How to conquer a fort

If you've been considering to conquer Daulatabad Fort, you'll probably find these recommendations useful...

First of all, it is important that you enter from the right side of the fort. The rock formation, on which the fort is located, has been cut and shaped so it has a 60 meter steep wall, almost all the way around. Also, keep an eye out for cannon balls from about 15 kilometers ahead of the fort.

Bring both elephants and camels. The elephants for breaking the gates. The camels to be used as "pillows" between the elephant and poisoned nails on the gates. Bring plenty of camels. They are only usable for one gate each.

Find some, who can tell you which of the 59 gates are the right ones to get you through the four walls into the main fort. There are 52 fake gates.

Fake gate.

Be aware that the elephants may find it hard to gain speed between the gates as they are constructed in uneven angles. And as we all know, elephants needs at least 250 meters to get to their maximum pace.

Oh yes, and this is very important: do bend your head, when you're coming up the stairs after passing the moat. Chances are that some guy will be sitting there and chop your head off.

From now on look out for:

• Fake corridors leading to slides that will take you to the moat.
• Fake corridors leading to exits, where your head gets chopped off when passing and your body can be thrown out from the fort.
• Fake circular corridors made to get you attack your own guys.
• The completely black stairs with very high and uneven steps. All light comes from trick windows made to get you jump out in front of an armed man or just falling down a slide to the Valley of Death.
• The uneven steps, 1 up, 2 down that are made to get you to stumble.
• The stumbling stones, when you turn around a corner and not watching your step.
• Also look out for the boiling oil, which may be poured down the wall.
• And finally there's the 467 steps up to the biggest cannon at the top...

If you get there, it's fairly pretty, though ...

Ps: if you succeed in conquering the fort by attack, you'll be the first.
Pps: If your visiting Daulatabad Fort without intentions of attack, I can highly recommend a tour with the guide Bhaskar Pokhari:

Location:Daulatabad Fort, Aurangabad, Maharastra