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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Fort in Akola district, Maharashtra, India}}<br />
{{more citations needed|date=September 2017}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}<br />
{{Infobox military installation<br />
|name = Akola Fort<br />
|partof =<br />
|location = [[Akola district]], [[Maharashtra]]<br />
|image = Akola Fort.png<br />
|caption = Akola Fort<br />
|map_type=India Maharashtra<br />
|map_size = 300<br />
|map_caption = Shown within [[Maharashtra]]<br />
|type = Hill fort<br />
|coordinates = {{coord|20.706225|76.990019|type:landmark_region:IN|format=dms|display=inline,title}}<br />
|built = 1697 <br />
|builder = Asad Khan <br />
|materials = Stone<br />
|height =<br />
|used =<br />
|demolished =<br />
|condition = Dilapidated <br />
|ownership = Government of India<br />
|open_to_public = Yes<br />
|controlledby = [[Mughal Empire]]<br />
|garrison =<br />
|current_commander =<br />
|past_commanders = Asad Khan, [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Arthur Wellesley]]<br />
|occupants =<br />
|battles =<br />
|events =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Akola fort''' (also called Asadgad){{citation needed|date=October 2017}} along with the [[Narnala]] and [[Akot fort]]s forms the major fortifications of the [[Akola district]], [[Maharashtra]], India.<ref name="fof">{{cite web|url=http://www.fortsofsahyadri.friendsofforts.com/list_of_maharashtraforts.htm |title=Friends of Forts |access-date=2009-02-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090405125744/http://www.fortsofsahyadri.friendsofforts.com/list_of_maharashtraforts.htm |archive-date=5 April 2009 }}</ref><br />
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== History ==<br />
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The fortress was built in 1697 by Asad Khan, during the reign of [[Aurangzeb]] by Asad Khan,<ref name="fof"/> from whom the fort took its name (Asadgad).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hellotravel.com/india/akola-|title = My trips}}</ref> In 1803, [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Arthur Wellesley]] camped here before proceeding to win the [[Battle of Argaon]] in the [[Second Anglo-Maratha War]].<ref name="annual">{{cite book|last=Blackinston|first=J.F.|title=Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey of India|publisher=Government of India|year=1927|url=https://archive.org/stream/annualreportofth030750mbp/annualreportofth030750mbp_djvu.txt|access-date=2009-02-03}}</ref> The fortress was dismantled by the [[British Raj]] in about 1870. It was reported in 1910 in a district gazetteer that the central part of the fort (the ''hawakhana'') was used as a school.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web|url=http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/AKOLA/places_Akola.html|title=Akola District Gazetteer|access-date=2009-02-04}}</ref><br />
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== Major features ==<br />
Akola fort is notable in that it is bereft of any decorative embellishments.<ref name="annual"/><br />
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There are several inscriptions on the fort. An inscription on the ''Dahi handa'' gate gives its date of construction as 1114 AH (1697 CE)deepak, 'during the reign of emperor [[Aurangzeb]] when Nawab Asad Khan was minister.' Another on the Fateh Buruj bastion has no exact date. It too mentions the same minister but a different emperor (Shah Alam).<ref name="annual"/><ref name="gazette"/> One on the [[Eidgah]] contains texts and a statement that the building was finished by Khawja Abdul Latif in 1116 AH (1698 CE). On the ''Agarves'' gate an inscription in Marathi reads that Govind Appaji in 1843 CE constructed the fort. The latter statement contradicts all the other inscriptions.<ref name="gazette"/><br />
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===Shri Raj Rajeshwar Mandir===<br />
Akola's oldest [[Shiva]] temple is Rajeshwar Mandir.<br />
The Shiv temple was built by Chola Empire king Raj Rajeswar.<br />
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====Folklore====<br />
While King Akolsingh was living in the Asadgad Fort, there is a famous story associated with this payas<!-- Americans don't know that word --><!-- So? Make us think a little. JJQ --> temple. Every night his queen went to this temple to worship [[Shiva]] at midnight. Once King Akolsingh thought that his queen was going out at midnight for illicit reasons, so he followed her with a sword; the queen realised that King Akolsingh was following her. She felt gloomy and guilty and went straight to the Shiva temple and pleaded to the god that her husband the king was thinking wrong about her, and that it was insulting that he was having no faith in her loyalty and her character. So she pleaded to be allowed into Shiva's Pind (Shiva [[Lingam|Ling]]) (a stone of God Shiva that is worshipped)". The Shiva ling broke in two parts and the queen jumped in, and then it was closed. The king understood his mistake and could not forgive himself. Still the Shiva ling in this temple has a little crack which is said to corroborate this story. This temple is the base [http://dict.hinkhoj.com/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%BE-meaning-in-english.words aastha] of this Akola city. There are 2 bridges: the first one is the dagadi pool (stone bridge) (also known as 'chota pool' meaning smaller bridge) and the other is lokhand pool (iron bridge) (also known as 'motha pool' meaning bigger bridge). This iron bridge was built at the time of British rule.<br />
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== See also ==<br />
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[[List of forts in Maharashtra]]<br />
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== References ==<br />
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{{reflist}}<br />
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{{Forts in Maharashtra}}<br />
{{Berar}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Akola Fort}}<br />
[[Category:Forts in Maharashtra]]<br />
[[Category:Akola district]]</div>Bot