The Pharwala Fort is believed to have been built by Sultan Kaigohar Gakhar in the
11th century. Sultan Kaigohar was an associate of Sultan Mehmood of Ghazna. The fort was supposed to have been built over the ruins of a fort of the Hindu Shahi period. It is located some 20 km north of Airport Chowk or Karal on the left bank of Soan River. This fabled and formidable fort is now in a crumbling condi
tion. However, a few Gakhar families still reside in the fort. The fort was entirely renovated by Hathi (also called Hatti) Khan Gakhar, one of the chieftains of the Gakhar tribe. He was the first ruler to rise from among the Gakhars and establish a dynasty. He fought against the Janjua Rajputs and drove them away from the present tehsils of Kallar Syedan, Kahuta and Rawalpindi. The Janjuas were the lords of these tehsils. It was Hathi Khan Ghakhar who defeated them in many battles and brought their state under his dominio
It was during the reign of Hathi Khan Gakhar, in 1519, that Pharwala Fort was attacked by Babur and captured. Later Babur returned the fort and reconciled with Hathi Khan. In the battle between the Gakhars and the army of Babur, many Gakhar soldiers died fighting bravely. Their graves and tombs are located in four villages of Islamabad. Two graveyards are located at Bagh Jogian village, one near the mosque of Mai Qamro and the other close to an unidentified tomb. The third graveyard is situated inside the fort. The fourth is a necropolis on a hillock overlooking Darwala village. All these people died while putting up a tough resistance to the army of Babur. One of Hathi Khan's eminent generals, Bora Bangial or Bugial (now the name of a whole branch of Gakhars), also died in that encounter. His tomb is located in the necropolis. The gallantry of Bora Bangial is still preserved in the memories of the folk storytellers of Darwala, Bhimber Tarar, Gora Mast and Pharwala villag. When Humayun lost his kingdom to Sher Shah Suri, the Gakhars did not change their loyalties. They launched a guerrilla war against Sher Shah. It was to subdue the Gakhars that Sher Shah built the awe-inspiring Rohtas Fort. But he could not crush the resistance of the Gakhars. After the death of Hathi Khan Gakhar, Sultan Sarang shifted his capital to Rawat. Pharwala lost its splendor, and its cultural flowering came to an end with the shift of the capital. Apart from Hathi Khan and Sultan Sarang Khan, the Gakhar tribe has produced many powerful rulers, including women such as Mai Qamro (wife of Hathi Khan) and Rani Mungo (wife of Sultan Quli Khan Gakhar, d.1674). Both of them are still remembered for their social welfare activities, such as constructing mosques for the faithful, water-wells for the poor and serais for travelers. With the decline of Mughals, the Gakhars became weak politically and were eventually replaced by Sikhs in 1819 A.D. The Pharwala Fort came under the control of the Sikhs. It began losing its past glory in the Sikha Shahi period. The Pharwala Fort had seven gates, of which only three survive today. However, all the surviving gates - namely Soan, Lashkari and Hathi - are crumbling to pieces. All the ramparts have caved in, and only the three gates have withstood the weathere
It was to subdue the Gakhars that Sher Shah Suri built the awe-inspiring Rohtas Fort
Mai Qamro mosque at Bagh Joghian
This mosque is located in the small village of Bagh Joghian. The village is noted for containing the sacred spaces of Nath yogis (Shiva ascetics). It can be reached by way of Darwala and Bhimber Tarar. (Darwala village is close to Gulberg housing Scheme in Zone V.) From Bhimber Tarar a road leads to Bagh Joghian. This mosque is situated west of Bagh Jogian village and well nigh close to the Soan riverbank. It is located on the right bank of Soan river, while on the left bank is located the Pharwala Fort. From the mosque one has spectacular view of the fo
The Gakhar tribe has produced powerful women Easten view of Mai Qamro mosqu
The mosque is believed to have been built by Mai Qamro, wife of Hathi Khan Gakhar. It is a great specimen of Gakhar architecture and appears to have been built in the early 16th century. The mosque is built on a rectangular plan and crowned with three squat domes. The southern dome has caved in whereas two others are in fairly good condition. The mosque is noted for its three arched entrances. The central entrance is flanked by two recessed arches which lend an amazing beauty to the facade. Above the arched entrance, one finds a beautiful cut-brick ornamentation. Such embellishment cannot be found in the whole of the Potohar region. Dressed stone was used to construct the mosque. Formerly it was lime-plastered, the traces of which are still visible on the facade
The mosque of Mai Qamro was the prototype for all other mosques in Potohar region. Barring the Giri mosque at Taxila, this is the most ancient surviving mosque of the Potohar. Some parts of its boundary wall have survived the vagaries of weather. The northern boundary has survived. The remains of the southern and eastern walls are still visible. Close to the remains of the eastern wall are the tombs of Gakhar chiefs and soldiers. These dignitaries too are believed to have died fighting the troops of Babur when he invaded Pharwala, then capital of Hathi Khan Gakhar
Some of the tombs here are huge and built on a single platform, whereas others are on the double platform. Unfortunately, all these tombs are victims of neglect. And Mai Qamro's mosque is in a similarly appalling condition. Ironically, the locals have stored their hay inside the mosque. Even the courtyard of the mosque is littered with bags full of hay. The northern and western walls have developed cracks. The southern arched entrance is also falling to pieces. Vegetation has grown all over the roof and dome. The tomb is located at a walking distance from Mai Qamro's mosque. Adjacent to it are numerous Gakhar graves. According to locals, here lies buried a soldier of Mughal emperor Akbar. This is possible; many monuments from Akbar's period
This tomb is unique in terms of architecture, with its octagonal shape and use of portico. Its shape suggests that it is either a samadhi or the tomb of a Gakhar noble. The exterior appears to be a century old and was probably built in the Sikh period. One does not find any grave inside the building. If it is a Muslim tomb, it might have been vandalized by Sikhs. If it is a samadhi, the burial chamber might have been destroyed by the local people after the Partition. The building is decorated with paintings, the traces of which have survived on the walls of the inner sanctum. This building too is in a state of utter disrepair, and should be seen for its quaint charms before they vanish alt
