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Rato Kote, Thatta

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The ruins of this extraordinary fort are exposed on the Muchak Island in the delta area of Sindh. There are graveyard and other remains near the fort. People of this place called this site as Rato Kote or Ratao Kote. A distinguished French archaeologist Maneck took some excavation and observed it. He assigns this site to eighth century to thirteenth or fourteenth century A.D. Fort is situated to Bhanbhore on bank of Gharo Creek. This fort is square in shape, but has also little diversion. On west side length is 352.3 feet, on east side 357.5 feet, in north 319.5 feet, and to the south side is 331 feet. The walls are not exact in line. The width of wall is 7.5 feet high. There are twenty five towers in the fort. The fort is built of baked bricks in square shape. Renowned anthropologist and archaeologist Ishtiaq Ansari describes that, the fort is identical to the fort of Seraf, near gulf in Iran. There are remains of structural formations. It seems by its style that this fort was built for defensive purpose. But it is not known, who had built and when it was built? There are five mounds exposed in the vicinity, and remains of mosque also discernible.

[Source: Text and Photographs: Thatta A Historical Reflection by District Government Thatta | Coordinates: EFT]