The historical Rohtas Fort (in local Language “Qila Rohtas”) is a battalion castle built by the famous Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri. This castle is about 4 km in boundary and the first instance of the successful merger of Pukhtun and Hindu structural design in the Subcontinent.
Emperor Sher Shah Suri named Qila Rohtas following the renowned Rohtasgarh castle in Shahabad district near Baharkunda, Bihar which he conquered from the Raja of Rohtas Hari Krishan Rai in 1539.
Sher Shah Suri built Qila Rohtas to chunk Emperor Nasir-ud-Din Humayun's arrival to India after defeating him in the encounter of Kanauj. This garrison lies on the older Grand Trunk Road connecting the Northern Afghanistan to the Plains of Punjab. It blocked the approach from Peshawar to Lahore. The other cause was to hold back the restricted people of this area Potohar called Gakhars who were associates of Humayun and refused their loyalty to Sher Shah Suri.The Castle was built by Todar Mal in orders of Sher Shah. Sher Shah threatened to raise such a fort in that state that it must not only effectually hold back the Ghakkars, but also the way of the Mughals. He then himself prepared sightsee through the hills of Girjhák Ninduna, and discover a well spot, he laid the basics of the fort, which he called Rohtas.
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| An Ariel view of Historical Qila (Fort) Rohtas |
Qila Rohtas is located in a canyon about 16 km North West of Jhelum City and 7 km from District Dina.
It was build on a small hill where the small Kahan River meets another dry stream called Parnal Khas and turns east towards “Tilla Jogian”
Range. The fort is on 300 feet (91 m) above
its environs. It is 2,660 feet (818 m) over sea level and covers a region of 12.63 acres (approximately 99 Kanals Land). Rohtas fort is a battalion fort and could seize a force of up to 30,000 soldiers. Due to its position, very big walls, trap gates and 3 stepped wells, it could survive a major siege although it was never overwhelmed.
It was build on a small hill where the small Kahan River meets another dry stream called Parnal Khas and turns east towards “Tilla Jogian” Range. The fort is on 300 feet (91 m) above its environs. It is 2,660 feet (818 m) over sea level and covers a region of 12.63 acres (approximately 99 Kanals Land). Rohtas fort is a battalion fort and could seize a force of up to 30,000 soldiers. Due to its position, very big walls, trap gates and 3 stepped wells, it could survive a major siege although it was never overwhelmed.
Most of the parts of fort were built with ashlar stones collected from its nearby villages such as Tarraki village.
Some division of the fort was built with bricks.
Some division of the fort was built with bricks.The 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 troubles and informed to Sher Shah regarding these problems who wrote in reply,” I recognize you for a man of business, sympathetic and cleverness. I see no job can be predictable from you, as you consider cash as your friend. When I have commanded you to carry out a thing you must not to have cared for funds in fixing the rate. Whatsoever be the operating expense shall be bear by my government.”
After getting this reply, Todar Mal fixed one red Ashrafi for every block on the first day. The rate slowly decreased to one Paoli or Bahluli.
Waqiat-e-Jehangiri
says that the expenditure was Rs. 3,425,000. It refers to an imprinted marble over the Shishi Gate which reads
says that the expenditure was Rs. 3,425,000. It refers to an imprinted marble over the Shishi Gate which reads
There is a small mosque is next to the Kabuli gate. It has a prayer hall and a small courtyard. It is the nearly all festooned of the unique buildings of the fort. To be always ready in case of assault, stairs guide straight from the courtyard of this mosque to the top of Kabuli Gate.
There are 3 Baolis (Water Pools) in the fort. These were prepared by cutting deep into the emerald rock. It is in the center of the Fort for military, elephants, horses & Cattle
etc. There is a Shahi Baoli, It is near the Kabuli Gate for the imperial family. It was used as baths by the Royal family.
etc. There is a Shahi Baoli, It is near the Kabuli Gate for the imperial family. It was used as baths by the Royal family.
The Rani Mahal (Queens’s palace)
is close to Haveli Man Singh.
It is a single storey building. It formerly had four rooms but now a room leftovers standing today. The base of all four rooms can still be seen today. It is not an innovative part of the fortification and is an instance of Hindustan design and built around the similar time as the Haveli Man Singh.
is close to Haveli Man Singh. It is a single storey building. It formerly had four rooms but now a room leftovers standing today. The base of all four rooms can still be seen today. It is not an innovative part of the fortification and is an instance of Hindustan design and built around the similar time as the Haveli Man Singh.The Qila Rohtas has hundreds of them and all are wonderfully bedecked with arithmetical outlines. The pictures are of a machicolation close to the Langar Khana (Mess Hall).
This fort was built in the Afghan-Persian architectural way. Afghans and Persians Kings had been coming to the Indian subcontinent for at least 5 centuries prior to the building of this fort. Previous to the construction of this garrison, the mixture of these styles had not been melodious. Qila Rohtas is the first model of the successful combination of these two styles.
Emperor Sher Shah Suri died before the end of this superb construction. Ten years once Sher Shah’s casualty and the end of the Suri empire, Humayun returned to rule India for another 15 years.
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