Daulatabad Fort
Daulatabad is situated around 13 kms
away from Aurangabad. This place is known for its majestic fortress
which was build in 12th century on top of a hill. The Daulatabad fort
emerges dramatically over 600 ft above the Deccan plain. It is one of
the world's best preserved forts of medieval times and also one of the
few impregnable forts in Maharashtra with excellent architecture. The
city was named Daulatabad 'The city of fortune', by Mohammed bin
Tughluq, the sultan of Delhi.
¤ History of The Fort
Almost 800 years ago, Daulatabad, then called 'Devigiri' was a
thriving city. It was founded by Bhillamraja of the Yadava dynasty in
1187 AD. Later, the fort of Daulatabad passed through the hands of
several dynasties in the Deccan. Less than 150 years after the Yadava
dynasty, Daulatabad also became the capital of India for a short
period during the reign of Sultan Muhammad-bin-Tughluq, who gave the
city its present name. But very soon the charm of this ancient city
faded.
¤ The Fort
The Daulatabad fort is situated on top of a high hill, encircled by
thick walls, spiked gates, steep slide ways and a deep trench. The
fort has a coiled network of secret, quizzical and subsurface
passages.
Situated on a hill and surrounded by a 40 ft. deep trench with
mechanical drawbridges and crocodiles, this fascinating fort becomes
impossible for intruders to approach. Along with these, a strong 5 kms
long wall and complex series of defenses makes Daulatabad fort one the
most secure forts.
The defense system of this fort was absolutely full proof with double
and even triple rows of massive walls. This fortress was like a maze
where the intruders were trapped. There was no way of conquering this
majestic fort. The impregnable fort of Daulatabad was only conquered
by treachery.
¤ Significant Structures Within The Fort
Daulatabad fort has some outstanding structures like the Chand Minar,
Jami Masjid and royal palaces. The royal palaces within the fort
consists of spacious halls, pavilions and courtyards.
The Chand Minar within the fort is a 30-metre high tower. It was a
tower of victory build by Ala-ud-din Bahmani to commemorate his
conquest of the fort in 1435. The Minar is divided into four storeys
having glazed tiles and carved motifs. The Minar is supposed to be
used as a prayer hall or a victory monument in its time.
The blue tiled Chini Mahal is located a little higher than the Chand
Minar. It is where the last king of Golcunda, Abdul Hasan Tana Shah
was imprisoned in 1687. He was captivated here for thirteen years
until his death, by the Moghul emperor Aurangzeb.
The Jami Masjid within the fort was a mosque built by the Khilji
ruler of Delhi, Qutub-ud-din Mubarak in 1318. This mosque is a
well-preserved monument, comprising of 106 pillars ransacked from the
Hindu and Jain temples, which previously stood on the site. Lately,
the Masjid has been converted into a Bharatmata temple, causing
dissatisfaction amongst the local Muslims.
There is a large stone-lined Elephant tank in the nearby area. It was
once a major part of the fort's extensive water-supply system. There
are two giant terracotta pipes, which are the source of channeled
water from the hills falling into Deogiri's ( Daulatabad) legendary
fruit and vegetable gardens.
There is also an awesome ram-headed Kila Shikan ("Fort Breaker")
cannon inscribed with its name in Persian. It lies on a stone platform
nearby. From this spot, a series of gruesome traps start, waiting for
the incautious intruder.
¤ Things To Keep In Mind
The Daulatabad fort remains open till 6 pm.
¤ Reach Daulatabad Fort
By Air : The nearest airport
from Daulatabad is the Aurangabad airport, located around 10 kms east
of the Aurangabad town. This airport is directly linked to Mumbai,
Delhi, Jaipur and Udaipur.
By Rail : Aurangabad is well connected to Mumbai and other
cities of the country. There are two trains that depart daily from
Mumbai. The Tapovan Express leaves Mumbai early morning arriving in
Aurangabad by late afternoon, while the Devgiri Express is an
overnight train.
By Road : Daulatabad Fort is a part of the MTDC tour to Ellora
from Aurangabad. It can also be reached by private taxi or by the
local bus that runs between Aurangabad and Ellora.
Major Circuits
Major Tour Packages To Maharashtra
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