Cultural Significances and Economic Prospective of Ondra Fort in Gulmit Gojal (Part 1)

Historical and cultural sites are places that are acknowledged for their importance in nation’s history.  Historic sites provide a tangible link with the past and these sites are associated with an event, a person, a place, or the built heritage. They are part of nation’s heritage and contribute to define its identity.

Historical sites are main asset of any society which imitates their identity and an individual can have a good grasp on his past and his forefather’s lives, so this research report revealed some of the facts about the existence of the Ondra fort, which is situated in a wonder full panoramic scene. Hence forth being a student of management sciences and due to interest in the cultural values, customs and archaeological remains I opted for this topic. There were many other dimensions due to which this research report has great significance. As a novice researcher it helped me to learn how a research study should be done with proper arrangements.

What does Ondra Qlaa (Fort) or Ondareh Qileh mean?

Ondra Qlaa (Wakhi) or Ondareh Qileh (Persian) is combination of words emanate from Turkish, Wakhi and Persian languages “ON” is Turkish word which means “Ten” (digit 10) Dareh is actually Persian word which means “Passes or Valley” but the word Dareh is also in Wakhi language “Dra” (with slight difference in pronunciation but meaning is same) “Qileh” is Persian word means Fortress and we can find the word “Qlaa” in Wakhi language which has the same meaning. The reason for Turkish and Persian word affiliated with the fort is in such a way that in 16^th and 17^th century, people of the area had been speaking Turkish and Persian besides their mother tongue and adoption of words from different languages were quite common, which is  in practice even in modern era. The 2^nd reason is Wakhi as a language, which is originated from Persian language. There isn’t any written proof, who suggested this name Ondra, to this place.

Pictorial illustration of  Ondra Fort Gulmit Gojal,         Photo credit: Fazal Karim Shiraz  

Ondra is located on such a plateau like place from where ten passes could be monitored in the ancient time by the inhabitants of Gulmit in order to make sentient the ruler of the time from the external or internal threats. As I have tried to elucidate using a photograph to show the Ten Passes.
According to some local historians a man named Shah Kushwakhth (a Qirghaiz) one of the closest friend of Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan 1st, suggested (around 1820) this name Ondra because of its defense point of view and locale. There is no written proof regarding the Fort in specific and history of Gulmit Gojal in general therefore I have included such information in this paper which remained common in maximum of the respondents.