Darawar Fort

Darawar Fort, an impressive architectural monument among the contemporary chain of forts, has been declared protected under No SRO (1) 2005 F-No-9-34/ 205-A-II. The fort is located about 40 kilometers inside Ahmedpur Sharqia, a tehsil of Bahawalpur.

Darawar was the capital of former Bahawalpur state in the beginning of the 18th century and named Dera Rawal after its founder, a Bhatti Raja in 834 AD. The name was later distorted to Dev Rawar and then Derawar. It was known for its two huge ponds, ‘Tannat’ and ‘Devkar’. 

After ruling for 55 years, the Raja was killed fighting the Channas. Not much is known about its history until the first Nawab of Bahawalpur Sadiq Muhammad Khan I captured the fort in 1733. Nadir Shah granted him the title of Nawab in 1739, and gave him control over Shikarpur, Larkana, Siwistan, Chhattar and Darawar. Rawal Rai Singh reoccupied the fort in 1747 during the period of the second Nawab, Muhammad Bahawal Khan I. Originally built with sun dried brick tiles in courses and reinforced with wood logs horizontally and vertically, the fort is currently in deplorable condition. The entrance and the adjacent areas on either side have been severely damaged. 

The wall in the entrance’s northwest corner, with special construction arrangement with wooden column beams and masonry structure, is also in a poor condition. Evidences show that there are basements at the fortification wall’s intermediate level but they are not approachable because of blockage by fallen masonry. The bastion and the top of perimeter wall originally had tiles on edge flooring laid in geometric and zigzag patterns, of which only a few evidences survive. Most of the flooring is missing and water seeping into the wall has seriously damaged the mud core and the burnt brick tile finish of the fortification wall from inside and outside.

Darawar Fort was designed for military purposes and several additional structures were added to it later without appropriate planning especially for water supply and drainage. The original drainage system is blocked and remnants water supply and drainage systems added later are visible but both the systems are non-functional, causing serious damage to the main fortification wall.The condition of the outer fortification wall and bastions is rapidly deteriorating. Signs of the plinth around the fort are also visible, but most of it has eroded. Derawar Fort has 40 towers, a well inside and a large pond outside it.