Daulatabad Fort

"Devagiri" and "Deogiri" redirect here. For other uses, see Devagiri (disambiguation) and Deogiri College, Aurangabad.

Daulatabad Fort, originally Deogiri Fort, is a historic fortified citadel located in Daulatabad village near Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra, India. It was the capital of the Yadavas (9th century – 14th century CE), for a brief time the capital of the Delhi Sultanate (1327–1334), and later a secondary capital of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate (1499–1636).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Daulatabad Fort Deogiri Fort
Location within India Show map of India Daulatabad Fort (Maharashtra) Show map of Maharashtra
General information
Country	India
Coordinates	19.942724°N 75.213164°E / 19.942724; 75.213164
Completed	1600s

Around the 6th century CE, Devagiri emerged as an important uplands town near present-day Aurangabad, along caravan routes going towards western and southern India.^[6][7][8][9] The historical triangular fortress in the city was initially built around 1187 by the first Yadava monarch, Bhillama V.^[10] In 1308, the city was annexed by Alauddin Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate, which ruled over some parts of the northern India. In 1327, Muhammad bin Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate renamed the city Daulatabad and shifted his imperial capital to the city from Delhi, ordering a mass migration of Delhi's population to the now Daulatabad. However, Muhammad bin Tughluq reversed his decision in 1334 and the capital of the Delhi Sultanate was shifted back to Delhi.^[11]

In 1499, Daulatabad became part of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate, who used it as their secondary capital. In 1610, near Daulatabad Fort, the new city of Aurangabad, then named Khadki, was established to serve as the capital of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate by the Ethiopian military leader Malik Ambar, who was brought to India as a slave but rose to become a popular Prime Minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate. Most of the present-day fortifications at Daulatabad Fort were constructed under the Ahmadnagar Sultanate.

Fort

Daulatabad Fort surrounded by a moat (Khandak) filled with water. In ancient times, crocodiles were said to have been kept in the moat for protection from enemy attacks.

The area of the city the hill-fortress of Devagiri (sometimes Latinised to Deogiri). It stands on a conical hill, about 200 meters high. Much of the lower slopes of the hill has been cut away by Yadava dynasty rulers to leave 50-meter vertical sides to improve defenses. The fort is a place of extraordinary strength. The only means of access to the summit is by a narrow bridge, with the passage for not more than two people abreast, and a long gallery, excavated in the rock, which has, for the most part, a very gradual upward slope.^[12]

About midway along this gallery, the access gallery has steep stairs, the top of which is covered by a grating destined in time of war to form the hearth of a huge fire kept burning by the garrison above.^[13] At the summit, and at intervals on the slope, are specimens of massive old cannon facing out over the surrounding countryside. Also at the midway, there is a cave entrance meant to confuse the enemies.^[14]

The fort had the following specialties which are listed along with their advantages :

1. No separate exit from the fort, only one entrance/exit - This is designed to confuse the enemy soldiers to drive deep into the fort in search of an exit, at their own peril.
2. No parallel gates - This is designed to break the momentum of the invading army. Also, the flag mast is on the left hill, which the enemy will try to capture, thus will always turn left. But the real gates of the fort are on the right & the false ones on the left, thus confusing the enemy.
3. Spikes on the gates - In the era before gunpowder, intoxicated war elephants were used as battering rams to break open the gates. The presence of spikes ensured that the elephants died of injury.
4. Complex arrangement of entryways, curved walls, false doors - Designed to confuse the enemy, false, but well-designed gates on the left side lured the enemy soldiers in & trapped them inside, eventually feeding them to crocodiles.
5. The hill is shaped like a smooth tortoise back - this prevented the use of mountain lizards as climbers, because they cannot stick to it.

City

Daulatabad (19°57’N 75°15’E) is located at a distance of 16 km northwest of Aurangabad, the district headquarters and midway to the Ellora Caves.^[15] The original widespread capital city is now mostly unoccupied and has been reduced to a village. Much of its survival depends on the tourists to the old city and the adjacent fort.

History

Western coast of India, with the traditional Yadava capital of Diogil ("Deogiri", or Devagiri ) at the center, in the Catalan Atlas (1375). On top of the city of Diogil floats a peculiar flag (), while coastal cities are under the black flag of the Delhi Sultanate ().^[16][17] Devagiri was ultimately captured by ‘Alā ud-Dīn Khaljī in 1307.^[18] The trading ship raises the flag of the Ilkhanate ().

The Mughal Army captures Daulatabad Fort in the Siege of Daulatabad.

Capture of Devagiri Fort in 1633.

The site had been occupied since at least 100 BC, and now has remains of Hindu and Jain temples similar to those at Ajanta and Ellora.^[19] A series of niches carved with Jain Tirthankara in cave 32.^[20]

The city is said to have been founded c. 1187 by Bhillama V, a Yadava prince who renounced his allegiance to the Chalukyas and established the power of the Yadava dynasty in the west.^[21] During the rule of the Yadava king Ramachandra, Alauddin Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate raided Devagiri in 1296, forcing the Yadavas to pay a hefty tribute.^[22] When the tribute payments stopped, Alauddin sent a second expedition to Devagiri in 1308, forcing Ramachandra to become his vassal.^[23]

In 1328, Muhammad bin Tughluq of the Delhi sultanate transferred the capital of his kingdom to Devagiri, and renamed it Daulatabad. The sultan made Daulatabad (Devagiri) his second capital in 1327.^[24] Some scholars argue that the idea behind transferring the capital was rational, because it lay more or less in the centre of the kingdom, and geographically secured the capital from the north-west frontier attacks.

In the Daulatabad fort, Tughluq found the area arid and dry. His capital-shift strategy failed miserably. Hence he shifted back to Delhi and earned the moniker "Mad King".

The next important event in the Daulatabad fort time-line was the construction of the Chand Minar by the Bahmani Sultan Hasan Gangu Bahmani, also known as Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah (r. 3 August 1347 – 11 February 1358).

Hasan Gangu built the Chand Minar as a replica of the Qutb Minar of Delhi, of which he was a great fan. He employed Iranian architects to build the Minar, who used lapis lazuli and red ocher for coloring. Currently, the Minar is out of bounds for tourists, because of a suicide case.

As we move further into the fort, we can see the Chini Mahal, a VIP prison built by Aurangzeb. In this prison, he kept Abul Hasan Qutb Shah of the Golconda Sultanate of Hyderabad.

Most of the present-day fortification was constructed under the Bahmanis and the Nizam Shahs of Ahmednagar Sultanate.^[1] The Mughal Governor of the Deccan under Shah Jahan, captured the fortress in 1632 and imprisoned the Nizam Shahi prince.^[25]

It was captured by the Maratha Empire in 1760.

Legend

In Hindu lore, Lord Shiva is believed to have stayed on the hills surrounding this region. Hence the fort was originally known as Devagiri, literally "hills of god".^[26][27]

Structure

Daulatabad is a fortified city that is the cumulative result of 1000 years of building history, overseen by successive rulers of the Deccan.^[28] It can be divided into three distinct zones: Balakot, the innermost fortification atop the conical hill itself; Kataka, the intermediate fortification; and Ambarkot, the outermost defense wall which encloses most of the historic city.^[29][30]

Balakot

Balakot is the name given to the rock fort upon the conical Deogiri hill, and was termed so by the Tughluqs.^[31] The Yadavas initiated this fortification by scarping the slopes of the hill until they were vertical, rising 50m above ground, and excavated a deep moat at the base of the hill.^[32] The Balakot site contains a number of palatial buildings. The most notable is the Chini Mahal, dating to the Nizam Shahi dynasty. There is no evidence tying it to any specific builder; it likely originates from the early days of the dynasty, and takes its name from blue/white tiles set into its facade. The palace is in a crumbling state, and currently survives as a long hall, with an entrance on one side. The palace may have been larger in the past, but was destroyed by the Mughals and converted into a prison.^[33][34]

Beneath the northern flank of Balakot is a derelict palace building of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, built after the Mughal capture of the fort in 1633. It consists of two large courts, an apartment building towards the west, and a hammam. Another pavilion of Shah Jahan is found beneath the summit of Balakot.^[35] Balakot also contains a ruined royal residence dating to the 15th century, built by the Bahmani dynasty during its early days.^[31]

Kataka

Kataka is a circular, intermediary fort at the Daulatabad site. It was built by Tughluq commanders as an expansion to Balakot, occupying its northern and eastern flanks, adjoining the base of the Devagiri hill. The defensive wall is a massive double rampart, featuring bastions and moats.^[31] Lying just outside the eastern entrance of the wall is a Mughal-era hammam.^[35] A notable structure within Kataka is the large Jami mosque of Daulatabad, which dates to 1318.^[36] A short distance away is the Chand Minar. Located within a sector of the fort called Mahakot, it is an exceptionally tall tower built by Alauddin Bahmani in 1446 to commemorate his capture of Daulatabad. Its base is concealed by a small structure, which contains a mosque.^[37]

Ambarkot

Ambarkot is the outermost defense wall at the Daulatabad site, enclosing most of the historic city. It is typically attributed to Malik Ambar, minister of the Nizam Shahis, but may have been built by the Tughluqs. It is elliptical in shape, and spans two kilometres north to south. Similar to Kataka, the Ambarkot rampart consists of two defense walls. Scholar Pushkar Sohoni notes that there are a number of historic structures around the Ambarkot walls that have not been investigated yet.^[31][30]

Transport

Road Transport

Daulatabad is in the outskirts of Aurangabad, and is on the Aurangabad - Ellora road (National Highway 2003). Aurangabad is well connected by road and 20 km away from Devagiri.^[38]

Rail Transport

Daulatabad railway station is located on the Manmad-Purna section of South Central Railways^[39] and also on the Mudkhed-Manmad section of the Nanded Division of South Central Railway. Until reorganisation in 2005, it was a part of the Hyderabad Division Aurangabad is a major station near Daulatabad. The Devagiri Express regularly operates between Mumbai and Secunderabad, Hyderabad, via the city of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar.

Gallery

• 
  Front view of Daulatabad fort
• 
  Chand Minar
• 
  Jain relics
• 
  Jain Relics
• 
  Daulatabad Fort
• 
  Daulatabad Fort
• 
  Daulatabad, Aurangabad
• 
  Daulatabad Prison
• 
  Gateway to Daulatabad Fort
• 
  Daulatabad fort entrance
• 
  Aurangabad-Daulatabad Fort
• 
  Dualatabad Fort
• 
  Daulatabad Fort
• 
  Aurangabad - Daulatabad Fort
• 
  Aurangabad - Daulatabad Fort
• 
  Daulatabad Fort Gate
• 
  Daulatabad Fort -Aurangabad
• 
  Daulatabad Fort
• 
  Daulatabad Fort, Aurangabad
• 
  Daulatabad Fort

See also

• Tourism in Marathwada
• Tourist attractions in Aurangabad, Maharashtra

References

1. Sohoni, Pushkar (2015). Aurangabad with Daulatabad, Khultabad and Ahmadnagar. Mumbai; London: Jaico Publishing House; Deccan Heritage Foundation. ISBN 9788184957020.
2. "Devagiri-Daulatabad Fort". Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation. Maharashtra, India. Archived from the original on 2 July 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
3. "मध्यकालीन भारत में सबसे ताकतवर था दौलताबाद किला" [Madhyakālīn Bhārat Mēṁ Sabsē Tākatavar Thā Daulatābād Kilā]. Aaj Tak (in Hindi). India. 22 August 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
4. "देवगिरी" [Dēvagirī - Daulatābād]. www.majhapaper.com (in Marathi). Maharashtra. 9 September 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
5. Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 174. ASIN B003DXXMC4.
6. "ऑक्टोबरपासून हॉट बलून सफारी" [Octoberpāsūn Hot Balloon Safari]. Maharashtra Times (in Marathi). Khultabad. 25 May 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
7. Neha Madaan (22 March 2015). "Virtual walks through tourist spots may be a reality". The Times of India. Pune. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
8. "રાજ્યના 'સેવન વંડર્સ'માં અજંતા, સીએસટી, દૌલતાબાદ, લોનાર" [Rājyanā 'Seven Wonders'māṁ Ajantā, Sī'ēsaṭī, Daulatābād, Lōnār]. Divya Bhaskar (in Gujarati). India. November 2013. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
9. "स्वरध्यास फाउंडेशनच्या कलावंतांनी स्वच्छ केला दौलताबाद किल्ला" [Svaradhyās Foundationcyā Kalāvantānnī Svacch Kēlā Daulatābād Killā]. Divya Marathi. Aurangabad. 18 November 2014. Archived from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
10. Bajwa, Jagir Singh; Kaur, Ravinder (2007). Tourism Management. APH Publishing. p. 249. ISBN 9788131300473. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
11. Raj Goswami (May 2015). "UID યુનિક ઈન્ડિયન ડોન્કી!" [UID Unique Indian Delhi]. Mumbai Samachar (in Gujarati). India. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
12. Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 176. ASIN B003DXXMC4.
13.  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Daulatabad". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 848–849.
14. "दौलतीचे शहर दौलताबाद" [Daulatīcē śahar Daulatābād]. Maharashtra Times (in Marathi). Maharashtra. December 2007. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
15. "Ticketed Monuments - Maharashtra Daulatabad Fort". Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
16. Antiquities from San Thomé and Mylapore. 1936. pp. 264–265.
17. Kadoi, Yuka (2010). "On the Timurid flag". Beiträge zur islamischen Kunst und Archäologie. 2: 148. ...helps identify another curious flag found in northern India – a brown or originally silver flag with a vertical black line – as the flag of the Delhi Sultanate (602-962/1206-1555).
18. Beaujard, Philippe (2019). [978-1108424653 The worlds of the Indian Ocean : a global history : a revised and updated translation]. Cambridge University Press. p. Chapter 8. ISBN 978-1-108-42456-1. The sultan captured the Rajput fort of Chitor, in Rājasthān, and in 1310 he subjected most of the Deccan to his power. He took Devagiri – the capital of the Yādava – in 1307 {{cite book}}: Check |url= value (help)
19. Gopal, Balakrishnan Raja (1994). The Rashtrakutas of Malkhed: Studies in the History and Culture. Mythic Society, Bangalore by Geetha Book House.
20. Limited, Eicher Goodearth (2001). Speaking Stones: World Cultural Heritage Sites in India. Eicher Goodearth Limited. ISBN 978-81-87780-00-7. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
21. Qureshi, Dulari (2004). Fort of Daulatabad. New Delhi: Bharatiya Kala Prakashan. ISBN 978-8180901133. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
22. Kishori Saran Lal (1950). History of the Khaljis (1290-1320). Allahabad: The Indian Press. pp. 55–57. OCLC 685167335.
23. Banarsi Prasad Saksena (1992). "The Khaljis: Alauddin Khalji". In Mohammad Habib and Khaliq Ahmad Nizami (ed.). A Comprehensive History of India: The Delhi Sultanat (A.D. 1206-1526). Vol. 5 (Second ed.). The Indian History Congress / People's Publishing House. pp. 192–193. OCLC 31870180.
24. "India - the Tughluqs | Britannica".
25. Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. p. 170. ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.
26. Vidya Shrinivas Dhoot (February 2012). "देवगिरी किल्ल्याच्या बुरुजावरून." [Dēvagirī Killyācyā Burujāvarūn..]. Divya Marathi (in Marathi). Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
27. Dayanand Pingale (11 January 2014). "अद्भुत देवगिरी" [Adbhut Dēvagirī]. Prahaar (in Marathi). Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
28. Green, Nile (March 2005). "Who's the king of the castle? brahmins, sufis and the narrative landscape of Daulatabad". Contemporary South Asia. 14 (1): 21–37. doi:10.1080/09584930500194876. ISSN 0958-4935.
29. Michell, George (2012). "Maharashtra 5. Aurangabad". Southern India: A Guide to Monuments, Sites & Museums. Roli Books. ISBN 9788174369031.
30. Sohoni, Pushkar (2018). The architecture of a Deccan sultanate: courtly practice and royal authority in late medieval India. Library of Islamic South Asia. London New York: I.B. Tauris. p. 72. ISBN 978-1-78673-419-8.
31. Michell, George (1999). Architecture and art of the Deccan sultanates. Mark Zebrowski. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 24–27. ISBN 978-0-511-46884-1. OCLC 268771115.
32. Mubayi, Yaaminey (2023). "Daulatabad - a layered historical narrative". Water and historic settlements: the making of a cultural landscape. London; New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN 978-1-003-31514-8.
33. Sohoni, Pushkar (2018). The architecture of a Deccan sultanate: courtly practice and royal authority in late medieval India. Library of Islamic South Asia. London New York: I.B. Tauris. p. 211. ISBN 978-1-78673-419-8.
34. Michell, George (1999). Architecture and art of the Deccan sultanates. Mark Zebrowski. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-511-46884-1. OCLC 268771115.
35. Michell, George (1999). Architecture and art of the Deccan sultanates. Mark Zebrowski. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-511-46884-1. OCLC 268771115.
36. Michell, George (1999). Architecture and art of the Deccan sultanates. Mark Zebrowski. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 63–65. ISBN 978-0-511-46884-1. OCLC 268771115.
37. Manohar, Mohit (2021). "A Victory Tower Built by a Slave: The Chand Minar at Daulatabad in Deccan India". Muqarnas Online. 38 (1): 35–76. doi:10.1163/22118993-00381P03.
38. "Devgiri-Daultabad Fort". www.aurangabadcity.com. Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
39. Hārd Samā. "ઐતિહાસિક સ્થળો" [Aitihāsik Sthaḷō]. www.gujaratcentre.com (in Gujarati). India. Retrieved 1 May 2015.^{[dead link‍]}

External links

• Daulatabad at the Islamic Monuments of India Photographic Database
• www.tribuneindia.com
• Devgiri/d
• aulatabad fort information in Hindi
• A painting of the fort by William Purser, engraved by R Sands, as an illustration to The Zenana., a poem by Letitia Elizabeth Landon.