{"id":7714,"date":"2025-02-12T15:13:29","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T15:13:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalwanderings.co.uk\/new\/?p=7714"},"modified":"2025-04-05T10:43:35","modified_gmt":"2025-04-05T10:43:35","slug":"hilltop-fortress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalwanderings.co.uk\/new\/2025\/02\/12\/hilltop-fortress\/","title":{"rendered":"Indomitable fortress and a pilgrimage"},"content":{"rendered":"

After exploring the Ajanta caves in the morning, I took a couple of buses and was dropped off at my next destination: Hotel Kailas, Ellora<\/a> (2,800Rs). The hotel is very handily placed right outside the gate to the Ellora caves but I wasn’t going to squeeze in two World Heritage Sites in one day, I chilled in the afternoon after a very tasty okra curry (bhindi masala) because I was up first thing in the morning again, for two slightly different experiences: The ancient fortress of Daulatabad<\/a> and nearby pilgrimage site of Khuldabad.<\/p>\n

Wed 12th Feb 2025<\/p>\n

Another early start for me, as it usually is, to beat the heat and the other tourists, especially those pesky school kid groups! Daulatabad fort is on the main road between Ellora and Aurangabad so a public bus soon arrived and whisked me to my destination. I wasn’t sure what time it opened (different sources told different things as they often do) but it was certainly open by the time I arrived at 8 along with a phalanx of sweepers. They didn’t need to stop off at the ticket office however, or pay the foreigner fee of 300Rs. According to the literature, Daulatabad is one of India’s most remarkable examples of military architecture. It is certainly striking from a distance, perched inaccessibly on top of a huge unscalable rock that rises from the plains. The rock maybe unscalable but fortunately, its builders, the Yadavas in the 11th Century, excavated a tunnel through the rock to reach the upper levels. The parts perched on this rock are actually only a small part of the whole fort. The rock is surrounded by a moat which is in turn surrounded by other fortifications known as the Kalakot. Beyond this are a further set of fortifications known as the Mahakot, this is where the majority of the other buildings are. The fortifications themselves stretch for 2.5kms. As you can see from the map below, the entrance is at the south. I decided to get to the top first while it was still cool and then explore the other areas later.<\/p>\n

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map of Daulatabad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After the ticket window, you pass a series of gates to enter the main fort (Mahakot)<\/p>\n

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Gateway to the fort<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And then it’s a long straight walk, past the Chand Minar (victory tower)<\/p>\n

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To the gates of the Kalakot
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Within this section are a few decrepit buildings such as the Chini Mahal, the Chinese Palace, so named because of the few remaining Chinese tiles adorning the walls.<\/p>\n

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Then it’s across the moat and into the underground passage. Most guidebooks say that the passage is very dark and has bats, however, they have recently cleaned it up and installed lights.<\/p>\n

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Which emerges through a trapdoor.<\/p>\n

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Perched on top of the hill is\u00a0 the Baradari, the stone palace built by Shah Jahan of Taj Mahal fame.<\/p>\n

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With great views of the fort and the surrounding countryside.<\/p>\n

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