Daulatabad (Deogiri) Fort – Detailed Overview
Daulatabad Fort, originally known as Devagiri or Deogiri, is a historic hill fort located about 16 km northwest of Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Maharashtra, India. Perched atop a 200-meter-high conical granite hill, it was founded in the 12th century by the Yadava king Bhillama V and served as the capital of the Yadava dynasty until the late 13th century.
In 1327, Muhammad bin Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate renamed it Daulatabad ("Abode of Wealth") and shifted his capital from Delhi to this strategically central location. However, due to water scarcity and administrative challenges, the capital was moved back to Delhi within a decade. Despite its formidable defenses—featuring three concentric walls, a deep moat, narrow access paths, false gates, and spike-lined entrances—the fort changed hands multiple times, ruled by the Bahmanis, Nizam Shahis, Mughals, Marathas, and finally the Nizams of Hyderabad until Indian independence.
The fort complex includes key structures like the Chand Minar, a 60-meter victory tower built in 1446, and the Chini Mahal, where Mughal emperor Aurangzeb imprisoned the last Qutb Shahi ruler.
As of 2025, the Maharashtra government has proposed renaming the fort back to Devgiri to reflect its original identity.
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