Ranikot Fort

Ranikot Fort

رني ڪوٽ (Sindhi) ur (Urdu)
Ranikot Fort is the largest fort in the world.
Shown within Pakistan
Location	Jamshoro District, Sindh, Pakistan
Coordinates
Type	Fortification
Length	31 km
History
Builder	Refurbished by Mir Karam Ali Khan Talpur and Mir Murad Ali
Material	Stone and lime mortar
Founded	refurbihed in 1812

Ranikot Fort (Sindhi: رني ڪوٽ‎, Urdu: قلعہ رانی کوٹ‎) is a historical fort near Sann, Jamshoro District, Sindh, Pakistan. Ranikot Fort is also known as The Great Wall of Sindh سنڌ جي عظيم ديوار and is believed to be the world's largest fort with a circumference of approximately 26 kilometres (16 mi). The is compared to the Great Wall of China. Since 1993, nominated by the Pakistan National Commission for UNESCO, Ministry of Education under the cultural criteria, it has been on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The fort is listed as a historical site under the Antiquities Act 1975 and its subsequent amendments and provided protection.

Location

Ranikot Fort is at a distance of 56 miles to the north of Hyderabad on the national highway. There is also an easy access of about an hour's journey from Karachi to Sann on the Indus Highway. A diversion road, from a little distance away from Sann, leads to the fort along a rugged roa, which leads to the eastrn gate of the fort known as Sann Gate. It is inside the Kirthar National Park, the second largest national park in Pakistan. The nearest town "Sann" from where a foot track of 21 Km to the fort and passed through uninhabited area. Sann is a rail head on the Kotri-Larkana line of the Pakistan Railway.

History

The original purpose and architects of Ranikot Fort are unknown. However, it is believed that the fort was built during the regimes of the Sassanians, the Scythinas, the Parthians or the Bactrian Greeks. Archaeologists point to 17th century as time of its first construction but now Sindh archaeologists agree that some of the present structures were reconstructed by Mir Karam Ali Khan Talpur and his brother Mir Murad Ali in 1812 at a cost of 1.2 million rupees (Sindh Gazetteer, 677). These battlements of Ranikot formed the last capital of the Amirs of Sind, when they were brought under the colonial rule of the British Empire. Radicabon tests were conducted at the Sann Gate on the charcoal embedded in the mortar of a collapsed pillar of the eastern gate of the fort. These tests have confirmed that this gate was probably renovated between the early part of the 18 century and early part of the 19th century, prior to Britain invading the fort when the Kalhoras, or most likely the Talpur Mirs of Sindh ruled over the area.

Features

The fort is huge, connecting several bleak mountains of the Kirthar hills along contours, measures 31 km in length. The fort is interspersed with several bastions in between and thee are of semi circular shape. The northern part of the fort's wall is a natural high hilly formation while on the other three sides it is covered by fort walls. Within this main fort there is smaller fort which is about 5-6 miles from the entry gate of the main fort which is reported to have served as the palace of the Mir royal family. The entire fort structure has been built with stone and lime mortar. The fort is built in a zig-zag form, with four entry gates in the shape of a rhymboid. Two of the gates, facing each are crossed diagonally by the Sann river; the first gate is on the western side and is skirted by the river water and is difficult to approach. The southern entry gate has double doors gate. Within the gates there are two nitches which have floral ornamentation and the stones are carved. The Sann gate is well preserved and can be climbed to reach the top of the fort from both side to get a scenic view of the terrain around the fort. This gate is also the entrance to the smaller fort inside which is known as the "Meeri," the royal palace.

Restoration

Restoration works were undertaken on the fort, particularly on the Sann Gate complex, the fortification wall extending south including the mosque and the small Meeri fort or palace within the main fort. These were undertaken by the Archaeology department of Pakistan, the Department of Culture of Sindh and the Dadu district administration Following allegations of poor construction and favoritism in award of contracts an enquiry was instituted in 2005. The Enquiry Commission's report indicated that the restoration works were poorly done with cement and new stone work without conforming to the "Venice Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites" and recommended stoppage of further work on the fort. Based on this report further restoration work was suspended from 2006.

Gallery

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• Rani Kot2.jpg
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• Ranikot6.JPG
• Rani Kot4.jpg

See also

• List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Pakistan
• List of forts in Pakistan
• List of museums in Pakistan

Further reading

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• Ranikot Fort - The Great Wall of Pakistan Also Known as the Mysterious Place in Pakistan