Dipalpur

Dipalpur, also spelt Depalpur, is a city in Okara District of the Punjab that served as headquarters of Depalpur Tehsil. It is situated 25 kilometres from the district capital Okara on a bank of the Beas River in Bari Doab. The Tehsil is notable for being the site of several battles in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and is also associated with the history of the Bhatti clan. Punjabi is the most spoken language in the region.Begooka (Arian) Paracha, Pathan (Khan), Rao, Daula (Arian), Mian, Ramay (Arain), Wattoo, Klasson (Jatt), Bhatti, Joiya, Kharal Jutt, Chandor (Arian) are the main casts.Chandoor are the oldest dweller of the city.Historical architectureIn the past, Dipalpur was surrounded by a fortified wall, rising to the height of 25 feet and strengthened by a deep trench. When and by whom this wall was constructed is not known, but it was renovated, repaired and improved during the rule of Firuz Shah Tughluq and later by Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khanan, who was the governor during the time of Akbar. Firoz Shah Tughluq constructed a grand mosque and palaces. He also excavated a canal from the river Sutlej to irrigate gardens around the town.Wide and airy tunnels linked the royal residential quarters inside the fort to the adjoining gardens outside. There were 24 burgs (musketry holes) on the fortification wall, 24 mosques, 24 bavlis (ponds) and 24 wells at the town's peak. The trench, ponds and tunnels have been filled in, but in some places the location of the trench can still be defined. Most of the wall has been razed. Two of the four massive gateways with pointed arches also exist though they are badly damaged and their wooden doors have vanished. Later coats of cement have marred the original architecture of the gateways.