Sangani Fort | Pakistan | Historical Place

Sangani Fort

Recognition

 Sangni Fort also recognized as Sangani Kila is a castle of Sikh Period near the village Takkal in Kalar Syedan Tehsil, Rawalpindi District,  Punjab, Pakistan.

fort is a remainder of the Mughal epoch

Perched on hill dominating two creeks, this fort was built by the Mughals and then engaged by the Dogra’s.

Approximately 25 kilometers west of Gujar Khan and done the Sui Cheemian perennial river be seated the antique Sangni Citadel. This fortress, used for custody prisoners, is supposed to have been constructed by the Mughals and later employed by the Dogra’s of Kashmir and the Sikhs.

Here are numerous such forts and strongholds in the Potohar area, which include the Rohtas, Attock, Pharwala, Rawat, Giri. Though, the Sangni Fort, perched on a picturesque location overlooking two streams, is most remarkable,

History

It is constructed over a hill from where one has a bird's-eye view of numerous villages, chiefly the Sui Cheemian, Dhok Las, etc. The Dhole Las Village is renowned for a 17th century cemetery. These tombs are built of Kanjur stone and perhaps belong to some of the militaries of the Mughal period who were posted at the fort. Similar tombs can also be seen in the Takkal Village with dilapidated funerary enclosure, which perhaps fits to a Mughal administrator of Sangni and neighboring villages.

The main arrival gate of the fort unlocks to the east from where one can see as far as the Takkal Village, stages principal to the inside of the fort.

The fortification has four strongholds of almost equal width with staircases reaching the top of the strongholds which were used for protecting the fort and its surrounding area.

The vault of the shrine is visible over the fort walls.

A closer view of bastions of the fortification. The main gate of the fort.

Leftovers of obituary enclosure at Takkal Village. Situated confidential the fortification is a shrine of Abdul Hakeem. He is believed to have come from Arabia through Iran to speak in the area.

Rendering to Rasheed of Dhoke Las, Abdul Hakeem originated to Sangni throughout the Dogra rule. At that time, this area was below the jurisdiction of Azad Jammu Kashmir. When Abdul Hakeem originated to Sangni to preach, he was not allowable in by Dogra soldiers. He remained involuntary to leave the area and stay at the Chakrali Village, where many of the people converted his followers. He made Chakrali his enduring seat of proselytization, from where his name feast to villages all over the Potohar region, until he deceased in Chakrali and was concealed there.

Bestowing to Raja Aslam of Sui Cheemian, 50 years afterward the death of Abdul Hakeem, approximately public had seen the saint in their dreams, in which he well-ordered his followers to take his mortal remains to the Sangni Fort. Accordingly, his mortal remains were taken for reburial to Sangni Sharif, where, nowadays, his mausoleum attitudes at the center of the fort. Soon, Sangni developed to be recognized as Sangni Sharif.

A excellent specimen of Potohar construction, the catacomb is said to have been constructed by his followers.

It has three curved entrances from all instructions. The catacomb is built of marble. The semicircular vault rests on the four-sided structure, the angles of which are ornamented with four minarets.

The drum on which the dome respites is decorated with glazed titles. Close to the shrine is located a Masjid, which was also constructed by disciples of Abdul Hakeem.

The walls of the passage are ornamented with contemporary porcelains. The inner of the catacomb is ornamented with glassware. The glassy tiles and glasswork are vital basics of the modern catacomb construction in Potohar. Nearly in every village and settlement where there are monuments, one is bound to discovery these two procedures of beautification on them.

Modern ceramics on the wall of shrine. The grave of Abdul Hakeem. The memorial of Abdul Hakeem entices hundreds of individuals every Thursday and Friday. Anew married couples invariably visit the memorial to become the benedictions of the saint. People also butchery animals at the monument in the hope of receiving their wishes satisfied and as a form of thanksgiving to the saint.

The followers also take a wash in the spring which is located west of the fortification and is thought to have been a wonder of the saint.

Resident people deem that there was no mainspring in Sangni until water originated out from the earth where Abdul Hakeem was buried at the Sangni Fortification. The helix never dries. Of the people captivating a bath in it, some have diseases that they hope the water will rid them of; water treatment is still a common practice at numerous shrines crossways Potohar.

Like the monument, the fort has also been upheld by the devotees of Abdul Hakeem

This stronghold is one of a string of battlements running along the Potohar plateau, situated mid-way among Ramkot Fort 25 kilometers to the southeast and Rawat Fort 28 kilometers to the WNW. It was likely built in the late Mughal age nonetheless was lengthily strengthened during the Sikh dated start in 1814. It was later repurposed as a jail also under the Sikhs or perhaps after the British takeover of the Punjab from 1849 forward. Hasan notes that according to spoken custom its unique name was Sangi, but was altered to Sangni (or Sangani) in the age of Ranjit Singh. The source of the designation is not recognized, but it may mention to the word sangum, which means "Meeting point", in orientation to two watercourses near the fort. Another option is that the name is occupied from the word for stone, which is sang. A less reasonable etymology is that sangni is a corruption of Singh, a common Sikh last name.

The stronghold attitudes on a naturally defendable mound with a steep slope to the west, with rather shallower inclined ground to the south and east. Only from the north is the approach sensibly level, giving the utmost challenge for the protectors. The fortress's fortifications include four corner turrets linked by high drape walls, all outdid with fortifications and tailored with many ports and arrow loops for archers and gunners. Its sole entrance, facing east, is a barbican with two devoted towers, safeguarding that any assailants who reached to opening the main entry would be self-possessed unhappy with fire from above. A bulwark happening the west side of the stronghold includes an inaugural in the floor tailored with a hoist, letting the defenders to draw water straight from an head-to-head stream located underneath, without anyone demanding to exit the stronghold.

The stronghold seems to be in rational physical state, though a sequence of slits and nicks on the inner fasciae of the shade walls propose the previous presence of wooden stages or paths which are no longer existing. The main entry also seems to consume remained tailored with one, or perhaps two entrances which have since disappeared. These have been substituted in modern times with steel gates to boundary off-hours contact.

In current times cliques of Sahibzada Abdul Hakeem, a Sufi elder, created a shrine in his honor within the fort. Hakeem was an itererant preacher who involved considerable followers from villages crossways the Potohar

 Disclaimer: Please note that the information cited in this blog has been obtained from the official website and Facebook page  sangni Fort

Note: All the images have been traced from the official face book page of Sangni Fort.