“History must be written of, by, and for the survivors.”
Anonymous
Inside Naldurg Fort, Maharashtra, India
I walked through the Halmukh Darwaza, awed by the engineering and foresight of the fort architects, to be greeted by a cheery fountain and structures within the Naldurg Fort. It would be apt to mention here that the fort is now maintained by a private firm and offers better facilities for the visitors.
Many buildings within have stood the tests of time. Some like the Rajwada and Rani Mahal (King’s and Queen’s palace) are in ruins. As are Ranamandal (training ground) and Parkot (ancillary fort for training soldiers).
The first square
- A fountain sits opposite the main entrance, welcoming the visitors. Just a few feet away, to the left, is the Qile Ki Masjid (Fort’s mosque). It is a simple prayer hall with no embellishments.
- To the right of the fountain is the Hathi Khana (Elephants’ stable), depicted by a mural of an elephant. It is a projector room now which runs on-demand educational films on the fort’s history.
The royal buildings
- A gravel path takes you to the next fountain square with the Munsif (Civil Judge) Court to its right. An old cannon stands guard at the large courtyard.
- The grand Jama Masjid (Friday mosque) built by Ibrahim Adilshah II is also on this square, its white beauty shining through the rock-coloured fort. The dome and minarets have a royal feel to them.
- In the same square is the Baradari. The royal court has splendid views of the Bori river and the weir connecting the main fort to the ancillary fort.
The weir around the fort
- This weir conceals within it, the Pani Mahal (water palace), a unique engineering feat for those times. The underwater structure has a water-powered mill and the king’s rooms. I couldn’t visit it for lack of time.
- Ahead of the Baradari, near Upuli Burj, is the pier for taking a boat ride in the lake created by the construction of the weir.
And if these images excite you about Bahmani architecture, don’t miss out on this gem while planning your next outing.
Need an itinerary? Check out my next post…
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