Derawar Fort (Qila Derawar) in Cholistan Desert in the Bahawalpur region of Pakistan is a sight to behold!
The soldiers have long left Cholistan’s desert, but one of the world’s most extraordinary forts still stands as private property, held by the royal Abbasi family, who also maintain a necropolis on the land.
Derawar Fort is a fascinating legacy of the region’s rich history and is a prominent historical destination within the huge Cholistan Desert.
The beautiful architecture of Derawar Fort, which dates back to the 9th century AD and stands tall in the desert wilderness, says a lot about history. So, let’s have a look at some facts about this historic citadel in Pakistan’s lower Punjab, which is located amid one of the country’s largest deserts.
Derawar Fort is situated at a distance of around 130 kilometers from Bahawalpur.
The Ahmedpur-Derawar Fort Road leads directly to the fort. One of the fort’s greatest attractions is its location next to a dry riverbed, which is home to hundreds of other archaeological sites, including the mysterious Indus Valley Civilization’s ruins.
An old river that formerly irrigated the whole region around the Derawar Fort has now dried up completely.
Furthermore, Abbasi Mosque is a popular old monument nearby, as is a renowned graveyard at Derawar Fort, which is said to contain the tombs of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) companions.
The Abbasi Mosque is one of the most important remains of the Nawabs of Bahawalpur’s golden era in the Cholistan Desert area of lower Punjab.
The foundation stone of Derawar fort was set about 800 years ago, according to historical records.
It was first built under the kingship of Rai Jajja Bhati, a Hindu Rajput India’s Rajasthan state, in the 9th century. In 1733 AD, however, the Nawabs of Bahawalpur captured it and fully rebuilt it to the shape it has today.
The walls of the fort have a length of 1.5 kilometers and stand up to 30 meters high. There are 40 circular bastions, ten on each side of the fort, standing 30 meters high and are visible across the Cholistan desert for many miles.
Due to regional instability, the Nawab of Bahawalpur lost control of the fort only a few years later. However, they regained the fort in the nineteenth century and remained a stronghold in the area for a long time.
The fort was maintained from time to time by the Nawabs of Bahawalpur and was in excellent condition during their reign.
Since the entire region of the lower Punjab was ruled by many dynasties and empires, many historical sites may be found on the outskirts of Bahawalpur.
Farrukh Mahal, Nishat Mahal, and Noor Mahal are some of the sites worth mentioning in this respect.