A hell hot Indian day alone walking up an exposed mountain path, troops of evil little macaques scowling from the arid embankments to this massive old iron clad fortress gate.
My friends declined to come along, too hot, too dry, too much labor.
Aggressive monkeys along the route have learned that a little intimidation works wonders getting people to drop food and water bottles. I’ve been around troops of monkeys for years. Best to quickly prove you are the biggest most intimidating monkey around.
The Indians told me to bring a stick to deal with the monkey troops before I ascended.
I don’t need a stick.
The gate is an entrance to a fortress and palace built in the 1400’s. Note the long hand wrought iron spikes head high on the gate. In place to keep Rajput attackers on the backs of regal elephants from forcing an entrance.
Spent 4 hours in the palace, traipsing through arched entrances, shimmying into dark rooms through holes with the little light from the cell phone. Alone except for disappointed monkeys staring from the broken ramparts.
In the palace protected from sun and rain a very few old wall paintings of the Hindu Gods. Faces often scratched off maybe from incursions of Islamic warriors whose religion forbids the depiction of anything with a soul.
The Maharaja’s marble courtyard and audience chamber mostly intact. Though holes punched by thieves in many panels around the palace. Clearly looking for hidden collections behind the stone palatial walls.
Fantastic.
Found the Maharajas final escape route if the ramparts and walls were breached. A dark hidden tunnel that dropped straight down about 25 feet. Below only a pile of sunlit rocks.
Investigating outside, found the bottom of the tunnel would have been hidden below the waters of a step well now dry. The king and entourage could swim to safety perhaps to fight another day.
The world is still full of adventures where there are no waiting lines, no safety net, and no guided tours.
