Daulatabad Fort

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

On my way to Ellora Caves I saw the fortification of this fort. The fortification was in good condition, the tall tower in its premises was just amazing. Standing there just like a Kutub Minar.

Way to Daulatabad Fort

 I have been to a few forts in Maharashtra, but never have I seen a tower in any of them and that to a orangish colored tower.

We returned to see the fort as soon as we were done viewing Ellora Caves. There are many small historical monuments scattered all over the land on the way to Daulatabad. 

Main Entrance to the Fort

As our rickshaw halted at the entrance, our driver told us to see the Bhool Bhulaya and the Cannons in the premises. “Yeh Bhool Bhulaya kya hai” I asked. “Aap khud hi dekh legiye” he told us. Cannons I understood, but what is a Bhool Bhulaya. Let’s check it out I said to myself after not getting any favourable answers to my questions.

We got ourselves a ticket at the counter at a cost of Rs.5 each and headed off to see the fort.

Cannons on display at the Entrance

This fort was built by the Yadava King of Bhillama V in the 12^th century AD.  The fort was earlier known as Devgiri. It was rechristened Daulatabad by Sultan Mohammad-bin-Tughlak in 1327 AD.

One thing worth noting about this fort is that it starts as a ground fort and ends as a hill fort. It has many walls built around it making it difficult for the enemy to encroach upon.

Fortification

We were greeted by cannons as soon as we entered the main Darwaza of the fort. The door of the main Darwaza is still intact and it houses a smaller door for humans to pass through. The big door was for elephants and horsemen to ride through. I saw huge iron spiked nails superimposed on the doors; these were put so that when the enemy elephants try to barge in the doors they get hurt. Above the door are placed small windows, I guess these were used as a watchtower for the soldiers to watch the enemy and the people who entered the fort.

Chand Minar

Inside the premises are cannon placed. These were accumulated from the fort and across the land. I saw neatly crafted bronze cannons too. This fort has cannons mounted on wheels which were actually used in war, unlike other forts that have cannon that are found lying all over them.

Cannons of various shapes and sizes are found parked here in the courtyard near the main darwaza. Though the wheels are missing on the big ones but they are placed in stone stands.

Ruins on the fort

We then reached a place called “Mahakot” called the second line of defense management. It consisted of walls, bastions that were either single, double or triple storied so that the soldiers could keep a watch on the enemy. Again the doors were equipped with long iron spiked nails to withhold the enemy elephants. The fortification had pillars that were beautifully carved.

Though some parts of the walls were damaged but there is no graffiti on the walls of the fort. I like that.

Chand Minar

We reached an open water tank. Sadly there was no a single drop of water in it. I guess this place is called the Hathi Tank, majorly based on the size of the tank.

There are plenty of historical structures placed all over the fort but there is no mention of what it actually was. Maybe it was not of major importance hence it was not named.

Hathi Tank

We moved on to see Bharatmata temple. The temple has huge stone clad ground in front of it with pillars in the side followed by the walls of the temple. Each of the pillars was carved. We later headed off to see the temple. It was pillars placed very close to each other and covered by a hood atop it. Saw people offering prayers at the temple.

We then headed off to see the Chand Minar which stands second to the Kutub Minar. I have never seen the Kutub Minar for real but I could locate this tower from a distance. Even as I was travelling to Daulatabad fort and back from Ellora Caves.

BharatMata Temple

Though no entry is permissible in the tower, it was painted dark orangy and had three balconies around it till it reached its top. I guess there is an internal staircase to take you to the top, else why would they build balconies around it.

We then headed off entering another darwaza, now we were climbing up the conical hill. As we were climbing up could see many ruins of houses and walls scattered all over within the fort premises. The history related to this has become history.

Pillars standing within the Bharatmata Temple premises

On the way I located this cannon made of bronze perched on a stone pillar. It was beautifully carved with designs and had the shape of the goat sculptured on the end of it. Atop of it, it had two lions in sitting position carved out of the metal. This is a first of its kind cannon I have seen in all my fort treks and it indeed is beautiful.

We were then greeted by a moat. The water below was algae infested and had plastic bottles in them that appeared like lotus in the lake. How ignorant of people to throw plastic water bottles in there.

Way to the top of the fort

I guess this was the third line of defense management used to enter the palace on top the fort. Wow three levels to cross just to reach the top. The enemy would have had a difficult time just to reach the top. There is a small wooden bridge constructed to reach the top end of the fort. As we walked on it we could hear the creaking sound of the wood. So crossed immediately with the fear of not crashing in the algae infested water.

Alternatively there is a stone road to cross too which we located later. Hehe

Ruins

Now we reached the place called as “Andheri” (Dark Passage) I stay in Andheri and there is no dark passage here in Mumbai.

As we had a torch plus a torch in our phones we decided to climb up via the spiral staircase. The stones here were uneven and to top it, it was pitch dark. We were praying on the stairs that our torches don’t conk off in between. It took us around 25 minutes to reach the light. Scared as we were we held each other’s hand and motivated each other to reach the light. We forgot to take snaps of it :(

Structure within the fort premises

In those days when the enemy would have entered in here to reach the top they would have had a tough time, firstly as it was pitch dark, the stone walls were unevenly cut out and the staircase was spiral in shape, and to top it even for walking for minutes could not see the light. Now that is scary in itself.

Now you can imagine how scarred we were when we were inside it.

Ruins

There is another zig zag staircase with various cutouts in the walls for light to seep in to reach the top. Most people who go up the fort use this way, but this way too has its dark areas but not as dark as the one we came by.

When we reached the common point on top, the people who came by the later way asked us if there is a way up from there to which we replied a yes.

Beautifully carved Cannon

That’s why this place is called a Bhool Bhulaya. One can get lost in here if you travelling alone.

After walking on the reconstructed staircase we reached a palatial kind of room. We knew that I was almost of top, but we were running short on water supply, so were hoping to get some water up here, as we are now on top. But the chances were dicey as we couldn’t locate any water tanks on the way. But we still hoped for the best.

Moat and stone route over the algae infested waters

The Palatial house had many rooms in it and many windows offering amazing view of the land. When we suddenly noticed water. We hurried to fill our bottles with water. The locals fill water in a tank for the needs of the tourists who drench their thirst here. The locals feel that they receive blessings from God, by supplying drinking water to the thirsty. We had both our stomachs and water bottles full of water and headed up the structure to see the world from the highest point on the fort.

Atop the Palace is the Saint Janardan Swami Temple. Which is built in the rock and above it is podium about 20 feet high, which is the highest peak on the fort. It has cannon here. The huge bronze cannon were resting on a small stone stand and was watching the city. This bronze cannon was beautifully carved.  Just wondering how they might have bought this cannon atop the fort. As there were no helicopters then and the passages are so narrow that elephants cannot cross them. Then how can they get these cannons up still remains a mystery.

Moat

Though this fort was ruled by a Mughal it houses many temples in it. It only means that all though they conquered the lands they let the people practice their own religion, hence could locate two temples on its premises.

It took us around three hours to reach the summit. We had the feeling in us as if we were standing atop Mount Everest. Ha-ha. But conquering this fort too was a task in itself but we still managed to reach the top.

View from the top

To this Namrata added its time we camp here. “CAMP and that too here?” “Have you gone mad” “We are not staying on this fort for the night” I said, to this she adamantly replied “Yes, we are”.

We stayed there till it grew a dark and then headed off to exit the fort. Still don’t know what was going in her head and why she changed her mind and decided to leave. I was happy that we were going.

The Palace, the topmost point of the fort

Maybe it’s just the two of us and the fort that scared her or was there something else. We hurried off to the main entrance of the fort.

I didn’t ask her nor did she tell me but we carried on to our hotel.