Ranikot Fort, also known as the Great Wall of Sindh, is a 19th-century Talpur-era fort near Sann in Jamshoro District, Sindh, Pakistan. It is believed to be the world's largest fort, with a circumference of approximately 35 kilometres. The fort's ramparts have been compared to the Great Wall of China.
Address: Ranikot fort Wall, Karchat, Jamshoro, Sindh
The fortification wall of the gigantic fort of Rani Kot is 35 kms in length and connects barren hills. The fort was built in the first quarter of the l9th century. The fortification wall, which follows the natural contours of the hilly area, has solid semi-circular bastions at intervals. The fortification wall runs on three sides of the area, while on the northern side the lofty peaks of the higher hillocks serve as a wall. A small fortress, about 5-6 miles inside the main gate, appears to have been the royal residence for the ruling family of Mirs. The double door gate lies on the south of the fortress. Inside the gate two nitches are decorated with floral designs and carved stones. The whole architecture of the fort is restricted to stone and lime.
The great fort was built under the Talpurs during the administration of Prime Minister Nawab Wali Muhammed Leghari in the 17th century. The extensive structure was reinforced around 1812 at the massive cost of 1.2 million rupees, and formed the last capital of the Amirs of Sind before they were bought under the control of the British Empire who invaded the fort.
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah (4 April 1565 – 11 January 1612) was the fifth sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golkonda and founded the city of Hyderabad, in South-central India and built its architectural centerpiece, the Charminar.
Birth, early life and personal life
Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah was the third son of ibrahim Qutb Shah Wali and Hindu Mother Bhagirathi. He was an accomplished poet and wrote his poetry in Persian, Telugu and Urdu.As the first author in the Urdu language, he composed his verses in the Persian diwan style, and his poems consisted of verses relating to a single topic, gazal-i musalsal.Muhammad Quli's Kulliyat comprised 1800 pages, over half were gazals, qasidas on one hundred pages, while the rest contained over 300 pages of matnawi and marsiyas.
Place of burial: Qutub Shahi Tombs, Hyderabad, india
Children: Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah, Hayat Bakshi Begum
Parents: Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah
Partner: Bhagmati (1589–)
Deposed date: 1611
Reign of Muhammad Quli Qutb
The Shah's wedding party with his bride, the Hindu dancing-girl Bhagmati.Charminar in Hyderabad was built by Quli Qutub Shah
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah succeeded his father Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah in the year 1580 at the age of 15 years. His rule lasted for 31 years, his contemporaries were Akbar the great, Jagat Guru and ibrahim Adil shah. He faced minor rebellions on eastern and western fronts during the initial years of his rule. He lead the troops himself and defeated Ali Khan Loor and Yashwant Raj.
In 1592 further disturbance was created by Shah Saheb for ascending the throne. During this time he sent Aitbar Khan with a large troop and he defeated Shah Saheb. Amidst the chaos Muhammad Quli was still able to patronage art and establish the city of Hyderabad. His reign is considered the high point of Qutb Shahi dynasty.
City of Hyderabad
From the time of his father Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah, there was a high influx of populace into the city of Golkonda, which lead to over-crowding and unhygienic conditions. This created the need for an extension or new city.The construction of Hyderabad was initiated in 1591, on the southern bank of the River Musi. Before construction he prayed by reciting the following couplet for the welfare of the city "Make my city full of people, like you keep the river full of fish."
There is a degree of folklore associated with selection of the land for the new city of Hyderabad. It is said that once the King was coming back from a hunt and he crossed the bridge across River Musi and arrived at the flat land which pleased him. However, Muhammad Quli must have been aware of the presence of this land and the story is a romanticised version.
The city was planned in a gridiron manner with charminar in the centre and other important palaces and administrative buildings along the surrounding axes. Other important buildings which were constructed in the following years are Darulshafa,Mecca Masjid,Badshahi Ashurkhana and several palaces which have been demolished over the years.
Muhammad Quli also planned several gardens throughout the city, which came to be known as "Garden City" and the same is mentioned in several travellers' accounts. Rafi-uddin Shirazi mention in Tazkiratul Muluk that the entire city looked likes a vast garden.
Patronage of Art and Literature
Muhammad Quli was a patron of poetry, paintings, calligraphy and architecture. Major scripts used in this period are Nastaliq, Naksh, Kufi, Tughra and Sulus. A unique inscription is on Mecca Masjid in Nastaliq script, a script not known anywhere else in the Deccan region. Another inscription in the same mosque is a verse of the Quran carved in Naksh style.
Poetry was another forte of Muhammad Quli and he is considered one of the first poets to write in the Dakhni language. He wrote in a wide range of genres from religious to romantic to profane. One of his works is the Diwan, and the original manuscript is exhibited at Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad.Apart from Dakhni-Urdu, he also wrote in Telugu. Born and brought up in Hyderabad, he was fluent in Telugu as well. His poetry has been compiled into a volume entitled "Kulliyat-e-Quli Qutub Shah." He was the first Saheb-e-dewan Urdu poet.
Physicians who wrote Persian language books on Unani medicine during his reign include Mir Momin (Ikhtiyarat-i Qutub Shahi), Shamsuddin Ali Husain al-Jurjani (Tazkirat-i Kahhalin), Hakim Shamsuddin bin Nuruddin (Zubdat-ul Hukama), Abdulah Tabib (Tibb-i Farid), Taqiuddin Muhammad bin Sadruddin Ali (Mizan-ul Tabai'), Nizamuddin Ahmad Gilani (Majmu'a-i Hakim-ul mulk), and Ismai'l bin Ibrahim Tabrezi (Tazkirat-ul Hukama).
