Craving for Kot Diji
Posted on December 1, 2007 | 88 views
Filed Under History & Culture, Opinion, Pakistan |
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I think most of restless souls from amongst you, who love to travel, might be familiar with Kot Diji fort located in Khairpur,
The name given to this fort has an origin that is very important to understand. In Sindhi language, the word ‘Kot’ means a wall that is high enough to protect the inside of some area. Simply, the word ‘Kot‘ stands for fort in Sindhi and ‘Diji’ added to its name is due to the proximity of this fort to the world famous archeological site, The ‘Diji jo Daro’(The mound of Diji). The objects found after excavation of mound of Diji show its links with Indus Valley Civilization.
Hence, we can conclude that it is a fort that is located near ancient mound of Diji. In order to understand both fort and the archeological site, I feel like writing two posts on Kot Diji fort and the mound of Diji separately. This post is first of the two.
In this post, I will write about Kot Diji fort in particular. My latter post will take up the ‘Diji’ in detail. So let’s get to Kot Diji fort.
Why forts?
According to Wikipedia, fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defense in war. The history of forts is as old as human race. Since security has topped the human concerns from beginning of civilizations so this need of security manifested itself in form of fortifications all around the world. If we will take this definition as a yardstick, this fort of Kot Diji will appear to us as another effort of rulers and the ruled of this area to obtain this sense of safety in times of peace, and war in particular.
History
The Kot Diji fort formerly known as
The Kot Diji Fort
This fort is a beautiful example of architecture during the Talpur rule in upper Sindh. It was constructed on a limestone hill with backed bric
ks. It stands with all its majesty even today. This fort is spread over an area of approximately one Kilometer. In order to ensure the security, the fort has three doors with iron nails, powerful enough to protect the enemy’s attacks with elephants. These doors signify three different levels of inhabitants with outermost level for foot soldiers and the innermost level for royals. Moreover, there is ‘Chaubara’ a sitting place located in innermost level for royals as well as a residential area. The other significant constructions inside this fort are barracks for soldiers and a large water tank to insure the water supply during wartime. The construction of walls of this fort has special arrangements in form of slits and holes to provide an edge over enemy since they can be used for firing cannons and arrows when required.
My connection with Kot Diji
I was born in Khairpur and spent all my childhood there and due to this, Kot Diji is something special to me. It hardly takes a car drive of 25-30 minutes from my home to the fort. It is sort of a relationship that is natural in its essence because to me its instinctive for a human to love his birth place, so do I and I am happy having taken birth near such a place that has a great historical background. It’s a link by birth that will stay with me till I depart from this world.
My birth relation (th
at’s what I call it) with Kot Diji offered me numerous chances to enjoy being there. I have been paying visits to Kot Diji for quite sometime with many different motives, sometimes as a simple visitor and at other instances as an activist campaigning about social issues. Kot Diji at the moment is a sub-division (Taluka) of District Kharipur. The area nearby fort is rural in its out look with illiteracy to a morbid level. A traveler to Kot Diji will find a poverty stricken village around this fort. I can recall my last visit. I went there on a campaign to highlight the need of education in the area. It was way back in 2005 and we happened organize a walk for the cause of education. The education department of Kot Diji was generous enough to help us with the locals. I was then using the platform of my Rotaract club and it was a drive to get as many students enrolled as possible with the primary schools in the area specially girls.
In last I would say, take Kot Diji fort or Kot Diji sub-division, both are victims of apathy both by common man and public official. The situation of Kot Diji fort is getting worst every passing day with salinity on rise and weather conditions. The officials are reluctant to pay any heed to conservation of this site of significance. I think if it continues as it is now, we will be left with ruins only for our future generations.
Tail Piece
Nations take pride in associating themselves with their past. The heritage sites of any country are the physical representations of their history. Keeping in view the significance of heritage, literate nations use to take special interest in conservation of what they inherit but, the situation in
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[...] Craving for Kot Diji Posted on December 1, 2007 by Dr Farrukh Malik Nations take pride in associating themselves with their past. The heritage sites of any country are the physical representations of their history. Keeping in view the significance of heritage, literate nations use to take special interest in conservation of what they inherit but, the situation in Pakistan is on the contrary. What does it symbolize? Are we sorry for what we were? Are we deliberately trying to cut our roots? I think no, it’s only the apathy of our rulers that we are losing our glorious past by paying no heed to conservation of our historical places. While writing this post, I felt this fear that whether my great grand children will be able to write something of similar nature. Will there be Kot Diji Fort, Mohenjo Daro, and Badshahi Masid [read more] [...]
Dr Farrukh
many thanks for this excellent post. I had read about Kot Diji many years ago but you have given a lovely account..
Hope to travel there one of these days
salaams, R
@Raza Rumi:
You are welcome and if you feel like be my guest in Khairpur.