PHARWALA FORT RAWALPINDI LAST BASTION OF GAKHARS
It was Pharwala fort Rawalpindi Pakistan, the last bastion of Gakhar where Muqarrab Khan in 1826, made his unsuccessful stand to protect 700 years of Gakhar Rule against the Sikhs. This was a long time coming since Mughals, the Masters of Gakhars, were on a decline by then.
The story of Pharwala fort starts in the tenth century with the arrival of Kai Gohar Gakhar with Mahmud of Ghazni to the area. Pharwala Fort was then established upon an old Hindu fortification. Even now there are several carved boulders inside the fort that have no reason to be there. Pharwala Fort was chosen as a site at the foot hills of Himalayas, overlooking the plateau of Rawalpindi up to Kallar Syedan.
Fast forward to 1516 and Babur launches a surprise attack at the Pharwala fort to evict Hathi Khan Gakhar, the troublesome, scheming ruler at the time. Hathi Khan had earlier assassinated his cousin Tatar Khan, the saner Gakhar and kicked Janjua’s out of Kallar Syedan. Janjuas’ went crying to Delhi and Babur smashed Pharwala. Many of Gakhar generals were killed, their graves are all around Kahuta and Rawat. Babur gave back Pharwala fort to Gakhar after they acquiesced to his rule. Babur thought, like I did too, that the fort is not correctly sited and is indefensible. He raised the walls 10 feet after taking over.
Gakhars stayed loyal to Mughals and irritated Sher Shah Suri who built his own Rohtas Fort and let them live their marauding ways. Eventually Sikhs’ took over and evicted all the significant Gakhars’ from their bastion. English took over from the Sikhs’ and Gakhars lost their power completely.
Now the remnants of Gakhars inside the dilapidated fort compound still relive the stories of the forefathers’ valor in battle.
Негізгі бет Pharwala Fort of Gakhars from Pothwar Province, Pakistan
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