Pháo đài Rohtas (Tiếng Punjab, ; Qila Rohtas) là một pháo đài từ thế kỷ 16, nằm gần thành phố Jhelum, tỉnh Punjab của Pakistan. Pháo đài này được xây dựng trong thời gian trị vì của nhà vua Sher Shah Suri người Pashtun, trong khoảng thời gian từ 1541 đến 1548. Pháo đài được xây lên nhằm mục đích chinh phục các bộ lạc nổi loạn ở vùng Potohar miền bắc Punjab, trung thành với vương triều Mogul. Pháo đài này là một trong những pháo đài lớn nhất và kiên cố nhất tại tiểu lục địa. Pháo đài Rohtas đã không bị ảnh hưởng nặng nề từ thiên nhiên và còn bảo toàn được phần lớn công trình.

Pháo đài cũng được dựng lên để đàn áp các bộ tộc Gakhar địa phương của vùng Potohar

Lịch sử

thumb|[[Gurudwara Chowa Sahib nằm gần cổng Talaqi và commemorates the site where Guru Nanak is said to have created a water-spring with the strike of his cane.]]

Thời kỳ Sur

Việc xây dựng pháo đài bắt đầu từ năm 1541, dưới sự chỉ đạo của Todar Mal Khatri, một đại diện của Đế chế Sur. Công việc xây dựng hoàn thành năm 1548. Việc xây dựng ban đầu bị chậm do các bộ lạc Gakhar địa phương được thuê làm lao công từ chối làm việc. Những nhà lãnh đạo Mogul cuối cùng phải tăng lương, khiến cho một số bộ lạc Gakhar tham gia vào việc xây dựng pháo đài sau khi tổng trấn tại đây là Tatar Khan Khasi không chặn nổi sự tấn công của quân đội Mogul.

Pháo đài mất đi phần lớn mục đích ban đầu là trấn áp các bộ lạc Gakhar ủng hộ Mogul, cũng như ngăn cản sự quay lại của Hoàng đế Humayun, giờ không còn cần thiết nữa

Bố cục

left|thumb|Bố cục của pháo đài. Pháo đài Rohtas có diện tích khoảng 70 hecta

Tulla Mori

This is an entrance rather than a gate. It is on the eastern side of the fort. It is about 2 meters wide. There is a bastion next to this entrance.

Pippli

Đây là cổng nhỏ như cổng Tulla Mori, có chiều rộng 2,13 mét.

Sar

Đây là một cổng vào nhỏ dường như được tạo ra do người dân địa phương phá vỡ bức tường chính (tường bao bên ngoài) ở giai đoạn sau này như một lối tắt đến một khu rừng lân cận. Có một tháp canh pháo đài bên cạnh cổng này. Ngoài ra còn có một ao bị phá hủy nằm ở phía trước cổng này trong phạm vi pháo đài, vì việc xây dựng pháo đài gây nên. Vì lý do này, cổng có tên là "Cổng Sar" với "Sar" có nghĩa là ao nước.

Royal mosque

thumb|Remains of the former mosque. This small mosque known as Shahi masjid is near the Kabuli gate. It has a prayer chamber and a small courtyard. It is the most decorated of the original buildings of the fort. To be ever ready in case of attack, stairs lead directly from the courtyard of this mosque to the top of Kabuli Gate.

The prayer chamber is 19.2 meter long and 7.3 meter deep. It is divided into 3 equal chambers. There are domes from the inside but from the outside no domes can be seen. There is a small room at the end of these three chambers. This room was for the Pesh Imam (Prayer Leader). This room has a small domed roof from the inside but no outer dome. There is no place for ablution (cleaning up before prayers) in the mosque. This mosque is built into the fortification wall i.e. soldiers walked over the mosque's roof. The outer wall of the mosque is the fortification wall itself.

On the outer wall of the mosque are beautiful round designs in which Islamic verses are written in Naqsh script. These verses are surrounded by a Lilly going around the Naqsh script. The Lilly design was later used by Mughals in Tomb of Jahangir, Tomb of Nur Jehan and the Shah Burj Gate in Lahore Fort. The design seems to have been copied from the coins used in that time.

Stepwells

thumb|The central stepwell. Có tất cả ba baoli tại pháo đài. These were made by cutting deep into the lime rock. They are

Baoli trung tâm

It is in the middle of the Fort for soldiers, elephants, horses etc. This Baoli has 148 steps. Each step is wide. The upper portion has been cut in stone. It has three arches that span the length of the baoli.

Baoli hoàng gia

It is near the Kabuli Gate for the Royal family. It has 60 steps and has small chambers that were used as baths by the Royal family.

Baoli cổng Sar

A small Baoli near the Sar Gate, most likely used by soldiers.

Rani Mahal

thumb|Raja Man Singh [[haveli]] The Rani Mahal (Queens palace) is near Haveli Man Singh. It is a one-storey structure. It originally had four rooms but only room remains standing today. The foundation of the four rooms can still be seen today.

It is not an original part of the fort and is an example of Hindu architecture and built around the same time as the Haveli Man Singh.

The room still standing today is about high and beautifully decorated on the inside and outside. The roof of the dome like room is like a flower. The inside of the roof is decorated with flowers, geometrical patterns and fake windows. The room is about .

Decorative features

This fort is an example of purely "Masculine" architecture. It places function over form. This can be gauged from the fact that the fort originally had no permanent building for living.

Stone carvings

thumb|Stonework displaying the name of God. These carvings are found on the gate and in the mosque. Most of these are engravings in Arabic and sunflowers.

One of these carvings is inside the Shahi Mosque outside the Pesh Imam's (Prayer leaders) room. The carving is of the word "Allah" (God) in Arabic. The same carving is also done on merlons on top of Shahi Mosque.

The sunflower motif is on each sides of the arches of Shahi Mosque. It is also present in the guard post in between each gate.

Calligraphy

Most of these inscriptions are on the Shahi Mosque. On the outer wall of the mosque the "Kalima" is written in beautiful calligraphy on both sides of each arch of the Shahi Mosque. The Naskh script is used.

There is an inscription in Persian on the Shishi gate which gives the date of start of construction. The same inscription is also found over the Talaqi gate.

There are other inscriptions on the Khwas Khani, Langar Khani and Gatali gate.

Tilework

These tiles are found on Shishi gate. This type of tile became extremely popular with the Mughals who further refined them. The tiles on Shishi gate are the earliest example of the usage of these tiles. These tiles were made in Lahore.

Plasterwork

Plaster has been used in the Shahi Mosque.

Machicolations

Machicolations are small drains that lead from the inside to the walls outside. They are built into the walls and are used by the soldiers on the inside to pour molten lead or other hot liquids on soldiers trying to scale the walls. The Rohtas Fort has hundreds of them and each one is beautifully decorated with geometric patterns. The pictures is of a machicolation near the Langar Khana (Mess Hall).

Architecture

thumb|The fort's defenses were bolstered by large bastions. This fort was built in a style that draws from Turkish, Middle Eastern, and South Asian artistic traditions.

After the takeover of the Punjab by the Ranjit Singh, Sardar General Gurmukh Singh Lamba captured the Rothas Fort from Ghakhar chief Nur Khan, father of Fazil Dad Khan in 1825. due to enmity of Main brothers Raja Gulab and Dahain Singh (Dogra Rajajas) having influence over Maharaja, the fort was given to Mohar Singh. But when Mohor Singh retired to Banaras against the wishes of Maharaja, the fort and the contingent of seven hundred horses were placed under Sardar Gurmukh Singh Lamba. Thus making his command long (Lammbi), he was popularly addressed by the Maharaja as Lammba Sardar. It is also said that the sardar had a medium stature where the Mohar Singh was extra ordinary tall personality, Sardar Gurmukh Singh, got surname of Lamba due to Mohar Singh height.

The Maharaja Ranjit Singh gave the fort to Sardar Mohar Singh who was succeeded by Gurmukh Singh Lamba. It was subsequently leased to different people and the last people to manage Rohtas was Raja Fazal Din Khan who joined Sher Singh in rebellion.

Legacy

Rohtas Fort is an outstanding example of early Muslim military architecture in the South Asia which incorporates features from elsewhere in the Islamic world. It also had a profound influence on the development of architectural styles in the Mughal Empire (and hence on the European colonial architecture that made abundant use of that tradition).

It is also outstanding by virtue of the refinement and high artistic value of its decorative elements, notably its high- and low-relief carvings, its calligraphic inscriptions in marble and sandstone, its plaster decoration, and its glazed tiles.

And

There are no surviving examples of military architecture of this period on the same scale in the South Asia which survive to the same degree of completeness and conservation. Fatehpur Sikri (India) which is already on the World Heritage List represents the full Mughal realization of a form and style that owes everything to its precursor, Rohtas Fort.

The recommendation by ICOMOS (the organization that makes the World Heritage list) made the following recommendation

Rohtas Fort is an exceptional example of the Muslim military architecture of central and South Asia, which blends architectural and artistic traditions from Turkey and the South Asia to create the model for Mughal architecture and its subsequent refinements and adaptations.

Conservation

Most of the fort is in a very good state of preservation. In the portions that have fallen away (Haveli Man Singh) one can still see some part of the original construction.

The central archway of the Chandwali Gate has been rebuilt recently so that is the only "fake" part of the fort.

In early 2005, seepage, heavy rains, and general neglect caused the left inner face of the Talaqi Gate to collapse, and the right flank and foundation to become detached from the original structure.

The Gatali Gate forms one of the original entrances to Rohtas. Over time, its right bastion and supporting wall have collapsed as a result of permeated rainwater and the erosion of its foundations.

World Heritage Status

Rohtas Fort was designated a World Heritage Site in 1997, having met the following inclusion criteria:

**Criterion (ii):** "Rohtas Fort blends architectural and artistic traditions from Turkey and the Indian subcontinent to create the model for Mughal architecture and its subsequent refinements and adaptations."
**Criterion (iv):** "Rohtas Fort is an exceptional example of the Muslim military architecture of central and south Asia during the 16th century."

The fort was also noted for its high-level of integrity, and authenticity.

Himalayan Wildlife Foundation

The Rohtas Fort Conservation Programme was conceived by the Himalayan Wildlife Foundation in 2000 to help protect the sixteenth-century Rohtas Fort near Jhelum, and develop it as a heritage site conforming to international standards of conservation and tourism. It is undertaking the following projects in conjunction with the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

Government Eviction Notice

In 1992 the government ordered the locals of Rohtas to leave the inside area of fort and state that the government would construct houses for them outside the fort. Zafar Chughtai the chairman of Rohtas opposed the stay order from government declaring that no government will take the properties of Rohtas locals. The stay order is still effective but no subsequent government has pursued its execution and has allowed the fort residents to reside there.

Complete restoration of Shah Chandwali Gate

Conservation of Haveli Man Singh

Conservation of Talaqi Gate and Gatali Gate

Establishment of Sher Shah Suri Museum in upper storey of Sohail Gate

Improvement of quality of life in Rohtas Fort village

Nearby places of historical significance

Outside the Langar Khani Gate is the tomb of a lady called Khair Un Nisa. She was the daughter of the food minister named Qadir Bukhsh. She died here and was buried in this tomb but she was later moved to Sasaram.

Until the construction of the new Grand Trunk Road, Rohtas was a halting place on the main Peshawar-Lahore road. This road had serais about a mile apart. One of these is about one mile (1.6 km) north of the Rohtas Fort. It is in a fair state of preservation.

Truy cập

Từ Islamabad

The dual-carriage Grand Trunk Road takes you past Gujar Khan and Sohawa, to the small town of Dina 130 km away. Just past Dina you will drive over a railway overpass, stay to the right of the road and take the first U-turn to drive back towards Dina. After about 100 meters to your left you will find a signpost, which indicates the way towards the road leading to Rohtas Fort which is 8 km away, past the small holy village of Muftian home to the Mufti Tribe. Drive on the road to enter into the fort and keep driving till you reach the parking area.

Từ Lahore

Drive on G.T. road past Gujranwala, Wazirabad and the city of Jhelum. About 10 minutes drive beyond the Jhelum bridge just short of the city of Dina, you will find a signpost to the left directing you to Rohtas Fort.

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