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Ramkot Fort

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Ramkot Fort
View of Ramkot Fort
Map
General information
LocationDadyal,Mirpur district,Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Construction started16th century AD

Ramkot Fort(Urdu:قلعہ رام کوٹ,romanized:Qila Ram Kot) is a medieval fort inMirpur,Azad Kashmir,Pakistan.[1][2]The fort is accessible via three routes from Dina, Dadayal, and Mirpur, with 440 stairs leading to the main gate, which is built on a sloped rock for defensive purposes.[3]

History

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The original fort was constructed in 1186 during theGhurid dynastybySultan Ghiyas-ud-din,according to the information board at the entrance but that fort is no longer in existence.[3]In the late 14th century, the fort was under control ofJasrat,a Punjabi Khokhar chieftain. At this fort Khokhars clashed with the armies of amirTimurin 1398.[4]However, the current structure probably dates to the 16th century builted byKashmir Sultanate.[5][6]

A temple with a large redShivalinga,brought from theGanges River,suggests a significant Hindu population once resided in the area.[3]The presence of Hindu mythological figure Ram Chandra's birthplace in nearbyPharwalamay explain the fort's name.[3]However, British geologist and historianFrederick Drewattributes the fort's construction to aGakharnamed Taghlu, contradicting the information board.[3]The fort underwent renovation during the reign of Gakhar Queen Mango, whose daughter married Mughal emperorAurangzeb Alamgir's son.[3]During theSikh era,the fort was handed over to theDogras.[3]

Ramkot Fort held strategic importance, as one of the four ancient routes to Srinagar passed through it.[3]The nearbyMangla Fort,attributed to Queen Mangla, daughter of KingPorus,is closely associated with the famous battle betweenRaja PorusandAlexander the Greatin 326 BC.[3]The area is also significant for being the birthplace ofRaja Porusin 400 BC and, much later, Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, author of Saif-ul-Malook.[3]

Architecture

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The main gate, constructed with red bricks, contrasts with the stone used elsewhere, suggesting possible destruction and reconstruction.[3]A smaller gate at the back was likely used for escape.[3]

The fort's interior features two large ponds for rainwater collection, essential due to its elevation and previous location at the confluence of the Jhelum and Poonch rivers.[3]Collapsed rooms, raw iron deposits, and the superintendent's residence are found within the complex.[3]The fort also includes a slope for hauling cannons, with a donated cannon on the rampart.[3]

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  • Landscape view
    Landscape view
  • Bird's eye view
    Bird's eye view
  • Courtyard
    Courtyard

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toRamkot Fort.

References

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  1. ^"Fort forlorn and forsaken | Footloose".The News International.
  2. ^"Ramkot Fort: Centuries-old Kashmiri heritage site on the verge of destruction".The Express Tribune.January 29, 2012.
  3. ^abcdefghijklmno"منگلا ڈیم کے قریب رامائن کے رام چندر سے منسوب قلعہ"[Fort attributed to Ram Chander of Ramayana near Mangla Dam].Independent Urdu.February 19, 2021.
  4. ^Panikkar, Ayyappa(1997).Medieval Indian Literature: Surveys and selections.Sahitya Akademi. p. 72.ISBN978-81-260-0365-5.
  5. ^Ali, Aown (July 3, 2015)."Ramkot Fort: The crumbling giant of Azad Kashmir".DAWN.COM.
  6. ^"Ramkot Fort, Mirpur, Pakistan".Asian Architecture.
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