STRONG DAULATABAD

Daulatabad Fort, also known as Devgiri Fort, includes the walled city below, a palace and the defensive fort on a 200-metre high rocky plateau. It was built in 1187 by the Yavada dynasty, which then dominated the Deccan. The mosque built in 1318 has since become a Hindu temple, the Bharat Mata Mandir. The site was chosen by Muhammad bin Tughluq, Sultan of Delhi, upon his accession to the throne in 1325. Two years later, he had the capital emptied of its inhabitants and installed them in Daulatabad. The Sultan thought that by settling further south, he would occupy a more central position to lead his conquests to Bihar and Bengal and above all that he would escape the Mughal invasion attempts that focused on Delhi and the north.

The fortifications: The town of Daulatabad was protected by a triple enclosure, which would slow down access to the fort in the event of an attack. The outer perimeter wall has a 4.5 km loop

Chand Minar: this 30-metre minaret dates from 1445 and celebrates the capture of Ala-ud-din Bahmani which brought Daulatabad back into the feudal fold of Muhammad bin Tughluq. Largely inspired by the Qutab Minar of Delhi, the tower was built by a Persian architect. It was covered with glazed tiles painted with natural ochres and lapis lazuli powder. Unfortunately, the minaret is closed to the public following a suicide.

The fort: the fort of Daulatabad bears witness to a great deal of defensive thinking, and consequently, to the intense struggles that followed one another on the Deccan plateau. The base of the piton was cut to create a vertical wall about 50 metres high. Access to the fort is through a single entrance: a narrow bridge spans the moat and leads to a steeply sloping gallery carved into the rock. The gallery is now nicknamed "dark passage", a dark passage that shelters many bats. Halfway down the slope, the slope becomes a staircase, at the top of which is a grid covering a pit. In the event of an attack, the soldiers of the fort would start a fire there to slow down the enemy's progress.

The fort is full of lures and defensive tricks: false access doors, labyrinthine gallery, rounded walls breaking visibility, succession of access doors equipped with points against elephants...

Chini Mahal: this small ruined palace, which literally means "Chinese palace", was built by Aurangzeb and served as a prison for "distinguished guests". In particular, he had the last king of the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Hyderabad and Golconda imprisoned there. The latter died within the walls of the Chini Mahal, leaving no descendants.

Mughal Baradari: a steep climb leads to Mughal Baradari, a pavilion commissioned by Shah Jahan in the 17th century. You will be rewarded for your efforts with a splendid view of the Deccan Plains.

Opposite the entrance to the fort, there is still a 16th century hammam that is worth a look.