DADU: Located at a distance of around 240km from Karachi via Indus Highway (N-5), vastly scattered mysterious Ranikot Fort near Sann town in Jamshoro district of Sindh, is a wonderful historical site for history and heritage enthusiasts.
With a circumference of around 32 kilometers, the fort is beloved to be the world’s largest fort. Ranikot Fort is also known as ‘The Great Wall of Sindh’, as the fort’s ramparts are often compared to the Great Wall of China by heritage lovers.
This huge wall is built in such a way that it is protecting something, but apparently there is nothing in the middle to be protected by the wall. Historian and heritage experts are clueless about why and who built it.
But if you are planning to visit the fort, don’t forget to take plenty of water, food and fuel with you as there is no any shop or fueling station on the way. Ranikot Fort could be a wonderful tourist destination, but authorities have not developed it for tourists.
The Great Wall of Sindh has different gates such as Mohan Gate, Sann Gate and inside the wall there are fortresses like Miri or Meeri, Sher Garh.
There is also a fossil forest inside the fort and locals sometimes sell pieces of fossil trees to tourists.
On the middle of the way to this mysterious Ranikot Fort from Karachi via Indus Highway, there is a small stream where one can find weird species of fish known as Garra rufa fish, a species of Turkish toothless carp that is used as pedicure in US, Canada, and Europe.
Removes your shoes and socks, sit on any stone, dangle your feet inside the water and within no time, dozens of these weird looking small fish will rush to your feet and start biting on your heel, toes and skins between your feet fingers. But please do it on your own risk, as this procedure is banned in US for its adverse impacts.
Published in Daily Times, February 26th 2018.