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Facts About Maheshwar Fort: Ancient City Of Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar

Maheshwar Fort also known as Ahilya Fort, in the central Indian town of Maheshwar, located on the bank of river Narmada. Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar ruled here from 1765 to 1796 and built Ahilya Wada, her personal residences, offices, and darbaar audience hall, within the fort. This fort is the best example of ancient Indian fort architecture.
Maheshwar Fort was built during 4th to 5th century.The present structure belongs to 17th to 18th century reconstructed by Ahilya Bai. She commissioned architects Bhujdar and Gajdar to renovate fort. They turned the Fort into a Rajasthani palace, complete with arches, balconies and oriel windows. History of fort is glorious due to its strategic importance.
This is panoramic view of the southern facade of Maheshwar Fort, from the ghats of Narmada. There are five main entrance & several rooms for watching soldiers. From the top of the fort worriers were kept ready with guns,canons & arrows to defeat enemy. It also has a five feet wide footpath to supervise the area around it.
Beautiful southern entrance of Maheshwar fort from the ghats of the sacred river Narmada. It is a massive arched gateway, approached by a long flight of stairs.  On the top of the gateway are sculptured figures of musicians.
Entrance gate for another approach to Maheshwar fort is through road.
The gateway leads to a open courtyard housing a couple of memorials or cenotaphs of the members of the Holkar family. They are locally known as chattris. Cenotaph of Vithoji rao and Ahilya Bai Holakar is buit in this cenotaph complex. This structures are architectural masterpiece.
At the centre of the courtyard or the cenotaph complex is a rather Islamic looking beautiful doomed structure. This is the chattri or cenotaph of Vithoji Rao.
Facing the Cenotaph of Vitoji Rao, is a short flight of steps leads to the Cenotaph of Ahila Bai. It is also known as Ahilyeshwar Shivalaya Temple, as its  garbhagriha (inner sanctum) contains a shivalinga, along with a statue of Ahilya Bai. Built in Nagar style the black curvilinear tower of the cenotaph is capped with a brass finial.
Rajasthani styled oriel window and ornamentation on the upper part of Ahilyeshwar Temple.
Rajasthani styled oriel window and ornamentation on southern wall of Maheshwar Fort
Side view of southern facade of Maheshwar fort is fully decorated with Rajasthani Artwork.
Spectacular artwork on southern facade of Maheshwar fort
Column of Arches with beautiful ornamentation in lotus style
Statue of Ahilya Bai Holkar in Ahilya Wada
Rajwada (Palace of Ahilya Bai Holkar) is still in possession of Holkar Family. The palanquin of Ahilyaa Bai is displayed at the entrance of two storeyed wooden building of palace. The entrance off the Rajwada is marked with small scattered religious shrines, along with a couple of cannons.