]

Multan Fort:-

Entrance Multan fort:

Multan Fort was built on a mound separating it form the city by the old bed of river Ravi. There is no Fort now as it was destroyed by the British Garrison which was stationed ,there for a long time, but the entire site is known as the Fort .The walls of the fort were built by Murad Baksh, the son of the Shah Jahan, when he was the viceroy of Multan in the early 17th, century. The Fort site now looks as a part of the city, because instead of the river it is now separated by a road which looks more like a bazaar and remains crowded throughout the day.

The Fort stands on the highest part of the mound on which the town is built, It is an ancient structure formed by a hexagonal wall from forty to seventy feet high, the longest side of which faces the north-west and extends for 600 yards, and which isolates it from the town. Within the fort, and on a very considerable elevation, stands the citadel, in itself of very great strength. The walls are flanked by thirty towers, and enclose numerous houses, mosques, a Hindu temple of high antiquity, and a khan’ s palace the beauty of which was severely damaged by the bettering it got from the guns of Ranjeet Sing in 1818.

[shahabi 23]

Derawar Fort:-

To the southeast of Dera Nawab, on the edge of the Cholistan Desert, make an exciting day’s outing from either Ahmadpur East or Bahawalpur. The massive fort towers over the surrounding semi-desert and is visible from miles around. The huge walls, supported by enormous round buttresses, stand 40 meters (130 feet) high and are 1.5 kilometers (a mile) in circumference.

The drive, for four-wheel drive vehicles only, take from one to two hours from Ahmadpur East, depending on the state of the road and the route your guide has chosen for you. The last 25 kilometers (15miles) are across desert.

There has been a fort at Derawar for at least 5,000 years, part of a long chain that protected the ancient trade rout from central Asia to the Indian subcontinent. The fort was captured by the Abassi family from Raja Rawal Singh of Jaisalmar in 1733, at which time the present fort was built. The whole area around Derawar was once well watered by the Ghaggar River (now called the Hakra in Pakistan, and known in ancient Vedic times as the Sarasvati). Along the 500 kilometers (300miles) of the dry river bed are over 400 archaeological sites, most dating back to the Indus Civilization. In 18th century 12,000 people lived in the town below the fort walls. Until 1960 Derawar was watered by a canal, but later, under the new international agreement, water from the Sutlej River was diverted to India and Derawar was abandoned. The old canal is being cleaned and new canals dug to re-irrigate the area; soon irrigated farmland will once again surround Derawar, and a paved road will connect it to Ahmadpur East.

The fort is more impressive from outside than in. start your tour with a drive or camel ride round the outside of the walls, which are supported by 40 enormous buttresses, ten on each side. Outside the northeast corner are a well and two water tanks where Rohilas (Nomads) come from miles around to water their camels and fill their goatskin water bags. The fort entrance is on the east and is know defending by a huge tower with gun emplacements added during the 1965 war with India. At this time many of the buildings inside the fort were removed to make room for training and parade ground. In the center of the parade ground stand two cannons and a selection of iron cannon balls and stone sling shots. The remaining buildings, all 19th century, were vacated by the nawab’s family in 1920 and are now derelict. All that remains are the nawab’s quarters, a long corridor with rooms off each side; the ladies’ section, behind a locked door and high wall; and some soldiers’ barracks. As in most sub continental forts, the courtyard inside the walls is built on top of a maze of underground cellars and dungeons. At one end of the parade ground, stairs and a trolley on rails lead down to the vaulted cellars, and if you look over the parapet on the south wall you can see the air holes leading to the dungeons.

The most pleasant place in the fort a painted pavilion on top of the northeast tower and surmounted by a flagpole. This is the best place for a picnic, as it is comfortable. Shaded and cool, and looks over the two big water tanks outside and is painted red, blue, yellow and green.

The white marble mosque in front of the fort was built in 1849 for the nawab’s personal holy man, Pir Ghulam Farid, whose name appeared as if by magic (and possibly with the help of few drops of acid) the marble and blue tiled tombs of the nawabs and their families lie a few hundred meters (yards) to the east of the fort. Tourists are not allowed inside the compound, but there is a good view over the wall of the beautifully decorated oblong tomb of the nawabs and eight domed tombs of other family members and wives, including the elegantly domed marble tomb of the last nawab’s English wife.

[shahabi 23]

Rawat Fort:-

Rawat Fort is located 17 km east of Rawalpindi, on the Grand Trunk (G.T) Road leading to Lahore. The fort was built by Gakkhars, a fiercely independent tribe of the Potohar Plateau, 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. Rawat is a corruption of the Arabic word “Rabat” meaning Serai.

[shahabi 23]

Tilla Jogian (Hill of Jogies)

The Tilla Jogian has immense scenic beauty is probably the birth place of one of the oldest religious institutions of Hinduism. The hill towers to a height of over 975 meters west of Jhelum. From a bridge on the river outside Thelum, the hill appears elongated perpetually swathed in purple skein. The magnificent view from Jhelum encompasses the complete hill valley as well as the river.

There is a more than palpable aura of mystery surrounding the place. Legend tells us that it was up in this hill King Raja Porus’s elephant ran calling out in a human voice warning the King of Alexander the Great’s presence in order to avoid a confrontation. The historical record of Sher Shah’s son gives the location of king’s fort as being in the vicinity of Ballnath in Jogis.

[shahabi 23]

Shahi Hammam

The Shahi Hammam or also known as the Wazir Khan Hammam, is the only public hammam (a place for bathing or refreshment) of the Mughal period in Lahore. The hammam was used by emperors and the royal families in the time of Empire Shah Jahan.

Shahi Hammam was built inside the Delhi Gate by Sheikh Ilmuddin Ansari. The Delhi Gate, one of the twelve gates of Lahore, was built by the Great Akbar in 1566. It is one of the most well preserved gates and one of the liveliest with numerous markets close by.

One of the most interesting features of the historically significant site is its Turkish style bath that is popular throughout the Islamic world, which provided reservoir fountains, dressing rooms, a hot room, and a warming room, additional latrines, and facilities for hot water.

[shahabi 23]

Kamran's Baradari

Kamran’s Baradari and Garden, the oldest Mughal building in Lahore, was built by Mirza Kamran, the son of Babar and step brother of Hamayun. He ruled over Lahore from 1535-1540 AD.

This picturesque Baradari (pavilion) of Kamran was built as a summer house and remained a recreational place for the Mughal Imperial family. The Ravi at that time flowed at a considerable distance but as the river changed its course during the period of Aurangzeb, the Baradari became an island, and with its beautiful sprawling gardens and decorative features is now used as a picnic resort by the people of Lahore.

[anabia 3]

APPRECIABLE WORK SHAHABI,

NICE SHARING,KEEP IT UP!

[shahabi 23]

APPRECIABLE WORK SHAHABI,

NICE SHARING,KEEP IT UP!

Thanks a lot anabia

[Amaya 3]

good work shahabi...