Bukkur

Bukkur, Bakhar or Bhakkar is a historical city and an Island fort situated between Rohri and Sukkur in the Sindh province of Pakistan. Bhakkar is also known as "Old Sukkur".

The island is a limestone rock, oval in shape, 800 yards (730 m) long by 300 yards (270 m) wide, and about 25 feet (7.6 m) in height.

The entirety of the island lies within the fort, as the fortification wall encircles the outer perimeter, bordering the Indus River on all sides. Portions of the fortification wall still stand at various points. Several bastions, some of semi-circular and elliptical design, are evident, along with gates of varying sizes, though many of these are now obstructed with rubble stones. The presence of a railway line divides the island into two sections. Throughout its history, the island and fort have exchanged hands numerous times.

The origins of the name "Bakhar" remain uncertain. Historical texts such as the Tuhfat al-Kiram suggest that the town did not exist during the Dahir's era nor is its name mentioned in the early Muslim period. However, references to a place called "Baghrur Fort" are found in the Chach Nama, where it is noted that Muhammad bin Qasim encountered this fort during his strategic campaigns. This fort, situated on the opposite side of the Indus River and belonging to Raja Dahir, was administered from the capital city of Aror.

Dr. Nabi Bakhsh suggests that the ancient name "Baghrur Fort" evolved into "Bakhar Fort," located on a mid-river island. Just as the capital city of Aror was named "City on the Rud" during the Sassanid Persia's political dominance, the town founded on the river was named "Baghrur," signifying a gift of the god "Bagh." It appears that during this period, the northern Deltaic Apex was situated northeast of Rohri-Sukkur, with a smaller channel passing through Aror and the main trunk-river flowing between Bakhar island and the hilly formation north of Sukkur city. The main course of the Indus separated the twin cities of Arur and Baghrur, hindering Muhammad bin Qasim's conquest of the Baghrur Fort.

According to historical accounts, the origins of Bakhar fort are traced back to the Arab period.

Text adapted from “Bukkur” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Bukkur ranks #5,237 of 8,134 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #22 of the 32 mapped in Pakistan. See how Pakistan compares in the castle statistics.

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