Jaisalmer Fort or Sonar Qila is one of the largest forts in the world. Built in 1156 AD by Bhati ruler Rawal Jaisal it stands high and mighty amid the golden sands of the Thar Desert on Trikuta Hill, which has been the sight of many battles. It’s massive yellow sandstone walls are a tawny color in the day, and fades to honey-gold when the sun sets, camouflaging the fort completely among the sands of the desert.
Story goes that Rawal Jaisal built it on the behest of a hermit named Eesaal. The site of Trikuta hill chosen as his earlier capital Luderwa, 16 km was exposed.
This is also the second oldest fort in Rajasthan. It is 250 feet tall and is reinforced by imposing crenellated sandstone wall 30 feet high. It has 99 bastions, 92 were built between 1633 and 1647. The wells dug during that period still provide a regular source of water. Even today, one fourth of the city’s population resides within the fort.
Throughout you will find the subtle combination of Rajput and Islamic architectural styles. The stone work is so elaborately and delicately carved, it is hard to believe that it is actually stone, not wood. Worth checking is the Ganesh Pol, Suraj Pol, Hawa Pol and Akshya Pol.
Jaisalmer Fort, Rajasthan
During the medieval times, the city was the center point of trade routes that connected Persia, Arabia, Egypt and Africa. The fort has three layers of walls. The outer or the lower most layer is made of solid stone blocks this reinforces the loose rubble of the Trikuta Hill. The second, or middle, wall goes around the fort. The innermost, or the third, wall was the defensive wall where the Rajput warriors once hurled boiling oil and water and massive rocks at their enemies, trapping them between the second and third walls.
Ala-ud-din Khilji captured the fort in the 13th century and held it for 9 years. It was during this attack that women in the fort committed Jauhar. The second battle took place in 1541, when Humayun attacked the fort city.
The city faced recession when the major trade routes were shut and sea trade took priority. And after independence the trade routes were completely shut. But its location of being directly between India and Pakistan resulted in it seeing battle in 1965 and 1971.
Today only a quarter of the population stays within the fort in the past the entire population lived within its walls. People have built homes at the foot of the Trikuta Hills. Since a few years Jaisalmer has been on the watch list of the monuments facing degradation. It was included in the 1996 World Monuments Watch by the World Monuments Fund, and again in 1998 and 2000. Major restoration has taken place and yet a lot more is required if this glorious piece of history has to be saved from the very people that live within its walls.
Conservation urgently required
It is shambles due to poor maintenance by the authorities. Leakage of water due to poor drainage and sewage system is posing a massive threat to the foundation of the fort. The retaining wall of the fort is taking a lot of pressure and may give way. Archeological Survey of India started a technical study about renovating. A provision of Rs 10 crore has been made under Rajasthan Urban Infrastructure Development Project (RUIDP) for a new water supply and sewage system.
Faulty drainage and sewage system is leading to erosion of the soil and poses a threat to the fort foundation. A team has conducted soil tests and gathered geological data to save the foundation. A team of experts will try to stabilize the soil which is eroding from within the mountain, on which the fort is constructed.
The retaining wall of the fort comes under the jurisdiction of ASI whereas the internal area is under Municipal Corporation. The ASI is repairing the wall, which is broken at several points due to leakage. But there is no controlling the unplanned and illegal growth of buildings etc coming up within the fort which is affecting the original fort looks. The 865 years old fort is being weakened when the civic authorities are avoiding looking at new construction that gets sanctioned in the fort.
A team of ASI is also exploring the possibility of developing a modern sewerage system near Sonar Qila to provide stability to the fort.
A team of ASI is also exploring the possibility of developing a modern sewerage system near Sonar Qila to provide stability to the fort.
Already the work on streamlining the sewage system is taking place while they are also thinking of replacing the telephone and electrical cables with underground ones.
A 5.3 magnitude earthquake at Mokla near Indo-Pak border gave a massive blow to the Jaisalmer Fort. The walls of the fort were damaged and raised serious concerns over the future of this marvel.
There is a huge depression in the fort near the Dhoonda Pada region. The soil of the mountain on which the fort stands is eroding. The soil being 154 lakh years old the seepage, the new construction is increasing the load on the soil which is shifting and can be dangerous to the fort.
Wall collapses become common site and although it has survived quakes of 5. And 7.7 on the Richter scale it may not survive another one. 16 of the 99 bastions are completely damaged. An earthquake of larger magnitude will see a tragedy on a very large scale.
Best is to limit the access to the fort – in new building activities, people residing within and tourists staying within. Places like America even conserve soil that is millions of years old, so why can’t we do it – in turn it will save a marvelous heritage – the Sonar Qila, its soil that 156 lakh years old and the hills that are even older.
Facts
World Monument Watch (WMW) Sonar Qila at Jaisalmer has been on its list from 1996 till 2000.
Earlier a favourite among tourists now only back packers visit.
Nearly Rs 8 crore has been sanctioned by the Rajasthan Urban Infrastructure Development Project (RUIDP), and Rs 6 crore is pending since 2002 from a WMF grant to save this 857-year-old golden sandstone fort.
Rampant encroachment, numerous illegal constructions, a faulty sewerage system combined with the rising pressure of population residing in the fort, is making the fort vulnerable.
20 years ago, the fort was untouched by tourism. Rising population and tourists have led to increased demand for water supply without proper drainage facilities. Sewage is dumped in the streets and is seeping into the foundations.
Of the 469 historic buildings, 87 have collapsed and many are in poor condition. August 1999 saw six inches of rain in 48 hours that led to the collapse of three of the 99 bastions.
dinesh veera, jaisalmer
