Daleel Fort also known as Dahleel Kot is a relic of ancient architecture and history. located 20 km from Shaheed Benazirabad, better known as Nawabshah in Sindh Spanning 9.25 acres in a perfectly circular shape, the fort is said to have turrets that were used by sun worshippers of the Indian era. Indeed, scholars cite the fort as having roots in the sun-worshipping Suryavanshi dynasty, with architectural similarities to Padma Kot forts described in the Arthashastra forts. The latter too was surrounded by water on three sides and land on one side.
Built from mud and wood, Dahleel Kot features twelve bastions and wooden beams, echoing construction styles from centuries past. It is believed to date back to the Rai or Chach dynasties of the 7th ,8th centuries, Daleel Fort once stood between two rivers and even has a hidden doorway, likely for emergencies. Today, it houses local families, including that of Mumtaz Mallah, whose father bought the fort from the British in the 1940s.
Despite its rich cultural and historical value, this unique fort is crumbling under the weight of time, rains, and official neglect. As walls collapse and mud erodes, the future of Sindh’s only known circular fort remains uncertain unless urgent efforts are made to preserve this historical site.