- Type
- Fortress
- Coordinates
- 28.7673°, 71.3339°
History
The first stronghold here is said to have been built in the 9th century by the Rajput prince Rai Jajja Bhati, of the clan that later ruled Jaisalmer, and the fort's name supposedly derives from Dera Rawal, the seat of the rawal. In 1733 the fortress was captured and rebuilt by Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan I of the Abbasi dynasty, ruler of Bahawalpur. The Bhatis briefly regained it in the mid-18th century, but from 1804 it remained in the hands of the nawabs of Bahawalpur. A mosque and a necropolis of the Abbasi family were built nearby. After the princely state of Bahawalpur became part of Pakistan the fort lost its importance and has been slowly decaying, its walls crumbling in places.
What to see
The brick walls, about 1.5 kilometres around and up to 30 metres high, are reinforced by 40 round bastions spaced along every side. The fortress is most impressive from outside, especially at sunset when the walls take on a warm glow. Next to it stands a white marble mosque from the 19th century, with the tombs of the nawabs a little further away. In winter the area comes alive for the Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally, whose base lies at the foot of the fort.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q2474542
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