The Chand Minar
A red tower from 1446.
Amitabha Gupta — CC BY 4.0 · VA Photography — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Amitabha Gupta — CC BY 4.0 · Amitabha Gupta — CC BY 4.0 · Amitabha Gupta — CC BY 4.0
Daulatabad Fort, once called Devagiri, is a historic hill citadel in Daulatabad village near Aurangabad. It was the capital of the Yadavas and briefly of the Delhi Sultanate, and is known for its layers of defences and its tall red tower, the Chand Minar, making it one of the most thrilling forts in the Deccan. The Yadava king Bhillama V built it around 1187. Alauddin Khalji annexed it to the Delhi Sultanate in 1308, and in 1327 Muhammad bin Tughluq moved his capital here, renamed it Daulatabad and ordered Delhi's people to migrate, before reversing the decision in 1334. It later became a secondary capital of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate. Alauddin Bahmani raised the Chand Minar in 1446 to mark its capture. You pass through successive walls along a stone road, by a great mosque dating to 1318 and on to the soaring Chand Minar. A moat surrounds the citadel, and the rugged summit rises above the valley. The climb is famed for a dark tunnel that formed part of the defences, followed by a long stair, with old cannons at the top and wide views over the countryside. It is 15 km in a straight line from central Aurangabad on the road to Ellora, so combine the two. The climb to the top is hard and takes time, so start early before the heat, with plenty of water, sturdy shoes and a torch for the tunnel. If you do not fancy the climb, the walk to the tower alone is worth the visit.
A red tower from 1446.
Part of the defences.
Wide country and old cannons.
Daulatabad village, near Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Yes, it is long and rough with a dark tunnel, so bring water and a torch.
Muhammad bin Tughluq moved it in 1327 and reversed the decision in 1334.