About 15 kms (enroute to Ellora) to the west of Aurangabad is the tower of Daulatabad. During the 12 th century. Daulatabad was the capital of the Hindu kingdom and was called "DEVAGIRI" meaning hills of Gods.
This fortress was b uilt by Bhilam raja of the Yadava Dynasty in 1187 A.D. It was then called Devagiri, and in 1294 A.D. Alla-udDin, nephew of the Sultan Jalal uddin Firuz shah khilji attacked Ramchandra Raja of Davagiri, and succeeded in over coming resistance, Returning to Delhi with Gold, Silver and Jewels as the prince of Ramachandra's Ransom, Ramachandra was appointed Governor subject to Delhi, but his soon Shankara defied Delhi's demands for tribute and was put to death in 1313 A.D.
The Sultan qutib ud-din Mubarak shah khiliji in 1316-1320 A.D. Marched personally on Recalitrant Devagiri and built the Friday Mosque in 1318 A.D. This is the first Muslim monument in the town. Emperor Ghiyas ud-Din Mohammaddin-Tuglaq renamed it Daulatabad and brought his capital here temporarily around 1326 A.D Devagiri Assumed major National Importance only from 1327 A.D.
Daulatabad fort is a great, almost Rock-climber's ascent steep, adventurous, with constantly changing views across the ad's time., acitadel for a world conqueror protected by three lines of population at large in a town now as abandoned as cai
ro's city of the Dead. The second wall enclosed an area 1.2kms know to Lahawri as Mahakot and the third encloses the Balakot, with a magnifi cent entrance gateway. The used Jain caves, a brad stairway hewn in the Rock leading to a Mughal baradari
apavilion usually with 12 pillars,
built for shah Jahan's visit in 1636 and anter fifth of a hundred steps leading to the eyrie, defended in its turn by cannon. The multiple stout wooden doorways are spiked against Elephant charges and an iron barrier at the end of along tunnel is Recorded having been heated to the point where on attackers could touch it, eventually smoke emanating from it would choke invaders. The total height of the fortress is about 183 meters close to its top. There is a reseroir, fed apparently by some underground natural source.
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