Daulatabad Fort
At a distance of 16 km from Aurangabad railway station, Daulatabad is an ancient hill fort situated on the route from Aurangabad to Ellora Caves in Maharashtra. It is one of the best preserved heritage sites in Maharashtra, as well as one of the best tourist spots in Aurangabad.
The historic triangular fort of Daulatabad was built in 1187 by the Yadava king Bhillama V. It is one of the best historical places near Pune. Then this city was called ‘Devagiri’ which means Hill of Gods. The name Daulatabad or ‘abode of wealth’ was given by Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq when he made his capital here in 1327. The region and the fort fell to the Bahamani rulers under Hasan Gangu in 1347 and to the Nizam Shahis of Ahmednagar in 1499. A.D. In 1607, Daulatabad became the capital of the Nizam Shahi dynasty. The fort passed through many hands, captured and recaptured by the Mughals, Marathas, Peshwas and finally held by the Nizams of Hyderabad in 1724 until independence. It is one of the most visited places as part of Aurangabad tour package.
Daulatabad Fort was one of the most powerful forts of medieval times. Built on a conical hill 200 meters high, the fort was protected by a moat and a glacier. The fortification consists of three surrounding walls with bastions at regular intervals. The moat is 40 feet deep with mechanical drawbridges and full of crocodiles. The entire fort complex has an area of approximately 94.83 hectares. A combination of hill and land forts divided into small areas surrounded by fortified walls. The plan of the fortified Amberkot is for the general public. In the Mahakot area, the residential area was available for the upper class of the society due to the walls on four sides. Kalakot is a royal residential area with a double line of fortifications.
As the fort moved from one arm to another, the fort was expanded and structures were added. It includes structures such as step wells, kacheri (court) building, Bharat Mata Temple, Hathi Houd, Chand Minar, Aam Khas, Royal Hammam, Chini Mahal, Rang Mahal, Andheri, Baradari, water tanks and 10 unfinished stone caves. Yadav period. Chand Minar is one of the tallest towers in Daulatabad Fort, approximately 30 meters high. It was built to commemorate the capture of the fort by Alauddin Bahmani in 1447. The four-storied tower was decorated with glazed tiles and carved motifs. It is believed that Chand Minar was used as a place of prayer or a victory monument in earlier times. Baradari was a favorite summer residence of Mughal emperors.
Devagiri is on the border of Aurangabad. There are many buses, cabs and autos available to go from Aurangabad to Daulatabad Fort. It takes 3 hours to visit the major parts of the fort. There is a lot of walking/trekking within the fort and suitable for physically active visitors.
Daulatabad Fort in Daulatabad, one of the most commanding and invincible forts in the entire country; Or Devagiri as it was formerly known, is one of the must visit places near Aurangabad. This magnificent fort is fortified on a conical hill about 200 meters above sea level, about 11 km north-west of Aurangabad.
If you look into the history of the fort, you will realize its importance and strength. The defense of Daulatabad Fort was very strong as compared to other forts in this region or far away.
As for the architecture of this fort, the fort has three layers of defensive walls and its moat, ramparts and terrain are made of solid rocks. A large fire pit in its upper outlet gave the enemy a hard time and also aided their progress. Chandminar, Chini Mahal and Baradari are the most popular and important structures in the fort.
- Place: MH SH 22, Daulatabad, Maharashtra 431002
- Time: 8 AM to 6 PM
- Entrance Fee: Rs. 10 for Indians and Rs. 100
for foreigners
