DAULATABAD FORT

Daulatabad Fort, also called Devgiri Fort, comprises the walled city below, a palace and the defensive fort on a rocky plateau, 200 meters high. 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 moved them to Daulatabad. The sultan thought that by moving further south, he would be in a more central position to carry out his conquests towards Bihar and Bengal and above all that he would escape the attempts of Mughal invasions which were concentrated on Delhi and the north.

The fortifications: the city of Daulatabad was protected by a set of triple enclosures, which was supposed to slow down the access to the fort in case of an attack. The outer perimeter wall makes a loop of 4.5 km.

Chand Minar: this 30-meter minaret dates back to 1445 and celebrates the capture of Ala-ud-din Bahmani who brought Daulatabad back into the feudal fold of Muhammad bin Tughluq.

The fort: The fort of Daulatabad bears witness to the intense struggles that took place on the Deccan plateau. The base of the peak has been cut to create a vertical wall of about 50 meters high. Access to the fort is through a single entrance: a narrow bridge spans the moat and leads to a steep gallery carved into the rock. The gallery is now nicknamed the "dark passage", which is home to many bats. Halfway down, the slope becomes a staircase, at the top of which is a grate covering a pit. The fort is full of decoys and defensive tricks: false access doors, labyrinthine gallery, rounded walls breaking the visibility, succession of access doors equipped with spikes 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". 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, without leaving any descendants.

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

Opposite the entrance of the fort, a 16th century hammam remains which is worth a look.