The origins of Dharur Fort date back to the
Rashtrakuta period (8th–10th centuries), during which it was originally constructed and known as "Mahadurga." Rashtrakuta king
Govinda III (793–814 AD) mentioned Dharur in one of his grant deeds, highlighting its early prominence. The fortifications of this era were built using simple stone stacking techniques also known as
Rock balancing. Over time, the
Chalukyas of Kalyani and the
Yadavas of Devagiri controlled the fort and surrounding region. During the
Bahmani Sultanate, Dharur evolved into a flourishing trading center, owing to its strategic location on the trade routes. In
1567 AD, Kishwar Khan Lari, a prominent commander of the
Adil Shahi dynasty i.e. Sultanate of Bijapur, reconstructed the fort using the stones from the original Mahadurga. This fortified structure stands today as Dharur Fort. However, it became a contested site between the
Adil Shahi and
Nizam Shahi dynasties. In
1569 AD,
Murtaza Nizam Shah of Ahmednagar captured the fort, renaming it
Fatehbad. This is how
Muslim kings changed
Hindu names of city. The fort later came under
Mughal control during the reign of Emperor
Shah Jahan in
1630–31 AD. It remained a vital stronghold, with a mint established at the fort to produce coins for about 100 years. During the 18th century, the fort also witnessed episodes involving
Maratha leaders such as
Netaji Palkar and was briefly under
Maratha control following the
Battle of Kharda in 1795. Following India's independence, Dharur Fort was under the
Nizam of Hyderabad until the merger of
Hyderabad State with India. After the
Hyderabad Liberation Movement in 1948, Dharur, along with the rest of the
Hyderabad State, was integrated into India. Following the reorganization of states in 1960, it became part of
Maharashtra. == Nearby attractions ==