Adilabad Fort

The fort of Adilabad was built in ad 1327–28, soon after the death of Ghiasuddin Tughlaq, by his son Muhammad bin Tughlaq, allegedly as a symbol of his own might and power.

Panoramic view of the interiors of Adilabad Fort

Adilabad Fort

Perched over a hillock, the fort in fact seems to be an extension of the Tughlaqabad Fort, built in the same period with a similar style, materials, and type of construction. In spite of being one of the oldest forts in the capital and one of the few remaining worthy examples of Tughlaq-era architecture, the fort has remained unexplored / hidden for years.

Walls of Adilabad Fort

South East gate of Adilabad from inside the fort

South Eastern Gate and Bastion, Adilabad Fort

Tughlaqabad Fort

Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, the first ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty, chose the rocky site of Tughlaqabad to build the city so that it could be defended easily. It was built in four years but never fully populated and abandoned in 15 years.

Tughlaqabad Fort

The great tradition of building in stone is reflected in this magnificent fort that stands on a rocky hill which is part of the Aravallis and spans across a stretch of approximately 6.5 km.

Tughlaqabad Fort

The fort, commonly known as the cursed fortress was in fact abandoned within a few years after its construction and remained uninhabited ever since. It was essentially built to serve a dual purpose—one, to resist the threat of Mongol attacks and second, to serve as the capital of Ghiasuddin Tughlaq.

Tughlaqabad Fort

A partially collapsed bastion, Tughlaqabad Fort

An abandoned Fort by curse

The Tughlaqabad Fort has an interesting legend behind it. It is believed that Tughlaq wanted every laborer in the area to build the city-fort. This led to the fury of one of the labourers, Nizamuddin Auliya who cursed the fort saying “Ya rahey hissar, ya bassey gujjar”, which means, may the fort remain unoccupied, or else may herdsmen live here. Following this curse it is believed that the Empire could not prosper and the fort-city was soon abandoned.

Ruins of Palaces inside Tughlaqabad Fort

A partially collapsed bastion, Tughlaqabad Fort

Buildings within the Tughlaqabad Fort including the citadel and the palace complex

Tughlaqabad is an architectural progression. Despite its advanced state of ruin, the imposing fortification, its palace, residences, and other structures reflect the ethos of the glorious era it once was!

Palaces & Market place inside Tughlaqabad Fort

View of Ghiyas ud – Din Tughluq’s Mausoleum from Adilabad Fort

The founder of the Tughlaq Dynasty, Ghiasuddin Tughlaq built his tomb, which is one of the early examples of Indo-Islamic architecture, and was possibly finished by his son and successor Muhammad bin Tughlaq in the year 1328.

The Enigmatic and Fairytale Ghiyasuddin Tughlak's Tomb

The tomb stands on beautiful manicured lawn art the centre of the irregular pentagonal fortification. The tomb was commissioned by Ghiyas ud – Din Tughluq, himself during his lifetime and follows the typical Tughluq style of architecture. The simple red sandstone square tomb with sloping walls is crowned with a massive white marble dome. The tomb is largely devoid of ornamentation except for white marble inlay, medallions, carved red sandstone pillars & thick arches.