Lakhpat
Encyclopedia
Lakhpat fort town is a small town in Kachchh district of Gujarat, India
within the fort walls of the 18th-century Lakhpat fort. The literal meaning of Lakhpat is the city of millionaire, however today it is sparsely populated Ghost town
, a city of ruins of buildings and a magnificent fort surrounding them. Historically it has been very important trading post connecting Gujarat to Sindh. Its decline started when an earthquake diverted the flow of the Sindhu river away from it. It has a scenic landscape with a fort in ruins along with tomb and a mosque noted for their fine carvings. A nearby gurudwara is historically significant, as Guru Nanak is believed to have visited this site while he was on his way to Mecca
. Few of his relics are retained here. During the period of Muslim invasion, the Khudabadi Sonara Community and other Hindus who had not converted to Islam under the Ghaznavids moved to Vegh Kot and Lakhpat (in Kutch) around 1028 AD, to avoid genocide at the hands of the invading muslims and to live peacefully under Hindu Samma rulers.
Lakhpat, the last frontier of Kutch, is an amazing sea fort situated in the mouth of Kori Creek. History says that the waters of Sindhu River used to flow into Lakhpat and further onto Deshalpar (Gunthli). Rice used to be cultivated and Lakhpat used to give an annual revenue of 800,000 Koris just from rice. It is also said that Lakhpat used to generate an income of 100,000 Koris everyday from maritime activities. All this changed with the earthquake of 1819 A. D. A Bundh famously known as Allahbund
was created and Sindhu changed its course of flow. The Sindhu river now drains into the sea. Lakhpat and the area around is very sparsely populated of not more than 400 persons.
The Gosh Mohmad Kuba, Syed Pir Shah Dargah, Nani Mai Dargah, Hatkeshwar Temple amongst others in the old town are reminisces of the glorious past.
BSF outposts keep a diligent vigil over the area. It is a delight to see the Chinkara and the Nilgai. One has to be very lucky to spot the caracal or the civet. The sight of peacocks and the call of the partridges follows one right up to the fort of Lakhpat.
Located nearby is the Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary
.
s. Guru Nanak on his way to Mecca
for Haj stayed over here and even today Guru Nanakji's footwear and the palkhi are worshiped by the Udasi
Sect. The Gurudwara is declared a protected monument by the Archeological Department and has won the UNESCO award for restoration after the earthquake. Unfortunately, a concrete enclosure has engulfed the rather pristine place. The hospitality offered is very warm.
(BSF) soldiers who scan the marshy creeks looking for any suspicious movements as a few kilometers in the distance is the international border
of India with Pakistan
from where smugglers and insurgents try to sneak into India every now and then, there are BSF guards posted on the fort's fortifications and the nearby Border Outpost
.
's Bollywood
film Refugee
is shot on location in the Great Rann of Kutch and other locations in the Kutch district
of Gujarat, India. This film is inspired by the story by Keki N. Daruwalla
based around the Great Rann of Kutch titled "LOVE ACROSS THE SALT DESERT" which is also included as one of the short stories in the School Standard XII syllabus English text book of NCERT in India. The film crew
having traveled from Mumbai
was based at the city of Bhuj
and majority of the film shooting took place in various locations around in the Kutch District
of the Indian state of Gujarat including the Great Rann of Kutch (also on BSF controlled "snow white" Rann within), Villages and Border Security Force
(BSF) Posts in Banni grasslands and the Rann, Tera fort village, Lakhpat fort village (Lakhpat fort is shown as a fictitious town located across the international border
in neighboring Pakistan
), Khera fort village, a village in southern Kutch, some ancient temples of Kutch and with parts and a song filmed on set in Mumbai's Kamalistan Studio.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
within the fort walls of the 18th-century Lakhpat fort. The literal meaning of Lakhpat is the city of millionaire, however today it is sparsely populated Ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
, a city of ruins of buildings and a magnificent fort surrounding them. Historically it has been very important trading post connecting Gujarat to Sindh. Its decline started when an earthquake diverted the flow of the Sindhu river away from it. It has a scenic landscape with a fort in ruins along with tomb and a mosque noted for their fine carvings. A nearby gurudwara is historically significant, as Guru Nanak is believed to have visited this site while he was on his way to Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
. Few of his relics are retained here. During the period of Muslim invasion, the Khudabadi Sonara Community and other Hindus who had not converted to Islam under the Ghaznavids moved to Vegh Kot and Lakhpat (in Kutch) around 1028 AD, to avoid genocide at the hands of the invading muslims and to live peacefully under Hindu Samma rulers.
Lakhpat, the last frontier of Kutch, is an amazing sea fort situated in the mouth of Kori Creek. History says that the waters of Sindhu River used to flow into Lakhpat and further onto Deshalpar (Gunthli). Rice used to be cultivated and Lakhpat used to give an annual revenue of 800,000 Koris just from rice. It is also said that Lakhpat used to generate an income of 100,000 Koris everyday from maritime activities. All this changed with the earthquake of 1819 A. D. A Bundh famously known as Allahbund
Allahbund
Allah Bund is a fault running through Gujarat. Experts at the Indian Meteorological Department believe the 2001 Bhuj Earthquake is a reawakening of the Allah Bund fault....
was created and Sindhu changed its course of flow. The Sindhu river now drains into the sea. Lakhpat and the area around is very sparsely populated of not more than 400 persons.
The Gosh Mohmad Kuba, Syed Pir Shah Dargah, Nani Mai Dargah, Hatkeshwar Temple amongst others in the old town are reminisces of the glorious past.
BSF outposts keep a diligent vigil over the area. It is a delight to see the Chinkara and the Nilgai. One has to be very lucky to spot the caracal or the civet. The sight of peacocks and the call of the partridges follows one right up to the fort of Lakhpat.
Located nearby is the Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary
Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary
Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary also popularly known as Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary or Narayan Sarovar Chinkara Sanctuary notified as such in April 1981 and subsequently denotified in 1995 with reduced area, is a unique eco-system in the Lakhpat taluka of Kutch district in the state of Gujarat,...
.
Lakhpat Gurudwara Sahib
An attraction is the Lakhpat Gurudwara Sahib, religious place for the SikhSikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
s. Guru Nanak on his way to Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
for Haj stayed over here and even today Guru Nanakji's footwear and the palkhi are worshiped by the Udasi
Udasi
Udasi is a religious, ascetic sadhu sect of Sikhism focused on the teachings of its founder, Sri Chand , son of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder and the first Guru of Sikhism....
Sect. The Gurudwara is declared a protected monument by the Archeological Department and has won the UNESCO award for restoration after the earthquake. Unfortunately, a concrete enclosure has engulfed the rather pristine place. The hospitality offered is very warm.
BSF Post
The seaward side of the fort is guarded by Border Security ForceBorder Security Force
The Border Security Force is a border patrol agency of the Government of India. Established on December 1, 1965, it is one of the Central Armed Police Forces. Its primary role is to guard India's international borders during peacetime and also prevent transnational crime...
(BSF) soldiers who scan the marshy creeks looking for any suspicious movements as a few kilometers in the distance is the international border
International Border
The India–Pakistan Border , known locally as the International Border , is the international boundary between India and Pakistan that demarcates the Indian states of Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat from the Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh. Pakistan borders India in the east. The border...
of India with Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
from where smugglers and insurgents try to sneak into India every now and then, there are BSF guards posted on the fort's fortifications and the nearby Border Outpost
Border outpost
A border outpost, border out post, border observation post or BOP is an outpost maintained by a sovereign state on its border, usually one of a series placed at regular intervals, to watch over and safeguard its border with a neighboring state with whom it may or may not have cordial relations...
.
Major Bollywood film shooting
J. P. DuttaJ. P. Dutta
Jyoti Prakash Dutta is an Indian Bollywood film producer and director. Mr. Dutta produces his films under the banner of JP Films. He is known for directing many patriotic war films and films in the action genre...
's Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film Refugee
Refugee (film)
Refugee is a Bollywood film directed by J. P. Dutta, released on 30 June 2000. The film marked the debut of Abhishek Bachchan, son of legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, and Kareena Kapoor, the sister of actress Karisma Kapoor and part of the famous Kapoor family. Jackie Shroff, Sunil Shetty and...
is shot on location in the Great Rann of Kutch and other locations in the Kutch district
Kutch District
Kutch district is a district of Gujarat state in western India. Covering an area of 45,652 km², it is the largest district of India....
of Gujarat, India. This film is inspired by the story by Keki N. Daruwalla
Keki N. Daruwalla
Keki N. Daruwalla is a major Indian poet and short story writer in English language. He has written over 12 books and published his first novel "For Pepper and Christ" in 2009...
based around the Great Rann of Kutch titled "LOVE ACROSS THE SALT DESERT" which is also included as one of the short stories in the School Standard XII syllabus English text book of NCERT in India. The film crew
Film crew
Television crew positions are derived from those of film crew positions.A film crew is a group of people hired by a production company for the purpose of producing a film or motion picture. Crew are distinguished from cast, the Actors who appear in front of the camera or provide voices for...
having traveled from Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
was based at the city of Bhuj
Bhuj
Bhuj is a city and a municipality in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat, India.-History:It was established by Rao Hamirji in 1510 and was made the state capital by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. Its foundation stone as state capital laid formally on Vikram Samvat 1604 Maagha 5th...
and majority of the film shooting took place in various locations around in the Kutch District
Kutch District
Kutch district is a district of Gujarat state in western India. Covering an area of 45,652 km², it is the largest district of India....
of the Indian state of Gujarat including the Great Rann of Kutch (also on BSF controlled "snow white" Rann within), Villages and Border Security Force
Border Security Force
The Border Security Force is a border patrol agency of the Government of India. Established on December 1, 1965, it is one of the Central Armed Police Forces. Its primary role is to guard India's international borders during peacetime and also prevent transnational crime...
(BSF) Posts in Banni grasslands and the Rann, Tera fort village, Lakhpat fort village (Lakhpat fort is shown as a fictitious town located across the international border
International Border
The India–Pakistan Border , known locally as the International Border , is the international boundary between India and Pakistan that demarcates the Indian states of Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat from the Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh. Pakistan borders India in the east. The border...
in neighboring Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
), Khera fort village, a village in southern Kutch, some ancient temples of Kutch and with parts and a song filmed on set in Mumbai's Kamalistan Studio.
External links
- http://www.superbikerdg.com/authen/user/runnalbum.aspxTrip Record: Photos of Friends on a motorbike trip through Kutch visiting the Great Rann of Kutch passing through Kala Dungar (Black hill), snow white Rann, then they visit the Dholavira Harappan excavation site. Then biking through Banni grasslands they see Indian Wild Ass there and Chari-Dhand Wetland Conservation Reserve. They then Bike to Lakhpat fort village and also Mandvi beach.]. Also see http://www.superbikerdg.com/authen/user/tgrk.aspx.
- Between sun and superstition; August 11, 1999; EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE; The Indian Express
- Border villagers set to get I-card; by Hiral Dave; Jun 16, 2009; The Indian Express
- You Tube VIDEO: Lakhpat; India Darshan - A TV Documentary snippet in Hindi
- You Tube VIDEO: Reality check of National ID card project in Lakhpat, Gujarat, India; A TV Report; NewsX Video