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
12th 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.
