The fort is said to have founded as caravanserai in the 15th century. At this time Potowar was under control of Malik Jasarat and he was who is said to have been its original builder. The caravanserai itself may have been built atop Ghaznavid era fort that was established in 1036 CE. The caravanserai was later fortified in the 16th century during the reign of Mughal emperor Humayun in order to defend the Potowar plateau from Sher Shah Suri’s forces. The fort was the scene of a battle between Humayun and Sher Shah Suri in 1546.
The fortress, or former serai, is nearly square in shape and measures 307 feet x 348 feet, enclosing a roughly 107,000 square feet courtyard. Two smaller gateways stand on the north and south sides, whereas the west wall is dominated by a large three-bay mosque. Each bay is surmounted by domes. The mosque measures 98 feet x 40 feet. The facade of each bay is distinguished by archways making the
important feature of the mosque. Adjacent to the mosque is an octagonal tomb measuring 58 feet in diameter. There are four entrances of the tomb and each one has a deep pishtaq. It is traditionally believed to be the final resting place of Sultan Sarang Khan (d. 1546), a Gakhar chieftain who ruled portions of the northern Punjab from 1520-46. Numerous smaller graves are scattered about the courtyard, believed to be those of Sarang Khan’s 16 sons and their associates, killed alongside him in battle against Sher Shah Suri’s forces in 1546.
Naqoosh-e-Javidan 