Rohtas Fort

The origin of the fort goes back to the Sur dynasty, when emperor Sher Shah Suri ordered the fort built after his victory over the Mughal emperor Humayun.[4] Construction of the fort began in the year 1541.[4] It was built primarily to defend against the Mughals .[5]

The fort was ceded to Mughal emperor Humayun in the year 1555.

The fort lost much of its significance as the fort's purpose of subduing Mughal tribesmen, as well as the preventing the return of Emperor Humayun, was no longer required.[3] Further, the construction of the nearby Attock Fort in the 1580s by Emperor Akbar better served Mughal interests.

The fort remained in use during the Mughal era, and was used almost continuously until 1707,[2] though it was not popular with the Mughal rulers.[3] The Afsharid ruler Nadir Shah camped at the fort during his attack on the Mughal Empire. Also the Afghan chieftain Ahmed Shah Abdali used the fort in his expeditions in the Punjab during the waning days of the Mughal empire.[6] It was briefly conquered by the Marathas in 1758. The Afghans retook the fort in 1759.

In 1825, the Sikh forces of Gurmukh Singh Lamba took the fort so Rohtas was thereafter used for administrative purposes by the Sikh Empire until its collapse by the British in 1849.[7][8]

Raje Gaut, the principal road to Rotas Ghur, Bahar (1795)

Rohtas Fort is protected by thick defensive walls

The height of the outer wall varies between 10 and 18 metres, with a thickness that varies between ten and 13 metres. The fortified walls have 68 bastions at irregular intervals,[2] with twelve monumental gateways providing access to the inner fort.[2] The ramparts follow the hilltop's contours.[2]

The walls had up to three terraces at different levels, connected by staircases. The uppermost terrace has merlon-shaped battlements from which muskets could be fired, and from which soldiers could also pour molten lead.

The walls are built in sandstone laid in lime mortar mixed with brick. The gates are in grey ashlar masonry. Some portions were built of burnt brick.

The Rohtas Fort has twelve gates, all built of ashlar stone.

Sohail Gate

Close-up of Sohail Gate

The Sohail gate features some of the best masonry work of the Sur Empire, and was likely the ceremonial main entrance to the fort.[1] It derives its name from a local saint named Sohail Bukhari, whose remains are interred in the south-western portion of the gate.

This rectangular gate measures 21.34 metres (70.0 feet) high, by 20.73 metres (68.0 feet) wide, and with a depth of 15 metres (49 feet). Its central archway is 4.72 metres (15.5 feet) wide, and maintains its shape throughout the gates depth. The gateway has floral motifs, with richer decoration on the outer face.

There are seven battlements along the outer face of the Sohail gate. A room on the upper floor has windows which open towards the fort's interior. Like the outer arch there is a small window in the middle of the inner arch.

Shah Chandwali Gate

This gate links the citadel to the main fort. It is named after Shah Chandwali who refused to receive 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, which comprises the entrance which from the citadel is 13.3 meters wide and 8.23 meters deep and the inner gate which is a simple archway, 3.66 meters wide. There are 12 gates of the fort.

Kabuli Gate

The Kabuli gate opens to the northwest in the general direction of Kabul, for which it is named. The gate now houses a visitors' information center, and a museum set up by the Himalayan Wildlife Foundation.

The gate may have been built in two stages.[1] It consists of an inner and outer gate which enclose a step-well.[1] Its opening is 3.15 meters (10.3 feet) wide, and is flanked by two bastions on either side of the opening. The gate has five battlements on top, with stairs leading to them up the outside wall. South of the gate is the Shahi (Royal) Mosque, so many people also call it the Shahi (Royal) Darwaza (Gate or Door).

The gate derives its name from the beautiful glazed tiles that decorate its outer arch. These blue tiles are the earliest examples of this technique, which was later refined in Lahore.

An inscription to the left of the gate gives the date of construction of the fort. The inscription is in Persian and is translated as

In the Hijri Year 948 [1541 CE] came the exalted
At that time constructed the great fort
The emperor is Sher, with long life
There is no match to his good fortune
It was completed by Shahu Sultan

Langar Khani Gate Plan

Langar Khan is a double gate which is 15.25 meters (50.0 feet) high, 3.5 meters (11 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 (kitchen).

Two bastions on either side of the gate have kitchens, 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.

This gate is 15.25 meters high and 13.8 meters wide with two bastions on each side. This gate's name derives from "Talaq" (divorce). According to legend, Prince Sabir Suri entered the gate and had an attack of fever, which proved fatal. This was regarded as a bad omen and the name of the gate became "Talaqi".

The gate opens to the north and faces towards Kashmir. This gate opens into one chamber, which opens into another.

This gate is named after one of Sher Shah Suri's greatest generals, Khawas Khan Marwat. This was the original entrance to the Qila (fort) from the old GT Road.

It is a double gate. The outer gate is 12.8 meters (42 feet) wide and 8 meters (26 feet) deep. 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. This gate has a bastion and a defensive wall on each side. On the bastions cannons could be deployed. The inner and outer gates are almost mirror images. The top of the gate has five battlements. All of these have loopholes and machicolations. 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 with windows opening to the inside and the outside.

Gatali Gate

It is a single gate 9.15 meter high and 6.1 meter deep. This gate faces to the village Gatali Ford (ravine) which is called also Patan Gatiali or Gatiyalian, the important point to cross the Jhelum River for the Kashmir Valley, thus the name.

This is an entrance rather than a gate. It is on the eastern side of the fort, about two meters wide, and has a bastion next to its entrance.

This is a small entrance like the Tulla Mori Gate. It is 2.13 meters wide.

This small entrance seems to have been made by locals knocking down the main wall (outer boundary) at a later stage as a passage to an adjacent jungle. There is a bastion next to this gate. A dilapidated pond has been in front of this gate within the fort, since the fort was built, so it is now called "Sar Gate" (water pond).

Remains of the former mosque.

This small mosque known as Shahi masjid is near the Kabuli gate. It has a prayer chamber and a small courtyard. It is the most decorated of the original buildings of the fort. Stairs lead from the courtyard of this mosque to the top of Kabuli Gate.

The prayer chamber is 19.2 meter long and 7.3 meter deep. It is divided into three equal chambers. There are domes inside but from the outside they cannot be seen. A small room at the end of these three chambers was for the Pesh Imam (Prayer Leader). This room has a small domed roof from the inside but no outer dome. There is no place for ablution (cleaning up before prayers) in the mosque. This mosque is built into the fortification wall i.e. soldiers walked over the mosque's 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, surrounded by lilies. The lily 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.

The central stepwell

There are three baolis in the fort, made by cutting deep into the limestone. They were used to take horses to water. There are 137 steps.

The central baoli is in the middle of the fort for soldiers, elephants, horses etc. This baoli has 148 steps. Each step is 20 cm (8 in) wide. The upper portion has been cut in stone. It has three arches that span its length.

The royal baoli is near the Kabuli Gate for the Royal family. It has 60 steps and small chambers that were used as baths by the Royal family.

The Sar Gate baoli is a small baoli near the Sar Gate, most likely used by soldiers.

Raja Man Singh haveli

The Rani Mahal (Queens palace) is near Haveli Man Singh. It is a one-storey structure. It originally had four rooms but only room remains standing today. The foundation of the four rooms can still be seen today.

The room still standing today is about 20 feet (6.1 m) high and beautifully decorated on the inside and outside. The roof of the dome like room is like a flower. The inside of the roof is decorated with flowers, geometrical patterns and fake windows. The room is about 8 by 8 feet (2.4 by 2.4 m).

Stonework with an inscription reading 'ALLAH' i.e. 'God'

These carvings are found on the gate and in the mosque. Most of these are engravings in Arabic and sunflowers.

One of these carvings is inside the Shahi Mosque outside the Pesh Imam's (Prayer leaders) room. The carving is of the word "Allah" in Arabic. The same carving is also done on merlons on top of Shahi Mosque.

The sunflower motif is on each sides of the arches of Shahi Mosque. It is also present in the guard post in between each gate.

Most of these inscriptions are on the Shahi Mosque. On the outer wall of the mosque the "Six Kalimas" are written in calligraphy on each side of each arch of the Shahi Mosque, in the Naskh script.

An inscription in Persian on the Shishi gate gives the date construction began. The same inscription is also found over the Talaqi gate.

There are other inscriptions on the Khwas Khani, Langar Khani and Gatali gates.

These 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 has been used in the Shahi Mosque.

Machicolations are small drains that lead from the inside to the walls outside. They are built into the walls and are used by the soldiers on the inside to pour molten lead or other hot liquids on soldiers trying to scale the walls. The Rohtas Fort has hundreds of them and each one is beautifully decorated with geometric patterns. The picture is of a machicolation near the Langar Khana (Mess Hall).

Rohtas Fort was designated a World Heritage Site in 1997,[2] having met the following inclusion criteria:

Criterion (ii): "Rohtas Fort blends architectural and artistic traditions from Turkey and the Indian subcontinent to create the model for Mughal architecture and its subsequent refinements and adaptations."[2]
Criterion (iv): "Rohtas Fort is an exceptional example of the Muslim military architecture of central and south Asia during the 16th century."[2]

The fort was also noted for its high-level of integrity, and authenticity.[2]

The Rohtas Fort Conservation Programme was conceived by the Himalayan Wildlife Foundation in 2000 to help protect the fort 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.

In 1992 the government of Pakistan ordered the locals of Rohtas to leave the inside area of fort and stated that the government would construct houses for them outside. Zafar Chughtai the chairman of Rohtas opposed the stay order from government declaring that no government will take the properties of Rohtas locals. The stay order is still effective but no subsequent government has pursued its execution and has allowed the fort residents to reside there.

1. Complete restoration of Shah Chandwali Gate
2. Conservation of Haveli Man Singh
3. Conservation of Talaqi Gate and Gatali Gate
4. Establishment of Sher Shah Suri Museum in upper storey of Sohail Gate
5. Improvement of quality of life in Rohtas Fort village

The dual-carriage Grand Trunk Road takes you past Gujar Khan and Sohawa, to the small city of Dina 110 km away. Just past Dina you will drive over a railway overpass, stay to the right of the road and take the first U-turn to drive back towards Dina. After about 100 meters to your left you will find a signpost, which indicates the way towards the road leading to Rohtas Fort which is 8 km away, past the small holy village of Muftian home to the Mufti Tribe. Drive on the road to enter into the fort and keep driving till you reach the parking area.

Drive on G.T. road past Gujranwala, Wazirabad and the city of Jhelum. About 10 minutes drive beyond the Jhelum bridge just short of the city of Dina, you will find a signpost to the left directing you to Rohtas Fort.

Panoramic view of the Rohtas Fort

Panoramic view of Haveli of Man Singh