Daulatabad

Before modern warfare came into existence, castles and forts were the only strongholds that provided the much needed shelter and support for the sovereigns of the land. Capturing a fort meant defeat. Attacking the marauders from the safety of the fort and making them flee meant victory.

The Daulatabad Fort is located 11 kilometers from Aurangabad in Maharashtra. It is witness to many stories of defeat and victory. It sits tight on an isolated cone-shaped 190 meter-high hill, constituting three concentric lines of defensive walls that provided protection and support. However, the highest defensive reinforcement which the fort enjoyed consisted of a water-filled moat and a subterranean passage. The water filled moat prevented onslaught of the enemy directly on the fort ramparts. A raging fire kindled on the iron grating of the passage helped the inmates of the fort to benefit from a different kind of fire-power.

There are hundreds, possibly thousands of forts of all sizes all across in India. There are many forts even in the state of Maharashtra. The Daulatabad Fort is among the more famous ones. It is located very close to the world famous caves at Ajanta and Ellora. So a lot of visitors combine these two. They will see the caves and also see the Daulatabad Fort. There are visitors from all over India and even abroad. There are plenty of photo opportunities here. But more importantly, you will get a very good knowledge of Indian history. The Daulatabad Fort is one place you must visit.

How to reach: To reach the fort, you must first reach Aurangabad, which is just 10 kilometers away. This should be your destination whether you are traveling by air or train. Traveling by road from Mumbai or Pune is too much of a hassle due to the distance. You can hire a taxi or auto rickshaw at Aurangabad.

You can stay at Aurangabad. You won’t find any decent hotels in Daulatabad Fort or resorts in Daulatabad Fort.