Delhi : Tughlaqabad Fort near Adilabad Fort and Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Tughlaqabad Fort is located very close to Adilabad Fort  and Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb on the Mehrauli Badarpur Road. The closest railway and metro station being Tughlaqabad. 

Entrance to Tughlaqabad Fort

Fortification

This huge fort is clearly visible when travelling on the Mehrauli Badarpur Road. The walls are made of stone. A small narrow path leads to the entrance of the fort. 

This was the third city of Delhi and was constructed by Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq founder of the Tughluq dynasty in AD 1321 to 1325. It served two purposes ie. it was a defensive site and capital to Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq. To read more about the history refer to photo below.

History of Tughlaqabad Fort

The fort walls is made up of huge rectangular stone blocks, placed one above the other. Not sure if any adhesive was used, but most had remained in that position for centuries. 

The fort has huge bastions around it, something similar to Sindhudurg and Murud Janjira (forts in Maharashtra). 

Map of Tughlaqabad Fort

Looking at the fort, it looks like portions of it have been restored. To this Rohan informed me that it was restored when the Common Wealth Games were held in Delhi. 

Bastion and fortification of Tughlaqabad Fort

Here is a layout of the Tughlaqabad Fort. What stands now is just ruins. It has got many structures in broken condition across the fort premises. It was just two of us here. We started exploring the fort block by block.

Structures within Tughlaqabad Fort

We located this stone wheel which was used for grinding purposes. It used to run on the circular track wherein the stuff to be grinded was placed. Have seen such stone wheel atop Visapur Fort and Tikona fort in Maharashtra. 

We then reached the under ground passages, There were series of rooms next to the passage, not sure why this was created. 

Grinding stone and ruins around

We then climbed up the topmost part of the fort and located may square shaped walled structures throughout the fort premises, maybe these were used for residential purposes, but today just the walls stand, no ceiling. Adhesive was used to fix these stone blocks to each other is clearly visible here. Raigad in Maharashtra too has got similar structures atop it.  

Underground passage within the fort premises

There is hardly any shade atop the fort premises, so get ready to be baked in the sun, in case you don't have protection. Certain portions of the fort are well maintained, others there are thorny shrubs all over. The fort offers a wonderful view of the area around, no wonder it was used as a defensive site. 

There is also a rockcut baoli or well in the fort premises, something similar to Rajon ki Baoli and Gandhak ki Baoli in Mehrauli archaeological park. It was dry but a series of steps led to the bottom of it. 

Ruined structures within fort premises

As we started to explore the portion of the fort beyond the Baoli, we were warned by the caretaker, not to go there. "Waha lootere hai" meaning there are robbers there, as it was just the two of us, who were exploring the fort, we decided not to venture in there.

Structures atop the fort

Ruins atop the fort

Certain portions of this huge fort remained unexplored, primarily due to the fear of robbers or due to rough vegetation that made it impossible  to visit it. But had a great time exploring what we managed to explore. 

Rock cut step well in fort premises

We then headed off to see Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb and Adilabad Fort.