Kandhar Fort

Marathwada Circuit- 1200 Kms, 7 forts, 2 Caves
Day 1: Pune-Madha-Paranda-Tuljapur (360 Kms)
Day 2: Dharshiv Caves
Day 3: Tuljapur-Ausa-Kharosa-Udgir-Nanded (280 Kms)
Day 4: Nanded-Kandhar-Dharur-Kunthaligiri (290 Kms)
Day 5: Kunthaligiri-Kharda-Bhadurgad AKA Dharmaveergad-Pune (265 Kms)

Type: Land Fort
Base Village: Kandhar
Where:??Kms from Pune, 55 Kms from Nanded Approx
Route: Nanded-Loha-Kandhar
Time visited: August 2011
Time to see around: 2.5 hours
How to visit: Take a diversion from Loha to Kandhar. Its about 15 kms from the junction. Pass the town and a long narrow lane with twists and turns will lead leads to the fort.
Meter reading from Pune: 680 Kms

This awesome that fort was built by Somesvara, ruler of Kandhar. Rashtrakuta King Krishna III (AD 940-967) of Malkhed who styled himself as Kandharpuradhi Swar added considerable buildings to the fort. It offers a panoramic view of the surroundings.

The fort changed many hands. Inscriptions of Adil Shah are found at few places (AD 1578). Later it was under control of Nizam Shah (first) from whom Shahjhan had captured after a tough fight.

Spread over 25 acres of fortification with having 16 bastions to guard and double protection of trench filled with water.

The archaeology department has well maintained the place with proper board signs explaining the intricate details of each structure or carvings.

Some sculptures found nearby by are kept in the fort. Worth watching is huge Idol in lying down position. Although it is now all broken down, the magnitude can be easily gauged from the each part of the idol. There are some Jain thirthankar idols too like Parshwant and Mahavir bhagwan.

Lot of shilalekh or scripts are found at various places across the forts.

The two storied Shish Mahal was built during Adilshahi regime was complete with toilet and water system, cooling system, small garden and tank. All the small windows once had stained glasses.

The brickwork masonry of Daru Kothar is really amazing. Lot of cannon balls are still well preserved.

The Lal Mahal with fountain was probably built during Mughal period later modified and used as office by Nizam of hyederabad.

The huge cannon on the main buruj overlooking Kandhar city is worth watching. I forgot but this probably had lion head.

The prisoners cell, masjid, tehsil office and all other remains of the building are worth dekko.

One of the building had underground cellar had a wonderful ceiling with 'zaroka'. The brickwork was constructed in such a way that it seemed like shining star!

With wonderful memories we proceeded to our next destination- Dharur.