Paranda Fort
The Paranda Fort is located 80 kilometers away from the district headquarter of Osmanabad. It is a very big fort even by India standards, a country that is known for huge forts and palaces. You should visit this fort to see its sheer size and the unique military engineering and architecture. There are redoubts, ramparts and traversals that made this fort quite impregnable. The gates were adequately defended. A water filled moat that surrounded the fort. Perhaps this is one reason why no Empire thought it worthwhile to attack this fort, though there were many reasons for wanting to conquer it. Yes, the Paranda fort has never seen a battle. In its heydays, this fort was used as a storage depot to keep cannons and other weapons. Visit the Paranda fort on a weekend. You can see those cannons even to this day.
The historians tell us that the Paranda fort was constructed by the Bahamani kings more than 1000 years in the past. There isn’t much to see here today if you compare with some other forts in the country. But there are still many attractions. For instance, you can see the moat that was once full of water, the gates, and the watch tower. You should never miss the 26 bastions here. The most important ones are – Mahakal Buruj, Buland Buruj, Chanchal Buruj, Nassa Yeed, and Shah Mathkal. You can see the guns from the fort’s active days even today. There is also a mosque inside the premises. You should also see the tombs of Sufi saints inside.
The Paranda Fort is a very good weekend travel destination. It is close enough from Pune and Aurangabad. You should certainly visit this fort.
How to reach: The best option to visit the Paranda Fort is from Osmanabad. You can come here from Pune, Solapur or Aurangabad as well. Take a taxi from Osmanabad. The closest railway station is Kurduwadi and the airport is at Solapur. There is an airport at Aurangabad too.
Most tourists visit the fort from Osmanabad or Pune. If you are interested in hotels in Paranda Fort or resorts in Paranda Fort, you should know that the best option is to stay at Osmanabad.
