Ahmednagar Fort

Forts and fortresses don’t serve any practical purpose any more, civil or military. Most of them have become tourist spots where people venture out with inquisitive eyes to stumble upon a war memento or ancient cannon. But there are a few exceptions. Ahmednagar Fort is one of them. Situated at the heart of the city of Ahmednagar in Maharashtra, it originally served as the headquarters of the Ahmednagar Sultanate till 1803, when it was taken over by the British during the Second Anglo-Maratha War. The British used the fort as a prison. Now it is under the administration of the Indian Army Armored Corps.

Originally built by the first sultan of the Nizam Shahi dynasty, Malik Shah Ahmed for defending the city of Ahmednagar from the onslaught of neighboring Idar, the fort underwent major structural changes in the hands of Hussain Nizam Shah. Even though the first invasion of the Moghuls against the fort was repulsed by Chand Bibi, the fort eventually fell when Akbar attacked it in 1600 AD. Aurangzeb died here at the age of 88. The ownership went to the Nizams in 1724, to the Marathas in 1759 and finally to the Scindias in 1790.

The Ahmednagar Fort came under the possession of British East India Company. They used it to prison Indian freedom fighters. Several stalwarts have been kept here like Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, and Abul Kalam Azad. Nehru’s book, “The Discovery of India” first saw the light of the day here while the great leader lay imprisoned in the dingy cells of the Ahmednagar Fort.

How to reach: There are many private and state transport buses that can take you to the Ahmednagar depot. Hire an auto rickshaw from there to reach the fort. You can take an auto rickshaw from the railway station too. Some people even drive their personal vehicles from Pune and other places.

There are a few holiday resorts in Ahmednagar and hotels in Ahmednagar, particularly in the Sukkar Chowk and the Savedi Road areas. You can select one there. You may also stay at Pune.