Lakhpat Fort

Brief History

Only 33 km north of Narayan Sarovar lies the town of Lakhpat, with a walled fort as its main highlight. The town was an important coastal trade node in the 18th century. At the mouth of the Kori creek, the large fort walls still offer testimony to a short but glorious past. One can climb the fort rampart, the only remaining structure of the fort, and look over at the placid sea. This spot is particularly stunning at sunset. Within the fort walls, also lies a 16th century gurdwara. It is believed that Guru Nanak stopped here twice during his second (1506–1513) and fourth (1519–1521) missionary journey called Udasis. The gurdwara is a soothing spot for travellers. The soft hymns play constantly in the background, as travellers visit the ancient Sikh place of worship to see relics like wooden footwear, palkhi (palanquin), manuscripts and markings of two important heads of Udasi sect.

The remnants of the Lakhpat fort are reminders of the spot being a thriving trading a spot. More than 200 years old, the ramparts still keep the Arabian Ocean at bay. It is said that the fort is named after Rao Lakha, who ruled in Sindh about the middle of the thirteenth century. It was the 1800s where most political changes happened in this small town, changing the hands of the town from Fateh Muhammad, who enlarged the walls to Mohim Miyam, who was the commander of the fort. It fell to ruins through the century, as trade depleted, and the people in the town migrated to fairer pastures.