Daulatabad

About:

The fortress of Daulatabad is surrounded by 5 km of sturdy walls. The central bastion tops a 200m high hill, originally known as Devagiri, the Hill of the Gods. It was named Daulatabad, the City of Fortune, in the 14th century by Mohammed Tughlaq, who conceived the crazy plan of not only building himself a new capital here, but marching the entire population of Delhi 1100 km south to populate it.The fort has been considered as the most powerful, puissant fort that offered robust resistance to the enemies. An invincible fort, one of the best preserved in comparison to other forts in the vicinity of the same period. Its sound and sturdy quality exists due to the powerful wall about three miles in perimeter and defended by a moat and gacis that runs round the hill at its foot and between this outer curtain and the citadel, also known as Dharagir and Duwagir.

Daulatabad is just 16 km from Aurangabad and is easily accessible by road. Visit to the Daulatabad fort is a half day affair. One can book a taxi cab from Aurangabad from near the central bus stand. Its advisable to go for taxis through the authorized taxi union which has its office just adjacent to the 'out gate' of the central bus stand. Alternatively, single tourist can also go by the state transport buses or many private buses which ply from Aurangabad.

Have some nice guavas at the entrance (Daulatabad is famous for those) and start off inside the fort. It opens at 7 AM.

After a brief hike, you will reach the magnificent 'Mendha Tof' (A cannon with its head resembling like a sheep) pointing out towards the enemy.

Further up, you will encounter a great moat which separates the fort from the outer boundaries. The moat used to be filled with water and hungry crocodiles once upon a time.

The marvellous 'bhul bhullaiya' (Maze) follows the trench and is a dark corridor maze which anyone has to pass to climb further up. The bhul bhullaiya has some perfect traps for the enemy where he could slip and slide down directly into the trench ! The 'bhul bhullaiya guides' present there would explain many things and show you around using a flame torch for a price. For the non-enthusiast, you can always take the outer stairs constructed later by the government.

Many tourists back off after this but for the committed and enthusiastic, you would like to climb further up and in the end, you reach the Moghul Pavilion (the white colored structure at the top) which seems to be the top of the fort but wait ! Climb up all the way to the flagpole which offers a panoramic view of the place around.

The descent is comparatively easy, but dangerous due to the huge speed one can attain if over-enthusiastic.

It would be a nice idea to club the visit to Daulatabad with Aurangzeb's tomb at Khultabad, Bhadra Maruti Mandir, Ellora Caves (11 km ahead) and the Grisneshwar Temple of Lord Shiva (One of the 12 jyotirlinga's)

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History:

Daulatabad Fort -- Devagiri (Deogiri).

The city is said to have been founded c. 1187 by Bhillama V, a prince who renounced his allegiance to the Chalukyas and established the power of the Yadava dynasty in the west. In 1294 the fort was captured by Ala-ud-din Khilji, and the rajas, so powerful that they were held by the Sultans of Delhi to be the rulers of all the Deccan, were reduced to pay tribute. The tribute falling into arrear, Devagiri was again occupied by the Muslims under Malik Kafur, in 1307 and 1310, and in 1318 the last raja, Harpal, was flayed alive.

Devagiri now became an important base for the operations of the Delhi Sultanate's conquering expeditions southwards. In 1327 Muhammad bin Tughluq determined to make it his capital, changed its name to Daulatabad , and tried to march the whole population of Delhi to it.

The project was interrupted by troubles which summoned him to the north; during his absence the Muslim governors of the Deccan revolted; and Daulatabad itself fell into the hands of Zafar Khan, the governor of Gulbarga. It remained in the hands of the Bahmanis till 1526, when it was taken by the Nizam Shahis. It was captured by the Mughal emperor Akbar, but in 1595 it again surrendered to Ahmad Nizam Shah of Ahmednagar, on the fall of whose dynasty in 1607 it passed into the hands of the usurper, the Nizam Shahi minister Malik Amber, originally an Abyssinian slave, who was the founder of Kharki (the present Aurangabad).

His successors held it until they were overthrown by Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor, in 1633; after which it remained in the possession of the Delhi emperors until, after the death of Aurangzeb, it fell to the first Nizam of Hyderabad. Its glory, however, had already decayed owing to the removal of the seat of government by the emperors to Aurangabad.

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Interesting things to Visit:

Besides the fortifications Daulatabad contains several notable monuments, of which the chief are the Chand Minar and the Chini Mahal. The Chand Minar is a tower 210 ft (64 m). high and 70 ft (21 m). in circumference at the base, and was originally covered with beautiful Persian glazed tiles. It was erected in 1445 by Ala-ud-din Bahmani to commemorate his capture of the fort. The Chini Mahal, or China Palace, is the ruin of a building once of great beauty. In it Abul Hasan Tana Shah, the last of the Qutb Shahi kings of Golconda, was imprisoned by Aurangzeb in 1687.

The moat, 40 ft. deep and carved into solid rock with mechanical drawbridges teemed with crocodiles. A 5-kilometer sturdy wall, artificial scarping and a complicated series of defenses made Daulatabad impregnable.

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.

Mobile range info:

How to reach?

Nearest Visiting places:

• Aurangabad, Ellora Caves
• Evincesis Info Solutions
• Panchakki
• Jami Masjid (Daulatabad Fort)
• Chini Mahal (Daulatabad Fort)
• Daulatabad Fort
• Bibi Ka Maqbara
• Ajanta & Ellora Caves

Nearest Petrol Pump:

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:

• Quality Inn The Meadows
• President Park

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Nearest Hospital:

• Kodlikeri Momorail Hospital
  
• Kamalnayan Bajaj Hospital
  
• Zavar Hospital