Ranikot Fort

Ranikot is not a fort in the ordinary sense but a wall: a rampart of dressed stone with bastions that runs for around thirty kilometres over the ridges and gullies of the Kirthar foothills, enclosing a huge area of empty valley with streams and a couple of inner strongholds, Miri and Shergarh. Because of that circuit it is regularly described as the largest fort in the world, and standing where the wall climbs a bare hillside and disappears over the crest is the reason to come. Who built it and when are genuinely unresolved: the visible masonry is generally attributed to the Talpurs in the early nineteenth century, but earlier phases have been argued for, and no convincing account explains why so vast an enclosure was walled at all. Restoration has been patchy and in places crude. The interior is empty desert hill country with a few families and grazing.

History

Who built the fort and why remain unknown. Coins found around it include some of the Habbarid period (854/55-910/11), an inscription found in March 2018 has been attributed to the Gupta period of the 4th or 5th century AD, and some of the present structures were rebuilt by the Talpur dynasty in 1812 at a cost of 1.2 million rupees (Wikipedia, Ranikot Fort).

What to look for

• The rampart wall - stone defences running over ridge after ridge.
• The main gate - Sann gate, the usual entry point through the circuit.
• Miri and Shergarh - inner strongholds within the enclosure.
• The empty interior - desert valleys, streams and grazing inside the walls.

When to go

November to February; the site is exposed desert hill country and summer is dangerous. Early morning gives the best light on the wall and the coolest walking. Weekends bring a few local visitors, weekdays almost none.

Practical notes

The track in is rough and a high-clearance vehicle is advisable. The scale means you cannot see much of the circuit without walking or driving considerable distances in the heat. Restoration in sections is visibly modern and poor. There is no shade, water or facilities; bring everything.

Nearby

Sann and the Indus Highway are east; Sehwan Sharif lies north.

Key facts