I had some time to myself this evening, so I decided to visit an old fort a short drive from our village here in Punjab. Although I knew from some online research that the fort was in bad shape due to neglect, what I saw when I got there was something I wasn’t prepared for.
The Lodhi Fort (also known as Purana Qila – The Old Fort) was built by a powerful ruler named Sikander Lodhi. Approximately 500 years old, the fort was strategically erected on the banks of the Sutlej River to defend against incursions into the Lodhi Dynasty’s territory. A few hundred years later, Maharaja Ranjit Singh recognized its tactical value and took it under his control.
A few hundred years later still, the fort now sits abandoned in the middle of the city, surrounded by what can best be described in one word – poverty.
The path leading up to the fort was undoubtedly heavily guarded by soldiers in the times of the Lodhis and Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and civilians like us would have been stopped before we even got close. Now, the path was manned by a handful of children playing cricket who stopped to look at us with curiosity as we walked past them.
Entering the fort, one immediately sees it is in bad shape. The walls are covered in graffiti and falling apart, and debris is strewn everywhere. Unmanaged vegetation is rampant, with the roots of trees starting to make the roof collapse in multiple areas. As we explored the various rooms that once housed the soldiers who were tasked with defending the citadel, we came across men and young boys either high or in the process of getting high, all staring at us with bloodshot eyes.
As I stood on the roof while looking out across the fort, I pictured Sikander Lodhi and Maharaja Ranjit Singh standing in the same spot.
Whereas my eyes took in slums and garbage, they must have seen lush greenery and a beautifully flowing river.
Whereas the grounds within the fort would have likely served as a place for military drills and training, it now serves as a place for local youth to shoot TikTok videos to the latest Punjabi and Hindi songs, while street dogs fight over scraps of food they have managed to scavenge.
Whereas they must have been filled with pride and joy at what their fort was, I was filled with sadness and despair at what it had become.
Built and fought over by kings, it now sits abandoned and in ruins.
Although I am still very angry at the lack of care for this historical place, after having a few hours to reflect on it, I see that despite its condition, it still has something to teach anyone who visits it.
Sikander Lodhi is gone, and so is Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Yet the fort remains; despite its condition, it still stands, refusing to fade away just yet, for it has something to share with the world.
Mehmet Murat Ildan once said “Ancient moments are full of wisdom, for they have been filled with what they have been filled with what they have seen and heard for hundreds of years.”
The Lodhi Fort has heard the conversations of mighty kings and powerful generals. Its walls contain stories of the rise and fall of empires.
I realize now that those thoughts of Sikander Lodhi and Maharaja Ranjit Singh weren’t just thoughts, they were the fort speaking to me, sharing its story.
Based on its present condition, it’s safe to say the Lodhi Fort will be gone soon, taking with it forever the stories it contains, therefore I consider myself blessed for having had the opportunity to visit and listen to that which it considered me worthy enough to share.
