Cholistan

The Cholistan desert, locally known as Rohi, is located 30km from the city of Bhawalpur and covers an area of over 26,300 km2. It adjoins the Thar Desert extending over to Sindh and into India. The word Cholistan is derived from the Turkish word Chol, which means desert. Cholistan thus means land of the desert. The people of Cholistan lead a semi-nomadic life, moving from one place to another in search of water and fodder for their livestock. The area has rich archaeological artifacts including vast but as of yet unexcavated cities belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization. It also is home to the 1100 year old Derawar Fort, a large square fortress situated near Bhawalpur, which has forty bastions, visible from many miles in the Cholistan desert. The wall has a circumference of 1500m and stands up to thirty meters high.