Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Dharmapuri fort is located very near to Ambajogai. It is on
the road which leads to Ahmedpur from Ambajogai. Directions to the same are available on
Google Maps.
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| Panoramic view of Dharmapuri Fort located near to Ambajogai in Maharashtra |
After visiting Nanded Fort, we decided to take rest at
Ambajogai. So we decided to first check out the Govt Guest House, if we could
get a place to stay there, we were lucky to get a place to stay for the night,
at a cost of Rs 400 for two. Dinner was again Chinese cusine at a local streetside
eatery.
Ambajogai, is a small town, which has got provision for
food, hotels,banks and ST bus stand.
It was at Ambajogai Govt Guest House that we learnt that
there is a Fort called Dharmapuri nearby. We were informed that the fort is
around 30 KM from here on the way to Ahmedpur. I immediately started by
research on the internet to check as to the whereabouts and also the looks of
the fort. The fort looked appealing as the fort walls were intact.
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| Ambajogai Govt Guest House |
The next morning, Manohar and me had to take a call whether
to see the fort or not, as Dharmapuri Fort is around 30 KM away. But after
exploring the fort, we had to again travel via Ambajogai to reachd Dharur Fort.
Nevertheless we still decided to visit the fort.
Due to a wrong selection of roads, thanks to Google Maps, it
took us little less than 2 hours to reach Dharmapuri Fort, the road was so bad
that we had to drive at speed of 20. It even affected the car suspension.
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| That's me below the blue skies |
Finally we were able to see a glimpse of the fort in a distance, the fort bastion
looked amazing. We parked the car in the base village and from there walked up
to the fort. Please note that there is provision for food and water in the
village.
After climbing a series of steps we reached the fort
entrance. There was wild vegetation growing all around the fort and to top it,
the locals also come here for their nature calls. Shameless people.
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| Chor Darwaza to enter Dharmapuri Fort located near to Ambajogai in Maharashtra |
Not much is known about the history of this fort.
There used to be a Maha Darwaza to enter the fort once apon
a time, currently it is filled with rocks and only a small portion is kept
open, like a Chor Darwaza to enter the fort premises.
It was a small fort
which could be done in around 30 minutes.
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| Rooms within near the fort walls of Dharmapuri Fort located near to Ambajogai in Maharashtra |
There was plenty of wild vegetation
within the fort premises.
Like always we decided to climb on the walls and then try
exploring the fort. As it is a land fort the walls are not very tall in height,
they would have been a storey or two high.
What should I say, the fortification of this fort is intact
from the outside. The bastions are really big and offer a fantastic view of the
surrounding. There is a lake nearby the fort,
we could see women washing clothes by its bay.
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| The lake and bastion of Dharmapuri Fort located near to Ambajogai in Maharashtra |
On one of the bastions is a "Pir" (Muslim saint or
Holy man). after walking on the fort walls, we decided to get down and explore
the fort in the wild vegetation.
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| Pir on one of the bastions of Dharmapuri Fort located near to Ambajogai in Maharashtra |
We were able to see this inscription on the fort walls. Not
sure what it meant,a s there were no signboards around. We also saw different
types of stone fitted into the fort walls, these stones didn't belong here and
were bought from elsewhere.
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| Inscription on the fort walls of Dharmapuri Fort located near to Ambajogai in Maharashtra |
There were two rooms in the fort premises, the entrance to
them was via the Chor Darwaza. Nothing in them. But above the Chor Darwaza was
a inscription on the room wall.
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| Manohar and Me standing atop one of the bastions of Dharmapuri Fort located near to Ambajogai in Maharashtra |
There is also a big well in the fort premises, but due to
the thick vegetation, it is a bit difficult to reach it.
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| Well in Dharmapuri Fort located near to Ambajogai in Maharashtra |
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| Bastion of Dharmapuri Fort located near to Ambajogai in Maharashtra |
After exploring the fort premises, we heard children
screaming, it was then we realized that there was a monkey in the fort and that
the children were trying to get rid of it.
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| Stone artifact at Dharmapuri Fort located near to Ambajogai in Maharashtra |
NOTE: Please click on the words in large font in the blog to read about them.
