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Archaeological Survey plans to spruce up Daulatabad Fort
PTI
AURANGABAD, January 4: The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) has made a proposal for the beautification, conservation and maintenance of the 12th century Daulatabad Fort to be included in the second phase of Ajanta-Ellora development scheme being funded by the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) of Japan. The superintendent of ASI Venkateshiah said the proposal envisaged construction of a museum housing rare artefacts, arms including guns and canons, sculptures, inscriptions and other materials excavated from the site.The fort, built by Raja Bhillamraj of Yadav dynasty, lies mid-way between Aurangabad and Ellora caves. The proposal also includes extensive repairs of the fortification walls extending to nearly four kilometres, repairs of bastions, gateway, inner and outer moats of the fort, rang mahal, baradari, hamams in the fort and the huge victory tower known as the `Chandminar'.The government had also decided to start light-and-sound show at the fort similar to the one held at Red Fort in
Delhi. The divisional commissioner Ramesh Kumar said the proposal had been accepted by the government in principal and it was now considering whether to give the execution of the work to Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation or any private party. Once the light-and-sound show is set up, visitors would be able to hear the sounds of galloping horses, trumpets of the advancing elephants, clanging of swords, booming of cannons as they climb this medieval fort which is considered to be one of the most impregnable ones in history. The city of Daulatabad is famous in history as it is associated with the eccentric Mohammad Tughlaq who had concieved the crazy plan of shifting not only his capital from Delhi but had also ordered the entire population of the city to march to Daulatabad. It was a harrowing experience for the people as they were forced to move out en masse to the new capital, travelling 1,100 kms towards south. After years, the sultan regretted his decision and repeated his act of madness
by ordering all the migrants to move back to Delhi.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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