Remnants of Fort in Khanqah Dogran

Remnants of Fort in Khanqah Dogran, which supposed to be Constructed from Bricks Taken from Ancient city of Asarur

References taken from the Archaeological Survey of India

08-03-2018

Hussain Dogar was my host in Khanqah Dogran. We both were in search of an old mosque of 17^th Century.  The only source of information about that mosque was a picture that earlier, I have seen on flicker.  We walked for hours in streets of Khanqah Dogran but could not able to find that mosque, may be that mosque location was wrongly marked.

We abandoned our exploring journey after reaching at Tomb of “Haji Dewan Namet Ullah Suharwardi”. It is said that, Khanqah Dogran was populated some five hundred years agok, when “Haji Dewan Namet Ullah Suharwardi” settled in this area.  Before him it was found in books by name of “Cha Masroor” and “Khitah Dogran”.  Neighboring to the tomb of Dewan Sahib there are remnants of an old fort. Locals only know that some Hindu family was living here before Indo-Pak partition. Well that fort has something which has history more than two thousand years old.   In order to understand it we have to go some fourteen hundred years back, Villages in the Khangah Dogran tahsil of Sheikhupura District, Punjab, situated in 31 47' N. and 73 42' E. It is identified by Cunningham with the ancient city of Tse-kie or Taki, which was visited by Hiuen Tsiang in a. d. 630. The city was then one of great importance, and is said by the Chinese pilgrim to have been 3 miles in circuit, a measurement which agrees well enough with that of the ruins still existing. The antiquity claimed for the place is confirmed by the large size of the bricks, 18 by 10 by 3 inches, which are found all over the ruins, and by the great numbers of Indo-Scythian coins that are discovered after heavy rain. Its history therefore certainly reaches back to the beginning of the Christian era. The ruins consist of an extensive mound, 15,600 feet, or nearly 3 miles, in circuit. The highest point is in the north-west quarter, where the mound rises to 59 feet above the fields. This part, which Cunningham takes to have been the ancient palace, is 600 feet long and 400 feet broad, and quite regular in shape. It contains an old well, 21 feet in diameter, which has not been used for many years and is now dry. The place is com- pletely surrounded by a line of large mounds about 25 feet in height, and 8,100 feet, or \\ miles, in circuit, which was evidently the strong- hold or citadel of the place. The mounds are round and prominent, like the ruins of large towers or bastions. On the east and south sides of the citadel the mass of ruins sinks to 10 and 15 feet in height, but it is twice the size of the citadel, and is no doubt the remains of the old city. There are no visible traces of any ancient buildings, as all the surface bricks have been long ago carried off to the neighbouring shrine of Ugah Shah at Khangah Masrur on the road from Lahore to Pindi Bhattian ; but among the old bricks forming the surrounding wall of the mosque, Cunningham found three moulded in different patterns, which could only have belonged to buildings of some importance.

He found also a wedge-shaped brick, 15 inches long and 3 inches thick, with a breadth of ro inches at the narrow end and nearly 10^ inches at the broad end. This must have been made for a stupa, or for a well, but most probably for the latter, as the existing well is 2 1 feet in diameter. The modern village of Asarur contains only forty-five houses. At the time of Hiuen Tsiang's visit there were ten monasteries, but very few Buddhists, and the mass of the people worshipped the Brah- manical gods. North-east of the town, at 10 //, or nearly 2 miles, was a stTlpa of Asoka, 200 feet in height, which marked the spot where Buddha had halted, and which was said to contain a large number of his relics. This stupa General Cunningham identifies with the little mound of Salar, near Thatta Saiyidan, just 2 miles to the north of Asarur.

Now come to the fort which I have found in Khanqah Dogran that looks to be constructed of surface bricks taken from the ancient town of Asarur.  

Asarur, The Buddhist town which exists on land of Khanqah Dogran some  fifteen hundred to two thousand years back. 

CHINIOT FORT

06th  March 2018

Remnant of Fort

You can find the earliest references about “Chiniot Fort’’, when the Mongol Empire launched several invasions into the Indian subcontinent from 1221 to 1327. Mongol commander Mughlai killed Machi Khan, the ruler of Bhera. Afterwards, the cities of Chiniot and Bhera got captured by Mongols. In year 1391, Chini the sister of Machi Khan attacked Chiniot. The Mongol commander Mughlai came out of the Chiniot city but got defeated by Chini army. Mughlai escaped from the war site and took refuge inside the Chiniot Fort. Chini army sieges the fort for three month and at last got victorious. The fort was badly destroyed in this period. Chini rebuilt the fort and city.

In some references also found out Mughal Commander Tar Tai attacked Chiniot in 1398. The Fort rebuilt by Chini again got destroyed.

The Ain-i-Akbari or the “Constitution of Akbar” is a 16^th Century detailed document recording the administration of Emperor Akbar’s Empire.   You can find earliest references about “Chiniot Fort “in this book.

Remnant of Fort

According, to Ain-i-Akbari there was a strong fortified Fort present in Chiniot, a military of five hundred horsemen along with five thousand infantry was stationed inside this fort. From Akbar Azam to Bahadur Shah Zafar, the Fort remained under the control of Mughal Rulers.  During the rule of Emperor Jahangir, this fort was renovated by Lahore Governor Nawab Wazir Khan.

After the Mughals, this fort was used under “Sials Nawab”.  In the book “History of Punjab” by Kenhya Lal you will find the names of Sardar Karam Singh and Sardar Jasa Singh. These Sikh Sardar took control of this fort from Sials. These Sikh Sardar’s created an atmosphere of fear and discomfort in the whole area. Looting and killing unarmed villagers was common during this time. Complain against these Sardar at last reached in a court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. After conquering the fort of Daska in the year 1802, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh reached Chiniot with his army to help the populace of Chiniot. These Sikh Sardar run from the site and took refuge inside the Fort.  Maharaja siege the fort, however, he has to leave Chiniot after two months after hearing news that the Kasur Muslim ruler was preparing to attack Lahore. Raja Ranjeet Singh Army again attacked this fort in the year 1806, this time they came with heavy artillery. The city of Chiniot was completely destroyed after this attack. People of Chiniot still remembered that day, there is one story famous among the Chiniot populace. When Raja Ranjeet Singh's army attacked Chiniot, along with other populace seventy grooms were killed on the same day.

Remnant of Fort Wall

No renovation or protection work was done in the British period.  Now only, a few parts of the external wall have left.

It is said that all old houses of Chiniot were constructed from bricks stolen from this fort. An edifice of historical importance that has seen the different civilizations of our land is no more with us.

Sher Shah Suri Fort in Tulamba & History of Town 2018

05-03-2018

ONE OF TWELVE BASTIONS IN THE EXTERIOR FORTIFICATION WALL

30°31'38.19"N, 72°14'19.33"E

Reference:-Archaeological Survey of India

Tulamba, situated on the eastern bank of the Ravi River between Mian Channu and Abdul Hakeem in Khanewal district, bears witness to a captivating past. This historically significant town has been the subject of study and exploration by researchers and scholars, shedding light on its intriguing heritage. The Archaeological Survey of India has played a pivotal role in unraveling the enigmatic tale of Tulamba.

According to Mehboob Tabish, a respected researcher and writer, Tulamba was originally under the rule of the Malohi tribe of Jatt people during Alexander the Great's reign. The tribe displayed immense bravery and courage, fiercely resisting Alexander's attack. This resistance stands as a testament to the valor and resilience of the Malohi tribe.

The Muslim history of Tulamba traces its origins to the arrival of Muhammad bin Qasim, who passed through the town en route to Multan. The area he traversed is now known as Qasim Bazar, marking his significant presence in Tulamba. The present town of Tulamba is believed to have been constructed by Shujawal Khan, the son-in-law and Minister of Mahmud Langa of Multan, between A.D. 1510 and 1525.

The old fortress, which had miraculously escaped the ravages of Timur's conquests, once stood over a mile south of the modern town. Constructed with brick walls, remnants of this ancient fort can still be observed through the horizontal lines of the courses on the outer faces of the ramparts. Curiously, when the Ravi River altered its course, diverting to a more northerly path, the fort was abandoned due to the loss of its vital water supply. The bricks from the old ramparts were then repurposed to build the walls of the new town. Intriguingly, these walls exhibit numerously carved and molded bricks placed in various peculiar positions, sometimes individually, sometimes in lines, and occasionally even upside down.

Originally known as Kulamba or Kulambha, the town eventually acquired its present name, Tulamba. The exact meaning behind the name remains unknown, but it has been consistently spelled as Tulamba by various Muslim authors throughout history. One of the earliest mentions of Tulamba can be found in Sharf-ud-din's History of Timur. During Timur's conquest, the town surrendered under specific terms, which were predictably broken by the invader and his troops. The soldiers pillaged and burned the houses, subjecting the inhabitants to slavery, while the fort was spared to avoid delaying Timur's advance toward Delhi.

Tragically, Tulamba would suffer another invasion in A.D. 1480, when Amir Shekh Ali, the Governor of Kabul under Shah Rokh, led an assault on the town. Once again, the invading forces violated their promises, plundering Tulamba, massacring able-bodied men, and reducing the town to ashes. The women and children were taken captive, enduring a fate of slavery.

Religion has also played a significant role in the history of Tulamba. Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion, embarked on his first journey (Udasis) and visited Tulamba. Centuries later, Guru Hari Rai, the seventh Sikh spiritual master, dispatched a preacher to Tulamba with the mission of spreading the teachings of the Sikh faith. These spiritual connections have left an indelible mark on Tulamba's religious landscape.

At the heart of Tulamba stands its mighty fort, which was reconstructed by Sher Shah Suri. This architectural marvel now serves as a girls' high school and houses the offices of the town committee. The fort comprises twelve bastions that support its grand fortification

CORNER BASTION 

EXTERNAL WALL

EXTERNAL WALL

INTERNAL WALL NOW SURROUNDED BY NEWLY BUILT HOUSES

CORNER BASTIAN 

CORNER BASTIAN AND EXTERNAL FORT WALL

ONE OF BASTIAN LOCATED INSIDE STREETS

REMAINS OF EXTERNAL WALL

EXTERNAL WALL AND BASTIAN 

EXTERNAL WALL

Shergarh Fort , Depalpur Tehsil, Okara District, Punjab

06-03-2018

30°49'51.21"N

73°44'21.66"E

The Tarikh-i-Sher Shahi (history of Sher Shah) dating 1580 CE, is a historical work compiled by Abbas Khan Sarwan. In this book Abbas highlighted that, after few years of Conquering of Multan by Afghans; Sher Shah Suri Nominated Fateh Jang Khan Governor of Multan. Fateh Jang Khan, named the town of Shergarh after the Afghan ruler of India, Sher Shah Suri, who built a mud fort in town.

Mir Chakar Khan Tomb & Fort of Raja Raneet Singh Satgarah (Pictorial Blog)

The Punjab government has made the decision to preserve and restore two historical landmarks in Okara: the Satgarah Fort, constructed by Maharaja Ranjeet Singh approximately 180 years ago, and the tomb of Mir Chakar Khan Rind, a Baloch chieftain and folk hero, which predates the fort by over two centuries.

As a first step towards conserving and restoring these monuments, the provincial government has allocated a budget of Rs2.875 million. This funding will be utilized for archaeological surveys, documentation, and the development of a master plan to guide the conservation and development of the historic village of Satgarah in Okara. The project's PC-II has already been prepared, and documentation work is expected to commence next month.

Satgarah is a village located approximately 17 kilometers from Okara City. According to a concept paper prepared by the Punjab archaeology department, Mir Chakar Khan, a Baloch chieftain from the Rind tribe, migrated from Balochistan to the region in 1518. He settled in the present-day precincts of Okara and used the area as a base for his campaigns against the rulers of Multan. Mir Chakar Khan allied with Mughal emperor Humayun in his battles against Sher Shah Suri and established his power in the region. He is believed to have constructed a fort and a mosque near Satgarah village. Local residents believe that the site served as a Baloch graveyard and that Mir Chakar Khan was buried there in 1565.

In 1830, during his campaigns for Multan, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh constructed a fort on the site of the Baloch graveyard. He demolished the roof of Mir Chakar Khan's tomb, desecrated the grave, and incorporated it into one of the bastions of his fort. Although the Sikh fort still stands, it is in a dilapidated condition. The tomb was excavated and restored in 1960 by the then Multan commissioner, Atta Muhammad Khan Leghari, and was subsequently entrusted to the archaeology department. Despite a restoration effort in 2007 under the supervision of a provincial committee, the tomb remains in a state of disrepair. The plastering and alterations made during the restoration deviated from the original design, causing damage to the architectural and historical significance of the monument. The restoration work at that time focused only on the tomb, with no attention given to the Sikh-era fort or the site of Mir Chakar Khan's citadel.

The Satgarah village has been haphazardly developed around the fort and consists of old houses and fortification walls constructed with brick tiles. An annual congregation takes place at Satgarah, attracting Baloch people from neighboring areas and even from Balochistan.

The Punjab archaeology department has proposed a three-phase project for preservation and restoration. In Phase I, it is suggested that the entire site, including the Satgarah village, be protected under the Punjab Special Premises (Protection) Act 1985. Additionally, the department recommends the establishment of a small museum within the tomb or any other historically significant building in the village. Furthermore, it proposes the construction of a building for the Baloch congregation, equipped with facilities such as eateries.

Phase II entails the restoration of the fortification wall and other fort structures, as well as the preservation of selected village buildings based on their historical and architectural importance. The old Satgarah Baloch settlement would be retained and protected.

Phase III focuses on the preservation and restoration of old houses, the rehabilitation of the village area within the fort as a living monument, and the development of tourist facilities such as an information center, landscaped park, and outdoor congregation area