| Lakhpat | |||
| — town — | |||
| Coordinates | |||
| Country | India | ||
| State | Gujarat | ||
| District(s) | Kachchh | ||
| Nearest city | Bhuj | ||
| Parliamentary constituency | Bhuj | ||
| Population • Density |
1,000 • 100 /km2 (259 /sq mi) |
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| Sex ratio | 980/1000 ♂/♀ | ||
| Literacy | 60%% | ||
| Time zone | IST (UTC+05:30) | ||
| Area • Coastline |
• 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) |
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| Climate Temperature |
Dry (Köppen) • 42 °C (108 °F) |
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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.
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An attraction is the Lakhpat Gurudwara Sahib, religious place for the Sikhs. 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.[1][2][3][4][5]
The seaward side of the fort is guarded by Border Security Force (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.[6][7][8][9]
J. P. Dutta'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"[10] which is also included as one of the short stories in the School Standard XII syllabus English text book of NCERT in India[11]. 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.