DAULATABAD FORT

Daulatabad Fort
is a magnificent fort situated in Maharashtra, at a distance of around 13 km from the Aurangabad city. It forms a part of the Daulatabad city, which was earlier known as 'Devigiri'. The fort, perched at a height of approximately 60 ft, dates back to the 12th century. It has been constructed on the top of a hill and is amongst the best preserved forts in the world that date back to the medieval times. Daulatabad Fort is also one of the forts in Maharashtra that can be called as impregnable.

The excellent architecture of the fort, combined with its massive size, is what attracts visitors. Some information can be found on the history of the Daulatabad Fort. Devigiri city, now Daulatabad, was founded in 1187 AD, by Bhillamraja of the Yadava dynasty. In the years that ensued, the city passed into the hands of several dynasties of the Deccan. It also became the capital of India, under the rule of Sultan Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq. Infact, he was the one who gave Devigiri, the name of 'Daulatabad', meaning 'City of Fortune'.

Even till 800 years ago, the city was one of the flourishing destinations of the country. Daulatabad Fort stands bounded within thick walls, which are almost 5 km long, and is entered through spiked gates. Its slide ways are quite steep and trench very deep, making it almost unassailable. To facilitate escape in extreme crisis, the architects of the fort developed a maze of secret, subsurface passages inside its premises. Infact, Daulatabad Fort was made so sound and secure that it never fell to marching forces. It was conquered by its enemies only by the means of treachery.

Structures within Daulatabad Fort

Chand Minar
Chand Minar is a soaring tower inside the Daulatabad Fort, which rises to a height of approximately 30 m. The minar was built as a 'Tower of Victory' by Ala-ud-din Bahmani, after he managed to take over the fort in 1435. A four-storied tower, it stands adorned with glazed tiles and carved motifs. It is believed that Chand Minar was used as a prayer hall or a victory monument in the earlier times.

Chini Mahal
Chini Mahal is a beautiful palace, inlaid with blue tiles. The palace served as the detention center of Abdul Hasan Tana Shah, the last king of Golcunda, in 1687. He remained here for 13 years, before leaving this world for the heavenly abode.

Jami Masjid
The mosque situated inside the Daulatabad Fort complex is known as Jami Masjid. It was constructed in 1318 by Qutub-ud-din Mubarak, the Khilji ruler of Delhi. It stands adorned with 106 splendid pillars, which were looted from several Hindu and Jain temples that stood on the site initially. Some time back, the mosque was converted into a Bharatmata Temple.