Who built Derawar Fort?

1. Construction in the Era of Rai Jajja Bhatti (9th Century)

Derawar Fort is located in the Cholistan Desert, about 100 kilometers from Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Derawar Fort was constructed in the early 9th century by Rai Jajja Bhatti of the Bhatti clan belonging to the Rajput dynasty.

The fort was set up as a defense structure to secure the maintained dominion over the Cholistan desert, an important trading center. The construction done by Rai Jajja Bhatti was mainly as a defense to guard against any form of invasion and to defend the Bhatti land.

The first construction was less impressive and had no defensive attachment than the current gigantic construction. It let the Bhatti Rajputs to the desert trade routes and organize the given territory’s resources.

2. Rebuilding and Expansion in the Era of the Nawabs (18th Century)

The fort came into the hands of Nawab Sadeq Muhammad Khan I, who founded the Bahawalpur State in the 18th Century. Antoine seems to have begun it earlier but reconstructed it and made it as magnificent as it was in 1733.

The Nawabs realized the fort’s significance in preserving and exercising control over the Cholistan Desert region and defending their state. Tukulor converted the fort into an impressive building with 40 bastions on the ground of the deserted steppe having thick walls often 30 meters in height.

This also made it strategically located for trade activities between India and Central Asia since it was a significant fortress. The construction of this fort was important in defining the strength and authority of the Nawabs and was the residence of the Nawabs for some time.

They also used Derawar Fort as a center for administration, military defense and government in the region. Under their rule, they kept the fort in perfect condition and served its strategic importance in the defense system of Bahawalpur and its historical importance.

3. Under Pakistan Government After Independence (Post-1947)

Bahawalpur was one of the princely states of India, which, after the partition of India in 1947, became a part of the newly formed state of Pakistan. Though Bahawalpur remained a partially independent state for years, in 1955, it was also incorporated into Pakistan.

With this change, Derawar Fort came under the administrative control of the Government of Pakistan and continues. But what was most important for its proper functioning was that it gradually lost without a proper schedule for maintaining the structure.

This is because, after the years of independence, Derawar Fort had lost its strategic importance. As time passed, the fort’s walls and bastions were very soon dilapidated, and portions of the building decayed with no effort to preserve the structure. Even though it was still preserved as a historical relic of the region during the nineteenth century, the government scarcely paid much attention to the building, and there were no efforts to maintain or restore this edifice.

For several decades, the fort stayed with the heirs of Bahawalpur Nawabs, those who come and exercise the ceremonial private rights over the fort even today. However, it became tough for several families or individuals working together to maintain such a giant tower, and the government did not have anyone’s attention.

4. Current Situation

Today, Derawar Fort represents the heritage of this region, but at the same time, it has many issues. However, the place is today open to tourists with the facility’s significant parts in dilapidated conditions, with portions of the structure crumbling. On the other hand, rehabilitation has not been very consistent, and even though local and international heritage conservationists have voiced concern, large-scale rehabilitation has not been initiated.

It is still preserved, and people visit the Derawar, especially during the Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally, where the fort is used as one of the main attractions of tourism in the area. However, it requires more resources to maintain this historical structure. Until today, the Nawabs’ descendants exercise jitting ceremonies rights over the Derawar, however, conservation and management is a collective responsibility of the government and private organizations /bodies.

In conclusion, one can state the reason for the great interest in Derawar Fort – it is a small piece of history from the Bhatti era up to the Nawabs’ time and up to the present day in Pakistan. However, its future is rather dubious if measures for preserving it are insufficient.

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