Rohtas
Fort is a 16th
century fortress located near the city of Jehlum in the Pakistani province
of Punjab. The fortress was built during the reign of Sher Shah Suri. The
fort was also designed to suppress the local Gakhar tribes of
the Potohar region. The Gakhar tribes were allies of the Mughal
Empire, and refused to recognize the suzerainty of Sher Shah Suri. The
fort is one of the largest and most formidable in the subcontinent. Rohtas Fort was
never stormed by force, and has survived remarkably intact.
The fort is known for its
large defensive walls, and several monumental gateways. Rohtas Fort was
inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1997 for
being an exceptional example of the
Muslim military architecture of Central and South Asia.
The fort
lies eight kilometers south of the Grand Trunk Road. It is approximately
16 km NW of Jhelum, and is near the city of Dina. It is
approximately 3 km from Khukha. The historic Shahrah-e-Azam road once passed
adjacent to the outer northern wall of the fort.
Rohtas Fort was built on a
hill overlooking a gorge where the Kahan River meets a
seasonal stream called Parnal
Khas within the Tilla Jogian Range. The fort is about 300
feet (91 m) above its surroundings. It is 2,660 feet (810 m) above
sea level and covers an area of 12.63 acres (51,100 m2).
The fort was
commissioned by Sher Shah Suri, founder of the Sur Empire. The fort
was designed to block the advances of Mughal emperor Humayun,
who had been exiled to Persia following his defeat at the Battle of Kannauj. The
fort occupies a strategic position between the mountainous region of
Afghanistan and the plains of Punjab, and was intended to prevent the Mughal
emperor from returning to India.
The fort was also designed to
suppress the local Gakhar tribes of the Potohar region. The
Gakhar tribes were allies of the Mughal Empire, and refused to recognize
the suzerainty of Sher Shah Suri.
