Jinn and Fairy Tales from Ranikot Fort, Pakistan

For Indians, it is not easy to get a visa and clearance for Pakistan. The level of difficulty in achieving something made the country all the more intriguing for me. To add to the charm of Pakistan were years spent at the School of International Studies in JNU where we debated and discussed issues related to Pakistan; its history, politics, economics and almost everything else. After two visa rejections, I was lucky the third time and happy to be heading to Ranikot. Ranikot, the world’s greatest fort, popularly known as the Great Wall of Sindh was the first pit stop on my must-visit list. Did you know this fort is yet to be fully explored? I always dreamt of being the first person to earn the credit of exploring Ranikot but it’s size makes it almost impossible.

Some trivia on Ranikot 

• The circumference of the fort is 26 kilometres
• The wall built to secure against warfare runs all along and is 6 meters high
• The fort has natural cliffs, mountains, streams, pools, valleys; all inside it
• History has no evidence why this huge fort was built, by whom, what was the purpose and why this particular location (far off from civilization) was chosen
• The walls of the fort are visible from as far as 5 kilometres away

Jinn and Fairy Tales

Locals believe that every full moon night (Poonam ki raat), fairies come to the spring near Mohan Gate to bathe. One can hear splashing sounds of water falling on the rocks. This underground water source is popularly known as Parryen jo Tarr  or the spring of fairies. There are many such stories told by local guides, some true and some exaggerated but all of them make for an interesting trip. This gigantic Ranikot Fort draws you in to an era of lost kingdoms. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment spent in the lap of history and mystery. If you have an explorer’s mind, then Ranikot Fort in Pakistan is a must visit.