Extremely of Rohtas

The extremely of Rohtas (in Urdu ur قلعہروہتاس, transcribed Qila Rohtas ), is a Fort of Garnison builds by the Afghan king Sher Shâh Sûrî at the 15th century. It is the first example of a mixture successful between Hindu, Afghan and Persian architectures in the Indian sub-continent.

History

Its construction begins in 1541 under the orders of Todar Mal Khatri, the Minister for the incomes, Sher Shâh Sûrî having ordered its construction in order to prevent the return of the emperor Humâyûn after his victory over this one to the Bataille of Kanauj. The fort is on the old road between north (the Afghanistan) and the plains of the Punjab; it controlled thus the road between Peshawar and Lahore. Sher Shâh Sûrî wanted to also repress the local tribes, the Gakhars, combined of Humâyûn. Gakhars answer the construction of the fort of Rohtas while raising close to the village of Sultanpur of the fortifications which still exist.

Sher Shâh Sûrî chooses to extremely name the fort in honor of famous of Rohtasgarh in the district of Shahabad close to Baharkunda, in the Bihar, which it had captured of the Rajah of Rohtas, Hari Krishnan Rai, in 1539. The fort of Rohtasgarh is located on northern bank of the Sound; it was built by Harish Chandra of the Solar dynasty, which named the fort in honor of his/her Rohitasva son.

Sher Shâh Sûrî dies before the completion of the fort. Ten years later, the Humâyûn emperor turns over to reign on India for fifteen years.

By its military character, the fort was never popular among the Moghols: the emperor Akbar remained only one night there, as well as the emperor Jahângir, who returned another time there when one forced it to turn over to Kabul.

The Pachtounes, on the other hand, used much the fort, like enemies of Gakhars. They there left a governor and used the fort to ensure their relation their capital, Kabul.

Geography

The fort of Rohtas is located in a throat at approximately 16 km at the North-West of Jhelum and to 7 km of Dina. It was built on a hill of approximately 300 m in height and where the Kahan brook joined the river Pamal Khas, which is directed towards the east while moving towards the mount Tilla Jogian. It is with: 2660 m above the sea level and extend on 12,63 ha.

Construction

Gakhars refusing to work with the construction of the fort, Todar Mal Khatri had difficulties in start work. Finally, Sher Shâh Sûrî says to him that the cost of construction would be paid by its kingdom. The price of each Dalle will be initially of a red ashrafi , then will go down to a paoli or a bahloli .

The cost of construction will be enormous because of the Boycott on behalf of Gakhars, but the exact sum differs according to the sources. Waqiat-i-Jagangiri says that it cost: 34250000 Roupie S. It is based on a rock engraved above the door of Shishi which says that the sum is from “16: 10000000 prejudices and a little more, is 34: 25000 rupees of Hindoustan: 120000 Toman S of Iran or: 12175000 khanis of Touran”. According to Tarikh-i-Daudi, the cost is of: 80505002 prejudices .

Description

The fort of Rohtas is a fort of garrison which could shelter until: 30000 men. By its site, its walls massive, its door-trap and its three baolis (well), it could resist a major seat, but it was never besieged. It has twelve doors (including four door-traps), 68 bastions: 1900 ramparts and: 9500 steps.

Majority of the fort east built with rocks Ashlar of the surrounding villages, of which Tarraki. Certain elements however were built in Brique S.

The fort is of irregular form because it follows contours of the hill to its base. Its circumference is of approximately 4 km. A long wall of 533 Mr. separates the Citadelle (for the chief) from the remainder of the fort.

The fortifications include 68 bastions (turns) with regular intervals. From the three baolis, one is in the citadel and the two others in the remainder of the fort. One of the doors (Langar Khani) opens on the citadel and is a carry-trap because it is in full line of sight of the bastions.

A little place of the west coast is a citadel in the citadel; accessible by only one door, it contained a very fine baoli, which suggests that it was reserved to the chief and for his family. In this citadel, one also finds the Mosquée Shahi.

It there no Palate in the fort, except a structure built by Rajah Man Singh called the haveli of Man Singh . It is built at the highest point of the citadel.

Today the fort is very still well preserved, not having never been attacked, but certain parts are declining because of the lack of maintenance. The central arcade of the Chandwali door was recently restored, making of it the only part nonoriginal fort. With the beginning of the year 2005, the strong rains and the abandonment of the structure made fall the left interior frontage from the Talaqi door, as well as the right-sided and the foundations. The right bastion and its wall of the Gatali door crumbled following the erosion of the foundations and the infiltrations.

Walls

The height of the external wall varies between 10 and 18 m, its width between 10 and 13 Mr. the wall have two or three terraces, dependant between them by staircases. The higher terrace has Rempart S in form of merlon. One can draw with the Mousquet since these ramparts like throwing Plomb molten on the enemies.

The wall is made of sandstone with mortar of Chaux, and bricks. The doors are of masonry Ashlar. Certain parts are built with burned brick.

Doors

The fort of Rohtas has twelve doors: Sohail, Shâh Chandwali, Kabouli, Shishi, Langar Khani, Talaqi, Mori or Kachemiri, Khwas Khani, Gatali, Tulla Mori, Pipalwala, and Sar.

Surrounding sites

Apart from the fort, beside the door Langar Khani, one finds fall it from a woman called Khair Nisa, girl of a Minister for the vivres. She died there and was buried there, but its skin D-was then buried with Sasaram.

The fort being on the road of Peshawar with Lahore, which comprised Caravansérail S with approximately each kilometer, one finds an example preserved rather well with one kilometer in the north of the fort.

Appendices

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