Information on Balapur Fort (Akola, Maharashtra) - History & Architecture

Balapur Fort is a beautiful river side fort built in the Mughal Era in India. This is around 302 years old in the long standing history and culture in the Maharashtra State. This fortress is a unique example of Indo Islamic architecture. This fort is well known for its temple and a mosque built inside this fortress. This is a defensive fort built here for the purpose of its western province of the Mughal rulers. This for is located at Balapur Town, Akola District in Maharashtra of western part of India.

Balapur Fort Architecture

Balapur Fort is built in the Indo Islamic architectural designs. This fortress is well located in between two rivers junctions known as the Man River adjoining in parallel with the Bhains River. It is built on a small elevated area to avoid river floods. The purpose of this fort was to be used as garrison in the times war like situations and to safe guard this province. Since the Mughals built this fort and it has all essence of its Islamic designs of arts in this structure. There are also many Indian arts found in the stone carving activities. It main walls are very high and thick. This fort is a fort inside a fort. It has got three gateways, each resembling a different fort inside a fort. These walls are stuffed with large curved bastions. These bastions hold its walls too strong as these are still in good conditions. On the inner side of the fortress, it had got a pentagon model with many complexes built around. There are many pillared verandahs. The inside complexes are built up to two stories. It does have a worship place for the Hindus and Muslims built here. The well known Bala Devi temple is built here. This temple has fine stone art works. Its pillars are remarkable in monolith stones. The statues found here have very sharp features. There is also a mosque built inside this fortress in the Islamic structure. This is the great place of worship for the Muslims leaving here.

Balapur Fort History

Balapur Fort was built by Azam Shah, who was the great son of Emperor Aurangzeb of the Mughals of North India. The erection of this fort was started in the year 1712 AD and it took 45 years to complete this entire fortification works. It was finally completed in the year 1757 AD by Ismail Khan, who was the Nawab of Amaravathi, which was its neighboring province. In the year 1720 AD the Asaf Jahi's of the Hyderabad province attacked this fort and occupied till they were thrown out by the British East India Company. A century ago this fort was under destruction by massive floods happened on these two rivers. Its foundation base was destroyed majorly. This was renovated with the assistance brought from the Jaipur King, who granted a sum 3000 Rupiah in that time. This fort also underwent many reconstruction works after the India's independence. This fort was entitled in the heritage monument list for fort sites in Maharashtra. This fort had a great significance in the development of the Balapur town in trade and cultural. This fort and its surrounding places got its name as Blalpur, due to the famous temple of Bala Devi inside this fortress. Presently few portions of this fortress are used as the state government offices of Maharashtra Government.

Balapur Fort Tourism Importance

Balapur Fort is in excellent conditions and well maintained by the archeological department. It is one of the heritage sites in Akola District of Maharashtra. This fort is also an important pilgrim place for the Hindus and an important worship place for the Muslims in the Mosque found here.