Pharwala Fort
Fharwala Fort located in Potohar, Pakistan is the most unassailable fort in South Asia. The fort has long been associated with the fearless clan of Gakhar Jatts. Pharwala Fort is about 40 km from Rawalpindi beyond Lehtrar road.
Jat clans
History
PThe Gakhar ruler, Sultan Kai Gohar built it in 10th century on the ruins of a 10th-century Hindu Shahi Fort. Gakhars ruled Pothohar region for about eight hundred and fifty years. Emperor Babur attacked the fort in 1519 AD before Hathi (Hammad) Khan had acknowledged him. The fort is naturally defended by one side by a small Himalayan range and the other by the Swaan River.
The fort is in a bad shape. Being situated in the Kahuta area, is only open for Pakistani visitors. Foreigners need a No Objection Certificate to enter the area. A small community of Gakhars still lives inside the fort these days (around 50 people). An old and huge Banyan tree is also found inside the fort. There is no road to the fort. The Fort is not so easily accessible: there is no bridge, you have to cross the river by foot.
The ruins of an ancient fort, the Pharwala Fort in Potohar, Pakistan is the most unassailable fort in South Asia. It is well protected by high ridges on one end and deep ravines on the other. While its fortification wall has disappeared from many places, its opulence is visible from the walls and gates on the North Western side.
The fort has long been associated with the fearless clan of Gakhars Jatts (also known as Khokhar in some places Gakhar and Khokhar is same jatt clan). Gakhar jatts are known for their bravery and fighting skills. The Gakhars have played an important role in setting the course of history in the Potohar region across the centuries, more often routing their opponents. This, however, has resulted in fierce rivalries with neighboring clans, most notably with the Janjuas of the Potohar region. It was on their advice that the great Mughal emperor Babur launched a campaign against Hathi khan Gakhar( a man of gigantic stature and reportedly superhuman strength that likened him as to an elephant)to conquer the Gakhar stronghold in 1519.
Gakhars, despite their strategic positioning and leadership of hathi khan Gakhar could not stand the might of Babur’s army and escaped through narrow gorges on the northern side of the fort.
However, an accord was met between Babur and the Gakhar chieftains’ which had lasting consequences over the politics of the region. As it turned out, the Gakhars remained loyal to the Mughals and even supported Humayun in his exile. Shershah shah suri who took over the rest of the Mughal Empire, could never take away Pharwala Fort from the resilient Gakhars and later ordered the construction of the Rohtas Fort to quell Gakhar's resistance.
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References
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