Cholistan Desert or Rohi, Pakistan

 Cholistan Desert or Rohi,  Pakistan

There is archaeological evidence that this area was once watered by Hakra river and was home to an Indus Valley Culture (2600-1800 BC) based on agriculture.

This river, bed of which can be seen clearly etched into desert landscape, supported settlements from 4000-600 BC, when river changed its flow and subsequently vanished underground. Since then Cholistan area has been a stark and inhospitable desert environment at edge of empires.

Medieval forts of Cholistan desert landscape are a group of up to a dozen structures, some standing and some deteriorated. Derawar fort is best surviving example of this series of historic forts, some dating from pre-Mughal times, but all restored and expanded from 16th-18th Century AD, by powerful local clans. Other forts; Meergarh, Jaangarh, Marotgarh, Maujgarh, Dingarh, Khangarh, Khairgarh, Bijnotgarh and Islamgarh.

 These structures form a network across desert landscape. They served to protect and enable desert caravan routes; mercantile routes from central Asia to heartland of sub-continent and pilgrimage routes between Mecca and India.

Derawar fort was built in 9th Century AD, by Rai Jajja Bhatti, a hindu rajput ruler of Bhatti clan. Fort was taken over by Nawab of Bahawalpur, Sadeq Mohammad Khan I, in 1733 AD, they in turn lost control of the fort in 1747, but took stronghold back in 1804 and it remained as desert abode of Nawabs of Bahawalpur until 1970s.

Fort survived intact due to this constant occupation where many of others built as part of medieval desert defence have perished.

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