Potential of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra A Comparison With Rajasthan

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Potential of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra A comparison with Rajasthan
Technical Report · July 2014

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.22139.34084
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Rajesh Narayan Ragde Madhuri Sawant

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University
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Report of Major Research Project
Submitted to
University Grants Commission, New Delhi
Submitted by
Dr. Rajesh Ragde Dr. Madhuri Sawant

Principal Investigator Co-investigator
Preface
India is worldwide famous as a cultural tourism destination. Due to its
rich and varied monuments, numerous foreign visitors, particularly from Europe
and America visit India with we may broadly call cultural-historical interests.
Forts with their distinct defence architecture, unique strategic locations

and high historic values stand at par with other kind of monuments. Despite of
having huge and distinct inventory for developing Fort Tourism in the state of
Maharashtra, it has to say that this legacy is in much neglected state by both the
policy makers and other stakeholders. On the other hand Rajasthan has become
one of the prominent destinations in the world attracting lakhs of domestic and
foreign tourists every year with the help of effective management and
marketing of its legacy of forts and palaces.
The present report in an outcome of the two and half year long major
research project on “Potential of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra; A comparison
with Rajasthan” granted by University Grants Commission, New Delhi.
The report is divided in six different chapters. The first chapter highlights
the importance of tourism in overall socio-cultural and economic development
of the country and local community residing nearby destinations to be specific,
whereas the second chapter explains the significance of the study and the
research methodology used while executing the study.
The third chapter focuses on the conceptual study of heritage tourism

and finds out the importance of forts to be developed as cultural heritage
tourism product.
The consecutive chapters provides deeper insight to the subject as fourth

chapter deals with the present status of fort tourism in Maharashtra by critically
comparing it with the fort tourism in Rajasthan which is strongly supported by
the statistical analysis of substantial data in fifth chapter followed by useful
recommendations and guidelines provided in sixth chapter.
II
We hope that, this research will contribute in the existing pool of
research based generalized knowledge in the field and the recommendations
will surely serve as the road map for sustainable development of fort tourism in
Maharashtra.
Dr. Rajesh Ragde

Principal Investigator
Dr. Madhuri Sawant

Co-investigator
Chinmay Tiwari
Project Fellow
III
Acknowledgement
At the outset, we would like to express our sincere thanks to the
University Grants Commission, New Delhi for sanctioning the financial grants to
this project.
We owe a deal of gratitude to Dr. Vijay Pandharipande, Honorable Vice

Chancellor of the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad
for his continuous support and the entire University Administration for their co-
operation during the execution of the project.
The preparation of our report was invaluably aided by our interactions

with the industry stakeholders. In particular, we would like to extend our sincere
gratitude to the officials such as Mr. Manager Sing, Superintending
Archeological Chemist, ASI, Aurangabad Circle; Mr. Rajan Bhosale, Assistant
Director, Aurangabad Region, Department of Archeology and Museums, Govt of
Maharashtra and Mr. Hemant Raj Singh Chundawat, Manager (Administration),
Mehrangarh Museum Trust Jodhpur who took off from their busy schedule to
share with us their invaluable experience and perceptions.
We would also like to specially appreciate the inputs given by subject

experts and stakeholders such as Dr. Dulari Qureshi, Retd. Professor; Mrs.
Tejaswini Tawade, Architect; Mr. Subhash Jadhav, Secretory, All India Guide
Association, Mr. Rupesh Vinekar, Team Leader, The Sindhudurg Guide; Mr.
Vijaysingh Rajebhosale, Shivdurg Samvardhan, Pune; Dr. Vijay Dev, Gonida
Durgpremi Mandal, Pune; Mr. Shramik Gojamgunde, Sahyadri Pratisthan, Pune
to name a few.
We specially thank Mr. Daulat Lomte who worked hard as a Project

Fellow on this project in the initial phase of the study. We would further like to
thank the united efforts of entire Research Team of the Research and
IV
Consultancy Cell of the department comprising of Mr. Laxman Gaikwad, Ms.
Harshada Satghare, Ms. Pallavi Kambe, Mr. Sandeep Kapse, Mr. Anil Bankar and
Mr. Babasaheb Jogdand.
Last but not the least, we would like to thank all other stakeholders and
especially the tourists with whom who interacted during the field survey for
their feedback and co-operation.
Dr. Rajesh Ragde

Principal Investigator
Dr. Madhuri Sawant

Co-investigator
Chinmay Tiwari
Project Fellow
V
Table of Contents
Preface II
Acknowledgement IV
List of figures VIII
List of Plates IX
List of tables X
Executive Summary XI
1 Introduction 1-12
1.1 Tourism An Overview 2

1.1.1 Tourism 2
1.1.2 World Tourism Scenario 3
1.2 Tourism in India 5
1.3 Maharashtra 8
1.3.1 Overview of Maharashtra State 8
1.3.2 Tourism in Maharashtra 9
1.4 Rajasthan 10
1.4.1 Overview of Rajasthan 10
1.4.2 Tourism in Rajasthan 11
2 About the Research 13-27
2.1 Introduction 14
2.2 Statement of the problem 14
2.3 Objectives 15
2.4 Hypotheses 15
2.5 Scope of the study 16
2.6 Sample Design 16
2.7 Data Analysis 17
2.8 Significance of the study 18
2.9 Limitations of the study 18
3 Forts as Heritage Tourism Product 19-30
3.1 Heritage Tourism 20

3.1.1 Concept of Heritage Tourism 20
VI
3.1.2 Heritage Tourism in India 21
3.2 Forts as Heritage Tourism Product 23
4 Potential of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra 31-57
4.1 Case Study of Fort Tourism in Rajasthan 32

4.1.1 Brief about sample sites 33
4.1.2 Trends in Tourist Arrivals 38
4.1.3 Government Policies, Plans and Schemes 38
4.2 Present Status of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra 42

4.2.1 Brief about sample sites 42
4.2.2 Trends in Tourist Arrivals 51
4.2.3 Government Policies, Plans and Schemes 52
4.3 Significance of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra 54

4.3.1 Historical Significance 54
4.3.2 Influence on local culture 55
5 Survey Revelation 58-78
5.1 Trends in Fort Tourism 59

5.2 Tourism Satisfaction Level 67
5.3 Potential of Coastal and Island Forts 72
6 Observations and Recommendations 79-86
6.1 Major Observations 80

6.2 Recommendations 81
6.2.1 Product Development 81
6.2.2 Tourist Infrastructure Development 83
6.2.3 Marketing 84
6.2.4 Awareness 85
References
Annexure
VII
List of Figures
SN Title Page No
3.1 Architectural Features of Fortification 27

5.1 Nationality of tourists visiting forts of Maharashtra and 60
Rajasthan
5.2 Age group of tourists 61
5.3 Whether visiting this fort for first time 61
5.4 Preferred Mode of Travel 62
5.5 Source of Information about the fort 62
5.6 Accompanied on this tour with 63
5.7 Duration of stay at the destination 63
5.8 Preferred place for stay 64
5.9 Earlier visit to any fort 64
5.10 Reasons behind no earlier visit to fort 65
5.11 Purpose of visit 65
5.12 Ratings to the visited fort 66
5.13 Any visit to the forts of compared state 66
5.14 Five combined indicators to access Tourist Satisfaction Level 67
5.15 Ratings for connectivity by the visitors to coastal and island 76
forts
5.16 Ratings for transport services by the visitors to coastal and 76
island forts
5.17 Ratings for Accommodation and Food Services by the visitors 77
to coastal and island forts
5.18 Ratings for Maintenance and Management of coastal and 77
island forts by the visitors
5.19 Ratings for availability of other facilities by the visitors to 78
coastal and island forts
VIII
List of Plates
SN Title Page No
1 Baradari, Daulatabad Fort 94

2 Moat, Daulatabad Fort 94
3 Sheesh Mahal, Mehrangarh Fort 94
4 Rampart, Sindhudurg Fort 95
5 Homes within the bastions, Jaisalmer Fort 95
6 Royal Darbar, Mehrangarh Fort 96
7 Picture Gallery, Jaisalmer Fort 96
8 Sweet Water Tank at Island fort of Murud-Janjira 97
9 Ruins of Different buildings including Royal Darbar within the Murud 97
– Janjira fort
10 A picturesque view from the rampart of Vijaydurg Fort 98
11 Rampart, Bastions and Moat, Naldurg Fort 98
12 Hidden Entrance Gate, Sindhudurg Fort 99
13 A view of magnificent Daulatabad Fort 99
14 A view of coastal fort of Vijaydurg and Vijaydurg Beach 100
15 A distant view of Murud-Janjira island fort 100
16 The only Temple of Chatrapati Shivaji, Sindhudurg Fort 101
17 Huge gathering of people to celebrate the coronation day of 101
Chatrapati Shivaji at Raigarh Fort
18 Third Durg Sahitya Sammelan organized by Gonida Durgpremi 102
Mandal, Pune held at Vijaydurg fort
19 Members of Sahyadri Prtishthan agitating at Azad Maidan, Mumbai 102
for conservation of forts in Maharahtra
20 Followers gathered to pay homage to Shivaji Maharaj at his 103
birthplace on Shiv Jayanti, Shivneri Fort
21 Group of Volunteers performing restoration work at Vijaydurg Fort 103
22 A discussion by project fellow with Mr. Hemant Raj Singh 104
Chundawat, Manager (Administration), Mehrangarh Museum
Trust Jodhpur
23 Ropeway at Raigarh Fort 104
24 Tourist Survey at Mehrangarh Fort 105
25 Tourist Survey at Naldurg Fort 105
26 Tourist Survey at Vijaydurg Fort 106
27 Tourist Survey at Naldurg Fort 106
IX
List of Tables
SN Title Page No
E.1 t-test to evaluate the difference between tourist satisfaction levels XII
using combined indicators
1.1 International Tourist Arrivals 4
1.2 International Tourism Receipts 5
1.3 Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India 6
1.4 Foreign Exchange Earnings from Tourism in India 6
1.5 Domestic Tourism Statistics 7
1.6 Position of Indian Tourism in world and Asia-Pacific region 7
since Year 1997 to 2012
1.7 Foreign and Domestic Tourist Arrivals in Maharashtra 10
1.8 Foreign and Domestic Tourist Arrivals in Rajasthan 12
4.1 Tourists Arrivals and Income at Amber Fort 38
4.2 Tourist Arrival Trends and Income at Mehrangarh Fort 38
4.3 Tourists Arrival Trends at Sample Forts in Maharashtra 51
(Month wise during October 2011 to March 2012)
5.1 t-test to evaluate the difference between tourist satisfaction 68
levels about connectivity at forts of Maharashtra and
Rajasthan
levels about Tourist Transport Services at forts of
Maharashtra and Rajasthan
levels about Accommodation and Food Services at forts of
levels about Maintenance and Management of forts (as a
tourist attraction) in Maharashtra and Rajasthan
levels about availability of other facilities at forts of
5.6 Nationality of the Respondent visiting coastal and island forts 73
5.7 Age Group of the Respondents visiting coastal and island 74
forts
5.8 Mode of Travel to reach coastal and island forts 74
5.9 Source of Information about the coastal and island forts 74
5.10 Stay Duration of tourists visiting coastal and island forts of 74
Maharashtra
5.11 Preferred place for stay by tourists at coastal and island forts 75
of Maharashtra
5.12 Purpose of visiting the coastal and island forts 75
5.13 Ratings by the tourists to coastal and island forts 75
X
Executive Summary
E.1 Background of the study
Visit to historic sites is one of the oldest and major motivations for
tourists all over the world. Forts as a heritage tourism product play vital role in
attracting lots of tourists with their historic significance, distinct architecture
and unique locations. Forts have always fascinated tourists as they provide
opportunity to explore historic civilization, architecture, defense mechanism
along with due adventure and natural beauty in most of the cases. Further forts
allow one to recall the major historic events and feel the pride attached to
them. Maharashtra is blessed with over 350 forts and the only state which has
four different categories of forts such as Hill forts, Land forts, Coastal forts and
Island forts which can be developed as major tourist destinations which will
provide an opportunity to preserve this glorious and valuable heritage for the
coming generations as well as will bring socio-economic benefits to the region.
Despite of having huge and distinct inventory for developing Fort

Tourism in the state of Maharashtra, it has to say that this legacy is in much
neglected state by both the policy makers and other stakeholders. Most of the
forts in Maharashtra are ruined and remaining are in poor state of conservation
which failed to attract respective number of tourists and hence deprived coming
generations from experiencing this valuable heritage and local communities
from the socio – economic benefits attached with it. On the other hand
Rajasthan has become one of the prominent destinations in the world attracting
lakhs of domestic and foreign tourists every year with the help of effective
management and marketing of its legacy of forts and palaces.
In order to study the factors behind the success of Rajasthan and

potential of fort tourism in Maharashtra as well as providing suggestions to
utilize it this study was undertaken with the help of financial assistance from
University Grants Commission, New Delhi. The major objectives of the study
were:
XI
1. To study the present status of tourism at the forts in Maharashtra
2. To study the potential of Forts in Maharashtra to be developed as

tourist destinations
3. To study the visitor profile at the major Fort Tourism sites in

4. To make comparative study of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra with

Rajasthan on the basis of:
 Tourist Arrivals
 Tourist Infrastructure
 Tourism Plans and Policies
 Organization and management of these Sites by concerned
Authorities
5. To suggest future plan of action to the Government for Fort Tourism

Development in Maharashtra
E.2 Major Findings
This research relied on both the sources of data i.e. Primary as well as
Secondary. The primary data was collected with the help of two different sets of
schedules for tourists visiting four sample forts of Rajasthan and eight sample
forts of Maharashtra. Out of the eight forts selected from Maharashtra only four
were considered for comparative study as categories of coastal and island forts
are not available in Rajasthan. Also, interviews of concerned officials and experts
were conducted. For secondary data different policies, books, study reports,
journals etc. were referred. The major findings of the study can be summarized
as follows:
XII
Trends in Fort Tourism:
The survey revealed that, there is negligible number of International

tourists visiting forts in Maharashtra except Daulatabad fort as compared to
Rajasthan where considerable large numbers of International tourist visits to
almost all forts indicating forts are integral part of the itinerary of almost every
international tourist visiting state of Rajasthan contributing huge revenues for
the state.
The purpose of tourists visiting forts of Maharashtra varies between

history lovers, adventure activities to volunteers whereas majority tourists
visiting forts of Rajasthan as a part of leisure tours. In both the states, it is found
that majority tourists prefers to make their travel arrangements by their own
but, there is considerable number of tourists visiting forts of Rajasthan
especially foreigners who prefers services of travel agents and tour operators.
Also, the forts of Maharashtra are preferred by younger tourists as maximum
percentage of tourists to these forts lies in the age group of 26-35 in contrast to
Rajasthan forts which are preferred destination of middle age tourists in the age
group of 36-45 years.
Further, the fort tourism in Maharashtra is highly seasonal; specially

some of the hill forts and island forts remain absolutely inaccessible due to rains
in monsoon unlike in Rajasthan.
Tourist Satisfaction Level:
Level of satisfaction of tourists visiting forts of Maharashtra and

Rajasthan was analyzed on the basis of 25 factors which were categorized in five
main indicators such as Connectivity; Transport Services; Accommodation and
Food Services; Maintenance and Management of Tourist Attraction (Fort); and
Other Facilities.
XIII
An Independent ‘t’ test to compare means to evaluate the difference
between tourist satisfaction levels at forts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan
resulted significant as shown in following table:
Table E.1 : t-test to evaluate the difference between tourist satisfaction levels using
combined indicators
t-test for Equality of Means
95% Confidence
Sig. (2- Mean Std. Error Interval of the
t df tailed) Difference Difference Difference
Lower Upper
Connectivity 23.197 558 .000 2.82857 .12194 2.58906 3.06808
23.197 482.236 .000 2.82857 .12194 2.58898 3.06816
TS 27.447 558 .000 5.28571 .19258 4.90745 5.66398
27.447 350.401 .000 5.28571 .19258 4.90696 5.66447
AFS 29.239 558 .000 7.20000 .24625 6.71631 7.68369
29.239 393.232 .000 7.20000 .24625 6.71587 7.68413
MMTA 28.310 418 .000 10.37500 .36648 9.65462 11.09538
30.585 341.541 .000 10.37500 .33921 9.70779 11.04221
OTHER 25.365 558 .000 2.55714 .10081 2.35912 2.75516
25.365 513.823 .000 2.55714 .10081 2.35909 2.75520
As all the values in third column (Sig. 2-tailed) are less than 0.05, the
satisfaction level of tourists in Maharashtra and Rajasthan are significant. It
shows that fort tourism in Maharashtra is lacking in tourist infrastructure
compared to Rajasthan as only Daulatabad Fort has sufficient tourist
infrastructure that too because of its proximity to Aurangabad and World
Heritage Site of Ellora. Further, coastal and island forts are comparatively in
good state as far as other recreational facilities are concerned due to proximity
of good beaches and availability of water sports facilities.
Role of Public Sector:
It is observed that the Government of both the states has recognized the
cultural and economic importance of fort tourism. Both the states launched
different schemes such as Bed and Breakfast, Adopt a Monument Scheme etc.
but the real difference is in the effective implementation of these plans and
XIV
schemes. Rajasthan is not only effectively implementing such schemes but also
taking innovative initiatives such as providing the monuments for film shootings.
These practice really helped Rajasthan to promote these monuments on the
large scale. There are several NGO’s and individuals which are working for
conservation and preservation of forts as well as sustainable tourism
development at forts in Maharashtra, but these efforts are on smaller scale and
scattered.
In short, the potential of fort tourism in Maharashtra is not utilized to

the fullest. There is need of strong political will, participation of locals and other
stakeholders and synergy between efforts of all stakeholders.
E.3 Observations and Recommendations
The study highlighted that, though Maharashtra is having huge inventory

for fort tourism development, it is absolutely clear that, the status of fort
tourism in Rajasthan is far better than the Maharashtra. But at the same it is
also observed that the forts of both the states differs a lot due to several
natural, historical and socio-political inferences and hence fort tourism in both
the states cannot be compared on each and every aspects. At the same time the
study shows that the forts of Maharashtra have much potential to be developed
as major tourist destinations.
In order to develop fort tourism in Maharashtra this study provides

certain feasible recommendations to be implemented. The first and foremost
requirement for development of fort tourism in Maharashtra is to undertake
integrated and holistic approach and therefore this study provides information
and suggestions to policy makers, implementing agencies, private players in the
industry, NGO’ and locals about their roles and responsibilities on different
aspects of the fort tourism such as Product Development, Tourist Infrastructure
Development, Conservation, Marketing and Public Awareness.
XV
Chapter I
1.1 Tourism An Overview

1.1.1 Tourism
1.1.2 World Tourism Scenario
1.2 Tourism in India
1.3 Maharashtra
1.3.1 Overview of Maharashtra State
1.3.2 Tourism in Maharashtra
1.4 Rajasthan
1.4.1 Overview of Rajasthan
1.4.2 Tourism in Rajasthan
1
1.1 Tourism An Overview
1.1.1 Tourism
Tourism is becoming one of the largest and fastest-growing economic sectors

in the world. Many developing and developed economies are trying to make this
industry as an engine for economic development. According to UNWTO (World
Tourism Organisation), which is an apex organization in world tourism industry;
tourism is a key to development, prosperity and well-being. “Tourism Highlights
(2012)” of UNWTO states that an ever increasing number of destinations have
opened up and invested in tourism, turning tourism into a key driver of socio-
economic progress through export revenues, the creation of jobs and enterprises,
and infrastructure development. International tourist arrivals worldwide will
increase by 3.3% a year from 2010 to 2030 to reach 1.8 billion by 2030 according to
UNWTO long term forecast Tourism towards 2030.
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (2010) stated that

Tourism Sector is a major generator of employment. As a highly labour intensive
activity, tourism and tourism support activities create a high proportion of
employment and career opportunities for low skilled and semi-skilled workers,
particularly for poor, female and young workers. Women make up 70% of the work
force in tourism sector and about half of the total tourism workers are in the age
group of 25 years or below. The tourism sector can be an important source of
employment for many of the unemployed youth and consequently reduces the
poverty in the society.
In India, the Report of The Working Group on Tourism for Twelfth Five Year
Plan throw light on the tourism as an export industry. It states that Tourism exports
account for as much as 30% of the world’s exports of commercial services and 6% of
overall exports of goods and services. Globally, as an export category, tourism ranks
fourth after fuels, chemicals and automotive products. For many developing
countries it is one of the main sources for earning foreign exchange and the number
one export category creating much needed employment and opportunities for
2
development whereas tourism contribute up to 40% of GDP of about half of the
Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in the world.
Tourism policy of Maharashtra (2006) illustrates the economic importance of

tourism. According to policy, tourism has the potential to change the economic face
of a region. It brings many direct and indirect benefits to the local community of
region which includes:
 Employment opportunities in tourism and hospitality sector
 Development of private enterprise
 Improved standard of living
 Social upliftment and improved quality of life
 Better education and training
 Sustainable environmental practices
 Foreign exchange earning
 Infrastructure development – power, water, sanitation, hospitals, roads, etc.
 Market for local produce
 Employment in infrastructure sector
 Economic upliftment due to income multiplier effect
Thus it can be stated that importance of tourism industry has been

acknowledged not only at global level but also at national and regional level.
1.1.2 World Tourism Scenario
The volume and scope of the tourism industry in the world can be easily
analyzed with the help of following international tourism trends in the year 2012
published by UNWTO:
 International tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) worldwide exceeded the 1
billion mark for the first time ever in 2012, with 1,035 million tourists crossing
borders, up from 995 million in 2011.
 Asia and the Pacific recorded the strongest growth with a 7% increase in
arrivals, followed by Africa (+6%) and the Americas (+5%).
3
 International tourist arrivals in Europe, the most visited region in the world,
were up by 3%. The Middle East (-5%) has not yet succeeded in returning to
growth.
 International tourism receipts reached US$ 1,075 billion worldwide in 2012,
up from US$ 1,042 billion in 2011.
 China became the number one source market in the world in 2012, spending
US$ 102 billion on international tourism.
 By UNWTO region, prospects for 2013 are stronger for Asia and the Pacific,
followed by Africa.
Following table 1.1 and table 1.2 highlights the trends in International Tourist
Arrivals and International Tourism Receipts as per the different UNWTO regions
respectively.
Table 1.1: International Tourist Arrivals
(Source: UNWTO, June 2013) (*- Provisional Data)
4
Table 1.2: International Tourism Receipts
(Source: UNWTO, June 2013) (*- Provisional Data)
1.2 Tourism in India
A Research conducted by WTTC (World Travel and Tourism Council) shows

that, Travel & Tourism generated $121 million of India’s GDP and 39.3 million jobs in
a country in year 2011 which is more than the communication services, automotive
manufacturing, and mining sectors. Further, the research explains that Travel &
Tourism is a significant export earner in India exceeding its exports of agriculture,
mining, automotive manufacturing, financial services, construction, and education.
In 2011, visitor exports totaled $17.2 billion and it accounts 12.0% share of all service
exports and 3.9% share of all exports (including goods and services) of the country.
Annual report (2012) by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, justifies

the importance of tourism in India by stating that tourism plays an important role in
economic development in India. Tourism plays a key role in socio-economic progress
through creation of jobs, enterprise, and infrastructure and revenue earnings. The
5
Planning Commission has identified tourism as the second largest sector in the
country in providing employment opportunities for low-skilled workers.
As per the India Tourism Statistics 2012 of Ministry of Tourism, Government
of India, the trends in Foreign Tourist Arrivals and Foreign Exchange Earnings
through tourism in India can be easily analyzed by following tables:
Table 1.3: Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India
(Source: Ministry of Tourism, GOI)
Table 1.4: Foreign Exchange Earnings from Tourism in India
6
Domestic tourism is also a significant contributor in the development of
tourism. Table 1.5 explains the volume of domestic tourism in the country.
Table 1.5: Domestic Tourism Statistics
Therefore, it could be stated that India as a tourist destination is strengthening its

position in the world in general and in Asia and the Pacific region to be specific. (Table 1.6)
Table 1.6: Position of Indian Tourism in world and Asia-Pacific region
(Source : Ministry of Tourism, GOI)
7
1.3 Maharashtra
1.3.1 Overview of Maharashtra State
Maharashtra is the second largest state in India both in terms of population

and geographical area. “Marathi” is an official language of Maharashtra with 42
dialects. Maharashtra occupies the western and central part of the country and has a
long coastline of nearly 720 kms along the Arabian Sea in lush green Konkan region.
Latitude : 15˚ 35’ and 22˚02’ N

Longitude : 72˚ 36’ and 80˚54’ E
Area : 3, 07,713 Sq. Km
Official Language : Marathi
Temperature : Min. 12-14 0C Max. 32-35 0C
Population (2011) : 11,23,72,972
Districts : 35
Connectivity : Easily accessible through air, rail and road
Tourism Policy of Maharashtra (2006) explains the suitability of “Maharashtra

Unlimited ” slogan, for promoting Maharashtra tourism, in following words:
“Ranges of Sahyadri Mountain on the west, the Satpuda hills along the north and
Bhamragad – Gadchiroli - Gaikhuri ranges on the east, serve as natural borders.
Nestled in the Western Ghats and the Sahyadri mountain range are several hill
stations and water reservoirs with semi-evergreen and deciduous forests. The
Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, with its dense forests, is home to several wild life
sanctuaries and nature parks. Thus all the three regions of Maharashtra offer
considerable tourism potential. Maharashtra abounds in numerous tourist
attractions ranging from ancient cave temples, unspoiled beaches, ancient forts and
monuments, forests and wildlife, unique hill stations, pilgrimage centres, and a rich
tradition of festivals, art and culture. Hence our campaign slogan for Maharashtra
Tourism is MAHARASHTRA UNLIMITED!”
8
1.3.2 Tourism in Maharashtra
Maharashtra has a wealth of tourist attraction ranging from cultural, natural

and modern attractions such as 5 World Heritage Sites, 350 forts, 1200 caves, 5
Jyotirlinga temples and several others including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries,
pilgrimage centers, tribal arts, hill stations, beaches, water sports, Entertainment and
film industry, intense trade and commercial activities, shopping malls, plazas etc.
which makes it a complete tourist destination. Mumbai is one of the most important
places in Maharashtra to visit.
The state ranked first in foreign tourists arrivals and among top 5 states in
domestic tourist arrivals. The services sector is the largest sector in the state and it
has been growing at the rate of 8.5 per cent from 2001 to 2007. Within the services
sector, the trade, hotels and restaurants have the highest contribution to the total
state income (Bhandari L. and Kale S, 2009).
9
Table 1.7: Foreign and Domestic Tourist Arrivals in Maharashtra
Year Domestic Visitors Foreign Visitors

2005 14329667 1449875
2006 16880348 1712302
2007 19226716 1928052
2008 20553360 2056913
2009 30628394 2426362
2010 48465492 5083126
2011 55333467 4815421
2012 66330229 5120287
(Source: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India)
1.4 Rajasthan
1.4.1 Overview of Rajasthan State
Rajasthan happens to be the largest state of India which boasts of being the
only desert of the sub continent, namely the Great Indian Desert in combination with
the Aravali mountain range. In the west, Rajasthan is relatively dry and infertile; this
area includes some portion of the Thar Desert. In the southwestern part of the state,
the land is wetter, hilly, and more fertile.
Latitude : 23˚ 3’ and 30˚112’ N

Longitude : 69˚ 30’ and 78˚17’ E
Area : 3, 42,239 Sq. Km
Official Language : Hindi
Temperature : Min. 0 0C Max. 49 0C
Population (2001) : 6,86,21,012
Districts : 33
Connectivity : Easily accessible through air, rail and road
The state tourism policy of Rajasthan, with one of the objectives – to make
tourism a people’s industry, boasts about the internationally famous and popular
tourists products such as Palace-on-Wheels, Heritage Hotels, Camel Safaris, Pushkar
Fair, Desert Festival, Palace Hotels and Wild life Sanctuaries / National Parks.
10
Recognizing the potential attractions that Rajasthan has to offer to domestic and
foreign tourists, the Government has accorded Tourism a special status. Tourism was
declared industry in Rajasthan in the year 1989.
1.4.2 Tourism in Rajasthan
Tourism has been one of the biggest revenue generators for the state since
long. Owing to its rich and varied topography, vibrant culture and captivating
festivities, the State of Rajasthan offers immense tourism delights to the visitors in
the State. Visitors, starting from neighboring states to the far flung countries throng
the state at different times especially during the cooler periods starting from
November to February (MoT, GOI, 2005).
Rajasthan state ranks among top 5 states in domestic tourism and among top
10 states in India in Foreign tourist arrivals. In Rajasthan, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer,
Jodhpur & Ranakpur are the most visited places by the foreign tourists, each site
received more than one lakh foreign tourist in the year 2010. Pushkar & Bikaner are
also popular amongst the foreign tourists.
11
Table 1.8: Foreign and Domestic Tourist Arrivals in Rajasthan
Year Domestic Visitors Foreign Visitors
2005 18787298 1141164
2006 23483287 1220164
2007 25920529 1401042
2008 28358918 1477646
2009 25558691 1073414
2010 25543877 1278523
2011 27137323 1351974
2012 28611831 1451370
(Source: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India)
12
Chapter II
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Statement of the problem
2.3 Objectives
2.4 Hypotheses
2.5 Scope of the study
2.6 Sample Design
2.7 Data Analysis
2.8 Significance of the study
2.9 Limitations of the study
13
2.1 Introduction
Visit to historic sites is one of the oldest and major motivations for tourists all
over the world. Forts as a heritage tourism product play vital role in attracting lots of
tourists with their historic significance, distinct architecture and unique locations.
Forts have always fascinated tourists as they provide opportunity to explore historic
civilization, architecture, defense mechanism along with due adventure and natural
beauty in most of the cases. Further forts allow one to recall the major historic
events and feel the pride attached to them. Maharashtra is blessed with over 350
forts and the only state which has four different categories of forts such as Hill forts,
Land forts, Coastal forts and Island forts which can be developed as major tourist
destinations which will provide an opportunity to preserve this glorious and valuable
heritage for the coming generations as well as will bring socio-economic benefits to
the region.
2.2 Statement of the problem
Despite of having huge and distinct inventory for developing Fort Tourism in
the state of Maharashtra, it has to say that this legacy is in much neglected state by
both the policy makers and other stakeholders. Most of the forts in Maharashtra are
ruined and the remaining are in poor state of conservation which failed to attract
respective number of tourists and hence deprived coming generations from
experiencing this valuable heritage and local communities from the socio – economic
benefits attached with it. On the other hand Rajasthan has become one of the
prominent destinations in the world attracting lakhs of domestic and foreign tourists
every year with the help of effective management and marketing of its legacy of
forts and palaces.
14
2.3 Objectives of the Project
6. To study the present status of tourism at the forts in Maharashtra
7. To study the potential of Forts in Maharashtra to be developed as tourist

destinations
8. To study the visitor profile at the major Fort Tourism sites in Maharashtra
and Rajasthan
9. To make comparative study of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra with Rajasthan

on the basis of:
 Tourist Arrivals
 Tourist Infrastructure
 Tourism Plans and Policies
 Organization and management of these Sites by concerned
Authorities
10. To suggest future plan of action to the Government for Fort Tourism
Development in Maharashtra
2.4 Hypotheses
1. Forts as a heritage tourism product are neglected in tourism planning of

Maharashtra compared to other states in country
2. Maharashtra has tremendous potential to be developed as major Fort

Tourism destination
15
2.5 Scope of the Study
1. Geographical : The geographical scope of the study extends to the states of

2. Operational : The operational scope of the study is limited to tourists

visiting the sample forts
3. Temporal : the temporal scope under the study was from the year 2007 up
to the completion of the study
2.6 Sample Design
a. Data Collection
 For the study both primary and secondary data is used.
 The secondary data was collected from Books, Journals, News Paper,
Magazines and published/unpublished Reports by different concerned
authorities, different tourism plans and policies of state and central
government.
 For Primary data two different sets of structured schedules for tourists
visiting forts in Maharashtra and Rajasthan were developed. Interviews of
Government officials and Experts were conducted.
16
b. Sampling
 For this study stratified random sampling method was used.
 Forts in Maharashtra were stratified in four strata’s and two forts from each
strata were selected as follows:
SN Types of Fort Name of Sample

1 Land Ahmednagar Fort, Naldurg Fort,
2 Hill Daulatabad Fort , Raigad Fort
3 Coastal Bassein Fort, Vijaydurg Fort
4 Island Murud Janjira Fort, Sindhudurg Fort
For the comparative study four popular forts in Rajasthan in the categories of
Hill Forts and Land forts namely Amber Fort, Jaipur; Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur;
Golden Fort, Jaisalmer and Junagarh, Bikaner were selected as categories of Island
Forts and Coastal Forts are not available there.
The sample size of tourists at each sample fort was restricted to 100.
Apart from these sample forts visits to some popular forts in different parts
of the country such as Red Fort and Purana quilla in Delhi; Red Fort of Agra;
Golkonda Fort in Hyderabad etc. were also conducted to have an deeper insight of
the subject.
2.7 Data Analysis
Though 100 tourists from each sample sites were surveyed, the least number
of valid questionnaires was 70. Therefore, only 70 questionnaires from each site
were considered for analysis. All four sample forts of Rajasthan and four forts of
Maharashtra excluding coastal and island forts were considered for comparative
study as categories of coastal and island forts are not available in Rajasthan.
Independent ‘t’ test was applied to analyze mean differences in the responses of
tourists at forts in Rajasthan and Maharashtra using SPSS (Version 14.0).
17
2.8 Significance of the Study
Fort tourism sites are facing different problems such as issues related to
absence of futuristic planning due to lack of synergy in different stakeholders,
conservation and preservation of forts, encroachment and uncontrolled growth of
modern infrastructure etc. This study analyzed these different issues, reasons behind
them and suggested measures for sustainable fort tourism development in
Maharashtra. Further, this study has carved out possible ways for developing
synergy in different stakeholders to enhance tourist satisfaction and to cater
problem of economic leakages in order to reduce dissatisfaction amongst the locals.
2.9 Limitations of the Study
Study of forts of Maharashtra has been a colossal task. There are several
aspects to be studied with regard to forts in Maharashtra which could not be
possible to be completed in a single project of such short tenure. Therefore this
study was mainly confined to study gap between tourist satisfaction levels at forts in
Maharashtra and Rajasthan in order to suggest proper plans regarding tourist
infrastructure development and marketing of these sites. The other aspects such as
historical study, literature and documentation, architectural study, conservation and
preservation techniques, socio – economic impacts etc were excluded.
Further, the fort tourism in Maharashtra is highly seasonal; specially some of

the hill forts and island forts remain absolutely inaccessible due to heavy rains in
monsoon, therefore unlike in Rajasthan survey at fort tourism sites in Maharashtra
was conducted during peak tourism period only. Also, international tourist flow is
very low at forts in Maharashtra, at certain forts there were absolutely no inflow of
international tourist. Hence fewer responses of international tourists could be
conducted as compared to Rajasthan.
18
Chapter III
3.1 Heritage Tourism

3.1.1Concept of Heritage Tourism
3.1.2Heritage Tourism in India
3.2 Forts as Heritage Tourism Product
19
3.1 Heritage Tourism
3.1.1 Concept of Heritage Tourism
Property that is or may be inherited is called Heritage. It denotes or relates to

things of special architectural, historical, a natural value that are preserved for the
nation.
In order to define heritage A good definition of physical heritage that we seek

to preserve would be “buildings, artifacts, structures, areas, streets & precincts of
historic or aesthetic or architectural or cultural or environmental significance &
natural features of environmental significance or of scenic beauty including but not
restricted to seared groves, scenic points, walks, rides, paths, hills, hillocks, water
bodies such as lakes, Kayals (and the areas adjoining the same), open areas, wooded
areas etc.”
So, the Cultural heritage is the legacy of Physical artifacts & intangible
attributes of a group of society that are inherited from past generations, maintained
in the present & bestowed for the benefit of future generation. Cultural heritage
includes tangible culture (Such as buildings, monuments, landscapes, books, work of
arts, and artifacts) intangible culture (such as folklore, tradition, language &
knowledge) and natural heritage (including culturally significant landscapes and
biodiversity).
Heritage is regarded as one of the most significant & fastest growing

components of tourism (Alzua, Oleary & Morison, 1998, Herbert, 1995).
Heritage tourism offers opportunity to portray the past in the present it

provides an infinite time and space in which the past can be experienced through the
prison of the endless possibilities of interpretation. While heritage is a universal
phenomenon, to date the developed countries in Europe have made the most use of
Heritage Tourism, and have devoted the greatest effort to understand it (Ashwearth
and Larkham, 1994).
20
The heritage business is an amorphous activity embracing many different
properties and subjects which have become a part of the business of leisure, while
rarely profitable in their own right, and often as loss leaders for the tourism industry,
heritage properties have inherent qualities which need protection and management,
whether or not they are viable in the terms of other commercial visitor attractions,
and required to be operated and managed in a business like way.
3.1.2 Heritage Tourism in India
The most numerous foreign visitors, particularly from Europe and America,
visit India with what we may broadly call cultural-historical interests. In view of
India’s rich and varied monuments and the fact that they offer much that is unique,
this class of tourism has clearly a great potential for development and in our view
can be exploited to a far greater extent than at the present time.
The monumental heritage may in broadest terms be divided into four

principal subject groups: monuments of Indian Buddhism, starting with the sites
associated with the Buddha himself; Hindu monuments, ranging in time from the
early centuries of the Christian era to the present day and enormously varied in
styles; the Indo-Islamic monuments; and fourth monument of European and British
associations with India.
The Indian monuments are extremely varied in size, age and character,
ranging in size from a single small mosque or example to such large complexes as the
Agra Fort, (actually scheduled as several separate monuments), or Fatehpur Sikri. In
age they include monuments as disparate as the Harappan settlement at Lothal
(2000 BC) and Tippusultan’s palace at Seringapatam. And in character, as varied as
the stupas of Sanchi, the Jain temples of Ranakpur, the temples of Khajuraho, the
Minakshi temple at Madurai or the city palace at Jaipur. At present all of these varied
monuments fall under the jurisdiction of different agencies and hence may be
classified from the point of view of ownership into four classes:
21
a. Monuments which are owned by the Central Government and are scheduled
under the Ancient Monument and Archeological sites and remains act, 1958,
as ancient monuments. Responsibility for these monuments rests with the
ASI. The total number is currently between three and four thousand.
b. Monuments owned by certain State Government and scheduled by them

under the similar state acts as ancient monuments. The upkeep of these
monuments lies in the hands of the State Governments. The total number is
comparatively small.
c. Monuments in private or corporate ownership. These are, with a small

number of exceptions, not scheduled. They include a very large number of
temples and mosques, still in active worship and some of considerable
architectural interest, controlled by committees of Management and having
private resources frequently administered by such bodies as the Hindu
Religious Endowments Trust, etc. the number of these monuments is
considerable, but difficult to estimate. A certain number is also privately
owned by individuals or their families.
d. There are also some monuments similar in all respects to (c) except that they
are scheduled under the same act as those of (a). in such cases the ASI and
the owners have usually entered into an agreement. In these cases, there is a
more or less happy liaison between the ASI and the private owners in matters
of repair, maintenance, upkeep etc.
22
3.2 Forts as Heritage Tourism Product
Military fortification (Fort) is a key element in all civilizations. In India, the

reference of ‘durg’ which means difficult to trespass or fort like structure could be
traced right from the Rigveda in which a mention of a structure with wooden walls
and ditches is found (INTACH, 2012). Further, the remains of citadels and complete
fortified city surrounded by walls were found during the excavations at sites of Indus
Valley Civilization (Patil, 2013). As per the description in Arthshastra, the king should
make secure mountain or forest fort with fortifications consists of moats, high walls
or ramparts, numerous square towers, parapets and gates (Rangarajan, 1992).
Megasthenes’ description of the defences of Pataliputra mentions that it had a
mighty wooden wall with 570 towers and 64 gates (Basham, 1954). Apart from that,
several references of forts could be found in many ancient texts; epics and literature
such as Ramayana, Mahabharata, Manusmriti, Britsanhita, Agnipuran, Mansar etc.
(Ghanekar, 2009).
In these early texts, one could find the descriptions on different type of forts.
Devadhnyavilas, written by Lala Lakshmidhar gives eight categories of forts as Giri
Durg or Hill Fort- built on the hill, Vana Durg or Forest Fort- built in forest area, Cave
Fort-if caves used as forts, Jala Durg – surrounded by water body, Kardam Durg –
built in marshy land, Mishra Durg or Mixed fort, Bhui Kot or Land Fort- a complete
fortified city on land, Medhe Kot or Wooden Fort- built with the help of wood.
Similarly a description in Manusmriti regarding residence of king showcases different
types of forts such as Dhanu Durg or Desert Fort, Mahi Durg, Jala Durg- surrounded
by water body (Sea or River or Lake Etc.), Varksha Durg or Forest Fort, Nrudurg or
Nara Durg i.e fort guarded by soldiers (men) and Giri Durg or Hill Fort (Ghanekar,
2009). Therefore, forts in India have been categorized on the basis of topography
since ancient times. This trend continues today as we can see such categories in
recent literatures such as the Maru Durg or Desert Fort; the Mahi Durg or Mud Fort;
the Jala Durg or Water Fort; the Giri Durg or Hill Fort; the Vana Durg or Forest Fort
and the Nara Durg or Bhudurg (Land Fort) or the Fort Protected by men (MTDC,
2013) and Mountain Forts, Hill Forts, Coastal Forts, Island Forts, River Forts, Forts on
23
Plateau tops etc. (INTACH, 2012). Naravane (1998) had a very different aspect in
categorization of forts. He made three categories of forts such as main fort,
secondary fort and fortified outposts on the basis of their functional strength or
functional importance. According to him, Main forts were large, very well fortified
and garrisoned, capable of withstanding a siege of a long duration and from where
large scale defensive and offensive sorties could be launched. Secondary forts were
also well fortified but their main task was to support the main forts and extend the
range of command and control of main forts. Fortified outpost could not defend
themselves against any determined enemy assault and their main role was
reconnaissance, to act as a screen for the main and secondary forts, and to, perhaps,
link two forts.
According to the above descriptions it could be concluded that, the purpose

of building such forts was mainly of defence nature, as the constant threat from
rivals and invasions, defence was a high priority for pre-modern societies. This
purpose of defence behind building the forts had given rise to very unique
architectural style (defence mechanism) which gives a different identity to these
forts amongst all other cultural and heritage sites. Some basic architectural features
of fortifications are given below: (see fig 3.1)
Rampart and Wall
A rampart or a wall surrounds the place to be protected. The major

difference between rampart and wall is, unlike wall the rampart has a wide surface
at the top where troops can patrol or guns placed.
Both have advantages and disadvantages. A wall does not allow patrolling or
observation which must be done only from the bastion. Firing on the enemy below
can also be done only from the bastions. This means that the range and angles get
restricted and the whole perimeter cannot be covered. The advantage is that an
escalating enemy has only two options, on reaching the top he can either jump (or
clamber down ladders) inside the fort or get thrown down on top of his comrades
coming from below. A rampart allows the whole perimeter to be covered and troops
24
and guns can be moved to the desired point. The disadvantage is that an attacker
can get a foothold on top and then move sideways to make room for his comrades to
follow. On the whole ramparts have more advantages than draw backs but are more
expensive to build and maintain.
Some times a curtain wall was built well forward of the main defenses. Ruins
of such a structure can be seen at Vijaydurg fort. The height and thickness of the wall
depended upon many factors, such as its location, the perceived threat and the
building material available. In island forts the rampart followed the contours of the
island and this was also true to some extent on hill forts. Land forts had a square
layout.
Bastions and Towers
Bastions are outward projections from the wall or rampart. The normal shape
of all forts built by Indian rulers was round or semicircular. But tetragonal, hexagonal
or even octagonal bastions were also built. The Portuguese forts had a hexagonal
shape, with two very short sides and along, triangular outer projection.
The main feature of the bastion is the fairly large and flat top, large enough
to hold a body of men and mount guns. Bastions were at level with the rampart.
Towers, on the other hand, were of greater height providing better observation of
the ground outside. But they were more vulnerable to enemy fire and could not
mount guns as heavy as could be mounted on a bastion. Steps were built to reach
the bastion. In the case of a rampart steps were built at regular intervals so that the
rampart could be reached at various points. The base of a bastion was wide enough
to have a guard room or magazine to store munitions.
The main purpose of a bastion was to provide enfilading fire on any enemy
troops advancing towards the fort. But for this to be effective the height, width and
frequency of location had to be properly determined. It seems that a scientific
approach was lacking in Indian built forts.
25
Gates
Coastal forts had normally two gates, a main gate facing land and another
smaller gate facing the sea. The main gate was always tucked away inside a fold in
the wall and bastions so that it could not be fired upon directly by any enemy ship or
land based cannons. In land forts this effect could not always be achieved. However,
there were invariably at least two gates, one within the other but so placed that the
path between them was curved and could be brought under fire from the
surrounding walls. Thus even if an enemy succeeded in breaking through the first
gate his passage to the inner gate could be hotly disputed. On land forts the gate was
often studded by spikes to discourage battering by elephants.
The Parapet
On the forward edge of a rampart a parapet was built to protect the troops
patrolling on it. It was normally 1 to 2 meters high. It had loop holes (jangya) to
enable the defenders to fire upon advancing enemy. The angle of the loop holes
determined the area that could be covered. Normally two rows of loop holes were
provided, one to cover the area close to the rampart and another to cover a wider
approach.
Merlons, Embrasures and Machicolations
The parapet was never continuous of the same height throughout its length.
The merlons (ardhadala) protected the soldiers standing behind it and firing on the
enemy below. Embrasures (falika) were the opening between merlons used for
observation or mounting a gun. Machicolations (zaroka) were small openings on top
of gates and entrance passages. These were used to fire' or more commonly, pour
hot liquids upon the enemy close to the gates. If the enemy tried to burn the gate
then these could be used to pour water to douse the fire. The above three features
became a regular part of fort architecture from the 15 th century onwards.
26
Figure 3.1 Architectural Features of Fortification
(Source : Naravane M. S. 1998)
27
Moat
Island forts had the sea to protect them from all sides. In land forts a ditch or
moat, filled with water, protected the landward side. A moat in its fully developed
form is now rarely seen as most have been filled up. One such fine example of a
moat can be seen at Daulatabad Fort near Aurangabad. Almost all coastal forts also
had a moat or ditch facing land.
Sculptures
The walls of the fort, especially on either side of the main gate, had
numerous sculptures. These have been described while documenting fort details.
The most common figures were that of an eagle (Garuda), a tortoise (Kurma), tigers
and elephants. The deity most commonly found was that of Hanuman or Maruti- the
Monkey God. The first two are the avatars of the Vishnu. Tigers and elephants are
presented the strength of the ruler or the structure and the deity was installed to
invoke his protection. A fascinating sculpture seen in some forts is that of a tiger
holding four elephants in its paws and one in its mouth and Ganda Bherud and
Vyagrha.
No doubt, with this defence architecture, forts played very vital role in those
days of constant warfare. But, at the same time their importance in political and
economic fields cannot be ignored (Naravane, 1998). During the peace these forts
were very important in local administration and for proper management and
functioning of trade along ancient trade routes. Further, these forts are sole witness
of major historical events as well as rise and development of several art forms,
literary works etc.
Some of the major forts served as capital of the dynasties and hence were
also used for residential purpose. These forts have some special structures and
architectural features to serve the needs of royal families and other residents within
the forts such as:
28
Palaces
As discussed above some forts mostly in northern part of the country were
also the residences of royal families and hence we found intricately decorated and
lavish palaces in such forts. Some of these palaces such as Sheesh Mahal in Amber
fort are worldwide famous for their artistic value.
Darbars and Meeting Halls

As forts were centre of power and administration, some specific buildings
were also prerequisite at that time such as Hall for public (popularly known as
Diwan-i-Aam) to discuss the issues related to public administration and to handle
public grievances. Further to discuss political matters and strategies special meeting
halls (popularly known as Diwan-i-Khaas) for key personnel were also present.
Market Place
To cater the livelihood need of residents of these forts provision of markets
were also made on important forts. For example, the ruins of well planned market
place are still visible in the Raigarh Fort.
Religious Buildings
Almost all the forts have one or the other kind of religious building may be a
temple or masjid. Moreover, some of these forts are unique examples of secular
values of India as one can find the existence of different religious buildings and
places for worships for the followers of different religions within the premises of
same fort such as Kamani Masjid and Shivai Temple at Shivneri Fort.
Gardens
Some of the forts especially in the north have very beautiful gardens alon
with fountains and tanks such as Kesar ki kyaari in Amber Fort and Hayat Baksha
Bagh in Red fort of Delhi.
With the passage of time these capitals flourishing in the inaccessible forts
gradually started shifting to the planes which the evolved a concept of full-fledged
29
fortified cities. One such example of present day Aurangabad city could be quoted
here which supposed to be having ramparts and walls throughout its circumference.
Inside this fortification there was a full-fledged city with different structures such as
Dargahs, Markets, Wadas (residences of key personnel) and palace fort of Aurangzeb
(known as Quila-e-ark).
Apart from such architectural delight and historical significance, forts could
offer best natural attractions as most of these forts located in and around scenic
beauty, white beaches, sea, hills, rivers and deserts which are real havens for tourists
and for history lovers. Though, most of these forts are in the form of ruins may be
due to loss during warfare or negligence of administration, these forts are an integral
and important part of our medieval history and their ruins are our Valuable heritage
which should be well preserved. There is urgent need to create awareness about
conservation and preservation of these forts and the best way for that could be
attracting large number of tourists (Naravane, 1998) by proper planning and
development of these valuable and distinct heritage tourism products.
30
Chapter 4
4.1 Case Study of Fort Tourism in Rajasthan

4.1.1 Brief about sample sites
4.1.2 Trends in Tourist Arrivals
4.1.3 Government Policies, Plans and Schemes
4.2 Present Status of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra

4.2.3 Government Policies, Plans and Schemes
4.3 Significance of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra

4.3.1 Historical Significance
4.3.2 Influence on local culture
31
4.1 Case Study of Fort Tourism in Rajasthan
Rajasthan is one of the popular tourist destinations in India for both domestic
and foreign tourists. The state is known for its diversity in terms of natural resources,
cultural heritage, historical as well as archaeological wonders and rare wild life. The
forts and palaces, heritage hotels, colorful fairs and festivals, local art and
handicrafts, etc. has been a unique selling proposition for tourists coming to the
state. The desert environment in the western parts of the state is also a major
attraction for visitors, particularly the foreign tourist.
Earlier tourism in Rajasthan was a small industry which was largely confined
to the elite foreign tourists and domestic pilgrim traffic. Tourist arrivals were low and
were primarily recorded in select places such as foreign tourists used to prefer
Jaipur, the state capital, Udaipur and Jodhpur while the pilgrim centers of Ajmer,
Pushkar and Nathdwara were the prime attractions for domestic tourists. The
employment in the sector and the sector’s contribution to the state economy, as
well as employment potential were limited.
However, over the last few decades, due to the focused efforts of Rajasthan
Tourism, various State Government agencies, select entrepreneurs / individuals,
tourism has grown from an elite and pilgrim phenomenon to a mass phenomenon
putting Rajasthan firmly on the foreign and domestic tourist map. (MoT, GOI)
Though, the tourism industry in Rajasthan is now much mature and has an array of
tourist attractions in the form of heritage tourism, desert tourism, rural tourism, hill
station, colorful festivals and corporate tourism; the forts and palaces are still central
nerve of tourism industry in Rajasthan. The first thing come to the mind of any
traveler when he think of Rajasthan is the magnificent forts, beautiful royal palaces
and unique tourist trains such as Palace on Wheels which provide chance to have an
live experience of the royalty of Rajput’s of Rajasthan. Further, the recent inscription
of six hill forts of Rajasthan in World Heritage List by UNESCO has increased the
popularity of these forts and also widened the importance of preservation, tourism
development and promotion of fort tourism sites.
32
Considering the huge success of Rajasthan as a Fort Tourism destination, this
research work studied the four most important fort tourism sites in Rajasthan
located in four major cities which are major tourist hubs of Rajasthan. The sites
include Amber Fort at Jaipur as Jaipur is the capital city of state of Rajasthan and also
a part of famous Golden Triangle Circuit; Mehrangarh Fort at Jodhpur, Jaisalmer Fort
at Jaisalmer and Junagarh Fort at Bikaner as all these sites are most important sites
in desert circuit of Rajasthan which is the most popular circuit of the state. In the
following sections brief introduction about these sites, tourism trends at these sites
and available tourism infrastructure is discussed in detail.
4.1.1.1 Amber Fort
Amber (pronounced Amer) is situated about 11 kilometres from Jaipur and

was the ancient citadel of the ruling Kachwahas of Amber, before the capital was
shifted to the plains, the present day Jaipur.
The Amber Fort set in picturesque and rugged hills is a fascinating blend of
Hindu and Mughal architecture. Constructed by Raja Man Singh I in 1592 and
completed by Mirza Raja Jai Singh the fort was made in red sand stone and white
marble. The rugged forbidding exterior belies an inner paradise with a beautiful
fusion of art and architecture. Amber is the classic and romantic fort-palace with a
magnificent aura. The interior wall of the palace depicts expressive painting scenes
with carvings, precious stones and mirror settings. In the foreground is the Maota
Lake providing a breathtaking vista. Built mainly for the warring enemies as a safe
place, the heavily structured walls could defend the residents within the ramparts of
the fort.
All means of survival and luxuries for the royal families and the people who
were concerned with the functioning of this small kingdom of the Kachhawas were
well provided. The Rajputs who had apparently won a small structure passed on by
Meena tribes, later on renovated it into the grand Amber Fort. Holding a history as
33
old as seven centuries, this place vibrates with its legendary past. Although many of
the early structures have been literally ruined but at the same time, those dating
from 16th century onwards are remarkably well preserved by sincere efforts. The
fort is now is of inscribed in the World Heritage Sites list by UNESCO as one of the six
fort under Hill Forts of Rajasthan.
Ownership and Management of the Amber Fort
At present the Amber Fort is under the jurisdiction of Department of

Archaeology and Museums, Government of Rajasthan which looks after the
conservation, preservation and beautification of fort. The Department of Tourism,
Government of Rajasthan is responsible towards promotion of fort along with
development and maintenance of basic as well as recreational facilities for tourists
with the help of Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation and India Tourism
Development Corporation.
4.1.1.2 Mehrangarh Fort
Mehrangarh Fort of Rajasthan has never, not even once, been taken in a
siege. Indeed, no historian, no white-whiskered royal retainer, no chronicle, no
ballad, no poem can rival the Citadel of the Sun in bringing alive the story of the
Rathores of Jodhpur of Rajasthan. Invincible and mighty, inspiring awe, admiration,
envy and fear in friend and foe alike, Mehrangarh of Rajasthan is the very spirit of
the Rathores. Every mile-stone in their adventure, every triumph, every act of
courage is immortalized here in stone and mortar, marble and metal. The palaces of
Rajasthan lavished with delicate friezes, record successful campaigns; cart-loads of
war booty and caravans laden with imperial favor. The cenotaphs recount stirring
tales of valor and sacrifice; cannon-ball marks on the walls speak of repulsed
enemies; the hand-prints, tiny and graceful on the portals, weep in remembrance of
faithful queens lost to the flames of Sati.
Mehrangarh fort located in Jodhpur city in Rajasthan state is one of the

largest forts and a famous tourist place in India. This fort of Rajasthan is situated on
34
a lofty height, 400 feet above the city, and is enclosed by imposing thick walls. Inside
its territorial boundaries, there are several palaces, which are known for their
intricate carvings and sprawling courtyards.
Mehrangarh (etymology: 'Mihir'{Sanskrit)-sun or Sun-deity; 'garh'{Sanskrit}-

fort; i.e. 'Sun-fort') according to Rajasthani language pronunciation conventions,
'Mihirgarh' has changed to 'Mehrangarh'; the Sun-deity has been the chief deity of
the Rathore dynasty; is one of the largest forts in India. Though the construction of
fortress was originally started in 1459 by Rao Jodha, founder of Jodhpur of
Rajasthan, most of the parts of the fort which stands today date from the period of
Jaswant Singh (1638–78).
Ownership and Management of the Mehrangarh Fort
The Mehrangarh Museum trust, established in 1972 by the 36th Custodian of

Marwar-Jodhpur, H. H. Maharaja Gaj Singhji is the sole authority and custodian of
the Mehrangarh Fort. The trust is responsible for conservation, restoration,
promotion of the fort. Though, the fort is in private hand Department of Tourism,
Government of Rajasthan take efforts to promote the fort as a part of their state
tourism promotion plans.
4.1.1.3 Junagarh Fort
The Junagarh fort of Bikaner in Rajasthan is a formidable structure encircled

by a moat and has some beautiful palaces within. These palaces, made in red
sandstone and marble, make a picturesque ensemble of courtyards, balconies, kiosks
and windows dotted all over the structure.
The imposing fort of Rajasthan has 986 long walls with 37 bastions and two
entrances. Junagarh Fort of Rajasthan contains 37 palaces and many temples and
pavilions. A measure feature of this fort is the superb quality of the stone carving-it
35
rivals the best anywhere in the world. Many of the inner rooms of the palaces are
beautifully decorated and painted in traditional style.
The two important gates that lead to the stately Junagarh Fort are known as
Surajpol and Daulatpol. Suraj Pol, meaning the sun gate, was the main gate to the
fort and is east facing. The other gates that lead to the Junagarh Fort interiors are
the Karan Pol, Chand Pol and the Fateh Pol.
The Daulatpol is historically significant as you can see handprints of the royal
ladies who committed sati on the pyres of their deceased husbands on the Sati
Stambh.
The lavish Zenana quarters exhibit exquisite artistic skill. Though the women
played a very important role in the regal household they were far removed from the
affairs of the state. Women interacted with outsiders through carved stone screens.
One can see these intricately carved marble and sandstone screens even today and
marvel at the royal lifestyle of the days of the yore.
Ownership and Management of the Junagarh Fort
The Junagarh fort museum was established by Maharaja Dr. Karni Singh in
1961 under the flagship of Maharaja Rai Singhji trust. The trust is sole authority of
the fort museum and committed for enhancement of experience of visitors visiting
the fort. Though, the fort is in private hand Department of Tourism, Government of
Rajasthan take efforts to promote the fort as a part of their state tourism promotion
plans.
36
4.1.1.4 Jaisalmer Fort
One of the most famous fort in Rajasthan and now a World Heritage
monument, this large fort also called Sonar Qila, was founded on 12th July, A.D.
1156 on Trikuta hill by Bhati ruler Jaisal. Its fortification walls which are constructed
of yellow sandstone without any mortar are strengthened by ninety-nine bastions
and corner towers. Numerous bastions are made accessible through gates, viz.
Akhay Pol, Suraj Pol, Ganesa Pol and Hawa Pol. The uppermost fortification wall has
kanguras, gun-holes and jharokhas (balconies). The major attraction in the fort are
group of Jaina temples viz. Parsvanatha temple, Sambhavanatha temple, Sitalanatha
temple, Santinatha and Kunthunatha temple, Chandraprabha temple and
Rishabhanatha temple. Amongst Hindu temples, Lakshminatha temple is important
which was constructed by Maharawal Bairi Singh in A.D. 1437. The fort has tastefully
carved palaces e.g. Rang Mahal, Sarvottam Vilas, Gajmahal, Zenana Mahal, Moti
Mahal, Bada-Vilas and Jawahar-Vilas. Amongst the havelis, the Patwa Haveli located
outside the old fortification wall (protected by Govt. of Rajasthan) is remarkable for
its intricate stone carvings, jalis and mural paintings. This fort also holds a status of
being the only living fort of Rajasthan as about 4000 families still reside in the fort
complex.
Ownership and Management of the Jaisalmer Fort
At present, some part of Jaisalmer Fort is under the jurisdiction of Jaipur

Circle of Archaeological Survey of India which looks after the conservation,
preservation and beautification of fort, but the major part is under private
ownership of Successors of the Royal Family of Jaisalmer State, Jaisalmer Fort Trust
and the other occupants of the forts which are successors of the workforce of the
then Royal Family which were permitted to live inside the fort. The Department of
Tourism, Government of Rajasthan is responsible towards promotion of fort along
with development and maintenance of basic as well as recreational facilities for
tourists with the help of Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation and India
Tourism Development Corporation.
37
In order to analyze the volume and scope of fort tourism in the state of
Rajasthan the trends in tourist arrivals and earnings from tourism at Amber
fort and Mehrangarh fort are highlighted below. (Table 4.1& 4.2)
4.1.2.1 Amber Fort
Table 4.1 Tourists Arrivals and Income at Amber Fort
Category Domestic International Students Total Income

(in Rs.)
Year
2007- 886091 366703 76592 1329386 5,42,37,772
2008
2008- 833329 283249 77014 1193592 6,05,88,335
2009
2009- 919493 311227 79266 1310030 7,04,70,635
2010
2010- Single Comp Single Comp Domestic Foreigner 1322667 9,13,96,545
2011 831681 30298 255701 66736 115437 15265
(Source : Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Rajasthan)
4.1.2.2 Mehrangarh Fort
Table 4.2 Tourist Arrival Trends and Income at Mehrangarh Fort
Category Domestic Income from International Income from Total Total

Domestic Domestic Income
Year Tourists Tourists (in Rs.)
(in Rs.) (in Rs.)
2010- 807700 40385000 146377 43913100 954077 8,42,98,100
2011
2011- 845011 42250550 160401 48120300 1005412 9,03,70,850
2012
2012- 909969 45498450 162064 48619200 1072033 9,41,17,650
2013
(Source : Mehrangarh Museum Trust, Fort Jodhpur)
4.1.3 Government, Policies, Plans and Schemes
4.1.3.1 Central Government
The role of Central Government is vital in overall legislation, policy initiative,

funding and development of tourism products which are applicable to whole
country. As far as Fort Tourism is concerned, preservation, conservation and tourism
38
development of important Heritage Sites is an integral part of almost all policies and
plans of central government, but more specifically the recent state wise studies
conducted by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India on Identification of Tourism
Circuits across India are of most important. As per Interim Reports of Phase I (March
2012) and Phase II (July 2012), in Rajasthan four major circuits were identified for
integrated tourism development namely:
Circuit 1 : Desert Circuit (Jodhpur – Bikaner - Jaisalmer)
Circuit 2 : Jaipur – Ajmer - Pushkar
Circuit 3 : Chittaurgarh – Udaipur –Mt. Abu
Circuit 4 : Udaipur – Ranakpur – Kumbhalgarh – Nathdwara
All of these four circuits include all prominent forts and palaces in the state of
Rajasthan and the implementation of the plan laid down by these studies will
definitely take fort tourism in Rajasthan to the new heights.
4.1.3.2 Rajasthan State Tourism Policy
The Rajasthan State Tourism Policy realizes the potential of forts and palaces
in the state as important tourist attraction and hence encourages preservation,
conservation and upkeep of these heritage properties. It further highlights the need
to have private partnership in development of selective site as heritage resorts or
hotels to attract more tourists. It also emphasis the involvement of corporate sector,
Students, Teachers and NSS volunteers in conservation of these monuments.
4.1.3.3 Adopt a Monument Scheme
After consideration of limitations of resources of Government agencies to

preserve the large number heritage sites, Government of Rajasthan has recently
called upon Non-resident Rajasthanis, Individuals and Corporate houses to sponsor
the conservation work of fragile monuments. ‘Adopt-a-Monument’ scheme of
Rajasthan government has been launched as an instrument of public-private
39
participation for preserving this rich bequest. The scheme envisages adoption of a
monument by any person with a view to restoring and thereafter maintaining it for a
period of 10 years in accordance with a conservation plan drawn by the Dept. for Art
and Culture.
Under the scheme, state government is creating a Heritage Fund to finance

the different conservation projects. Individuals and business houses can make
contributions to this fund to support the endeavors of the state. Rajasthan
government offers an exceptional publicity mileage to the donors through the
plaques advertising their contribution on the site. Corporate houses too can project
their donations in their advertisements. On one hand, a high level steering
committee of government ensures the regular supervision of the sponsored
conservation projects; while on the other; yearly audit reports guarantee the rightful
use of the donated fund.
Reaching out to people, the government has initiated the process of seeking
public co-operation for heritage conservation. Undoubtedly, adoption of monuments
by private entities would strengthen Rajasthan Government’s resolve to preserve
this historical treasure of heritage monuments for the future generations.
4.1.3.4 Other Initiatives
Along with the above policy and scheme, the Government of Rajasthan has
also taken some initiative to boost tourism as follows:
Tourist Trains:
To attract more tourists to the princely state of Rajasthan, the government

with the help of Indian railways had undertaken a unique and innovative product,
Palace on Wheels – a luxury tourist train which is meant to provide rich royal
experience to the passengers on board with its state of the art facilities in January,
1982. The train is a huge success and attracts lots of tourists as it provides a unique
experience of touring Rajasthan. Keeping in view the success of this train another
40
luxury train named as Royal Rajasthan on Wheels has also started on the same lines
in the year 2009. All major forts of Rajasthan are included in the itinerary of both the
trains.
The Rajasthan Tourism Trade (Facilitation and Regulation) Act, 2010:
In 2010, an act was enacted by Government of Rajasthan to accelerate the

growth of tourism trade in the state. The act ensures establishment of Tourist
Assistance Force to tackle the issue of harassment of tourist by touts, taxi drivers,
beggars, hawkers etc. The act also advocates development of mechanism for
collection of appropriate statistical data to support proper planning and
management of tourism trade.
Rajasthan Film Shooting Regulations, 2012:
The tourist places in the state of Rajasthan especially forts and palaces are
one of the most preferred locations for film shooting in India. Keeping this in view,
the Government of Rajasthan enacted Rajasthan Film Shooting Regulations in 2012.
These regulations vested power to Collector and District Magistrate of concerned
district for permissions and also provided guidelines to insure speedy single window
clearance for those who sought permission.
Rajasthan Paying Guest House Scheme:
The government of Rajasthan initiated a scheme called as the Rajasthan

Paying Guest House Scheme in 2012. The scheme provides two different categories
of Paying guest houses for tourists as ‘Gold’ and ‘Silver’ and further provides all the
procedures and guidelines to ensure timely and proper regulation of these units.
41
4.2 Present Status of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra
4.2.1.1 Ahmednagar Fort
One of the most well planned and strongly built, the Ahmednagar land fort is
situated in the centre of the cantonment in the eastern part of the city. Oval in
shape, the fort is about 1.70km in circumference and is strengthened by 24 bastions.
It is surrounded by a moat, now dry, about 30 meters wide and 4 to 6 meters deep,
and beyond it there is a wooded glacis. The massive curtain wall, built of cut stone
masonry, rises above 25 meters from the bottom of the ditch. The two entrances to
the fort could be reached only after crossing the moat over the suspension drawn
bridges. Inside the fort there are some old and new buildings, fairly in good
condition
The Ahmednagar fort was built by Husain Nizam Shah in 1559 AD. The fort
was besieged by the vast Mughal army in 1596 AD, but the garrison led by Chandbibi
valiantly defied the attack for four months and the Mughals had to beat a retreat.
In the next attack in 1600 AD, the fort was captured by Akbar. It remained with the
Mughals till 1759 AD, when it was sold to Sadashiv Bhau, the cousin of the third
Peshwa. In 1797 AD, the fort was assigned to Daulatrao Shinde, from whom it was
captured by General Welleslay in August, 1803. Finally under the Treaty of Pune
(June, 1817 AD) the fort was handed over to the British by Bajirav Peshwa II.
The Ahmednagar fort was often used as royal prison, both by the Marathas
and the British, Nana Phadnis, who was instrumental in imprisoning many Martha
noblemen in this fort was himself locked up in the fort by Daulatrao Shinde. During
the Quit India Movement of 1942, the entire Congress Working Committee was
detained here. Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru wrote his famous work Discovery of India while
in confinement at the Ahmednagar fort.
42
Ownership and Management of the Ahmednagar Fort
The Ahmednagar Fort is under the jurisdiction of Indian Military Command

and located within cantonment area.
4.2.1.2 Daulatabad Fort
Devagiri (Daultabad of the later period), 11kms north-west of Aurangabad, is

a famous for its formidable hill fort. The fort is situated on an isolated cone-shaped
hill rising abruptly from the plain to the height of about 190 meters. The fortification
constitutes of three concentric lines of defensive walls with large number of
bastions. The noteworthy features of the fort are the moat, the scarp and the sub-
terranean passage, all hewn of solid rock. The upper outlet of the passage was filled
with an iron grating, on which a large fire could be used to prevent the progress of
the enemy. The Chand Minar, the Chini Mahal and the Baradari are the important
structures within the fort.
The Chand Minar, about 63 metres in height, was erected by Alauddin

Bahman Shah in 1435 AD to conquest of Daulatabad. Opposite the Minar is the
Jumma masjid, whose pillars originally belonged to a temple. Close to it, there is a
large masonry tank. The Chini Mahal at the end of the lower for is the place where
Abdul Hasan Tana Shah, the last king Golconda, was confined by Aurangzeb in 1687
AD. Nearby is a round bastion topped with a huge canon with ram’s head, called Kila
Shikan or Fort breaker. The Baradari, octagonal in shape, stands near the summit of
the fort. The principal bastion at the summit also carries a large canon.
Though the city of Devagiri was founded in 1187 AD by the Yadava king
Bhillan V, the fort was constructed during the reign of Singhana II (1210-46 AD). It
was captured by Ala-ud-Din Khilji in 1294 AD, marking the first Muslim invasion in
the Deccan. Finally in 1318 AD, Malik Kafur killed last Yadava King, Harapal. Then in
1327 AD, Muhammed-bin-Tughluq sought to make Devgiri his capital, by transferring
the entire population of Delhi and changing the name from Devagiri to Daulatabad.
Then it was in the possession of the Bahamanis till 1526 AD. The fort remained in
43
Mughal control till Aurangzeb’s death in 1707 AD., when it passed on to the Nizam-
ul-Mulk of Hyderabad.
Ownership and Management of the Daulatabad Fort
The Daulatabad Fort is under the jurisdiction of Aurangabad Circle of

Archaeological Survey of India which looks after the conservation, preservation and
beautification of fort and providing basic amenities to visitors inside the fort
premises. Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation is the authority to
regulate tourism development, development and maintenance of basic as well as
recreational facilities to tourists in and around fort and also domestic and overseas
promotion of fort. The Daulatabad fort is a part of Ajanta Ellora Development Project
of which ASI and MTDC are implementing agencies.
4.2.1.3 Murud –Janjira Fort
Situated on a rock of oval shape near the port town of Murud, 165kms south
of Mumbai, Janjira is one of the strongest marine forts of India (the word ‘Janjira’ is a
corruption of the Arabic word Jazira for island). The fort is approached by sailboats
from Rajapuri jetty. The main gate of the fort faces Rajapuri on the shore and can be
seen only when one is quite close to it. It has a small postern gate towards the open
sea for escape. The fort has 19 rounded bastions, still intact. There are many canons
of native and European make rusting on the bastions. Now in ruins, the fort in its
heyday had all necessary facilities, e.g., palaces, quarters for officers, mosque, a big
fresh water tank, etc. On the outer wall flanking the main gate, there is a sculpture
depicting a tiger-like beast clasping elephants in its claws. This sculpture, its
meaning difficult to interpret, appears on many fort-gates of Maharashtra.
Originally the fort was small wooden structure built by a Koli chief in the late
15th century. It was captured by Pir Khan, a general of Nizamshah of Ahmednagar.
Later the fort was strengthened by Malik Ambar, the Abyssinian Siddi regent of
Ahmednagar kings. From then onward Siddis became independent, owing allegiance
to Adilshah and the Mughals as dictated by the times. Despite their repeated
44
attempts, the Portuguese, the British and the Marathas failed to subdue the Siddi
power. Shivaji’s all attempts to capture Janjira fort failed due to one reason or the
other. When Sambhaji also failed, he built another island fort, known as Kansa or
Padmadurg, just 9kms north of Janjira. The Janjira state came to an end after
Independence of India in 1947.
Ownership and Management of the Murud -Janjira Fort
The Murud-Janjira Fort is under the jurisdiction of Mumbai Circle of

promotion of fort.
4.2.1.4 Naldurg Fort
Naldurg which was formerly a district headquarter is situated about 50 Kms.

south-east of Osmanabad. The fort which is an interesting place has enclosed a
surface of a knoll or plantain of basalt rock which is jutted out into the valley or
raving of the small river Bori. Along the rest of the cliff on three sides ran
fortifications. Bastions firmly built out have deseeded basalt and are large enough to
carry heavy guns. The entire circumference is about a mile and a half.
The interior portion is covered with ruined walls and a vide road running up
to the centre. The fort has many bastions such as Upli Buruj which is the highest
point in the fort, Paranda Buruj, Nagar Buruj, Sangam Burug, Sangram Buruj, Bands
Buruj, Poone Buruj, etc. Inside the fort there are remains of the walls and some of
the building such a Barood kotha, Baradari, Ambarkhana, Rangeen mahal, Jali etc.
Though the buildings are in ruins the remains give an impression that there might
have been at one time the spacious buildings. There are guns in the fort amongst
which important are the “hathi toph” and magar Toph”. The Hathi Darwaza and the
Hurmukh Darwaza are the main gates of the fort. The most interesting building
45
which connects the fort and the Ranmandala is the dam constructed across the Bori
River. The dam and the Pani Mahal, which was built in the middle of the dam, were
constructed during the reign of Ibrahim Adil shah II. The fort is said to have been
originally built by a Hindu king who was a vassal (feudatory) of the Chalukya kings of
Kalyani. It was latter included in the dominions of the Bahamanis and was
subsequently taken over by the Adil shahi kings of Bijapur, from whom it passed in
the hands of the Mughals in the year 1686.A.D.
Ownership and Management of the Naldurg Fort
The Naldurg Fort is under the jurisdiction of Aurangabad division of

Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Maharashtra which is
responsible for protection, conservation, preservation and beautification of fort and
other structures in its premises. Also there are some families leaving inside the fort
claims ownership of certain parts of the fort as their forefathers lived there since the
reign of Nizams. As far as tourism development around fort and promotion of the
fort is concern, it is liability of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation.
4.2.1.5 Raigarh Fort
Raigarh was Chatrapati Shivaji’s capital, the hill fort where he was crowned
(1674 AD) and where he died (1680 AD). Strategically situated on an irregular
wedge-shaped mass of rock, detached from the main body of Sahyadri Mountains by
a deep valley and inaccessible from three sides, Raigarh is 210kms south of Mumbai
and 27kms north of Mahad. The 5.12 sq. kms hill-top plateau of the fort has three
main points Hirakani in the west, Takamak in the north and Bhavani in the east.
There is only one pathway to Raigarh, probably in keeping with Shivaji’s strategy “the
fort’s approach should be easy for friends and impossible for foes”.
The top plateau is covered with a large number of remains of buildings and
reservoirs. Behind the Ganga Sagar reservoir are two high towers, in Muslim style.
Behind the towers is the Balekilla or citadel, entered by the Palakhi-darwaza. On
way to the right are remains of chambers of women of Royal families and on the left
those of the Darbar of Chatrapati Shivaji. On a low mound in the centre is the site of
46
Shivaji’s throne. Further north is the two-row market place, the Jagadishwar temple
in an enclosure and the Samadhi of Chatrapati Shivaji.
The history of Raigarh, earlier known as Rairi, is obscure. In the 12th century
Rairi was a seat of the Shirke-Palegar family. After changing several hands, it was
captured by Chatrapati Shivaji from Chandrarao More in 1656 AD. Shivaji chose Rairi
for his capital and renamed it as Raigarh. The gigantic construction work was
entrusted to Abaji Sondeve and Hiroji Indulkar. In its heyday Raigarh had more than
300 houses, and structures. After Shivaji, the fort remained in the hands of Sambhaji
till 1689 AD, when it was captured by the Mughals. Reverted to the Marathas in
1735 AD, Raigarh was surrendered to the British in 1818 AD.
Ownership and Management of the Raigarh Fort
The Raigarh Fort is under the jurisdiction of Mumbai Circle of Archaeological

Survey of India which looks after the conservation, preservation and beautification of
fort and providing basic amenities to visitors inside the fort premises. Maharashtra
Tourism Development Corporation is the authority to regulate tourism development,
development and maintenance of basic as well as recreational facilities to tourists in
and around fort and also domestic and overseas promotion of fort.
4.2.1.6 Sindhudurg Fort
Sindhudurg fort stands on a rocky island, known as Kurte, barely a km, from
the Malavan is 510kms south of Mumbai and 130kms north of Goa. Sindhudurg was
built in 1664-67 AD by Chatrapati Shivaji when all his attempts to take the island fort
of Janjira proved futile. The construction was done under the supervision of Hiroji
Indulkar, an able architect. Shivaji had invited 100 Portuguese experts from Goa for
the construction of the fort. It is also recorded that 3000 workers were employed
round the clock for three years to build Sindhudurg. It was the amount from the
Sack of Surat that went into the building of Sindhudurg.
47
One of the best preserved forts of the Marathas, the 48 acre Sindhudurg fort
has a four kms long zigzag line of 9 metres high and 3 metres wide rampart with 42
bastions. Apart from the huge stones, the building material involved 2000 khandis
(72,576 kgs) of iron erecting the massive curtain wall and bastions. A notable feature
is that the foundation stones were laid down firmly in molten lead.
The fort is approachable from the Malavan pier by a boat through a narrow
navigable channel between two smaller islands of Dhontara and Padmagad. The
main gate, flanked by massive bastions, faces the city. On the parapet, close to the
entrance under two small domes Shivaji’s palm and footprint in dry lime are
preserved. Also, in the fort there is the Shivaji temple - the only one of its kind in the
country – where the image of Shivaji is without a beard. Inside the fort there are
some temples, tanks and three wells. It also houses some twenty Hindu-Muslim
hereditary families.
After Shivaji, Sindhudurg passed through the hands of Rajaram-Tarabai,

Angres, Peshwa and the Bhosales of Kolhapur. It was briefly captured by the British
in 1765 AD and was renamed by them as ‘Fort Augustus’. Later in 1818 AD, the
British dismantled the fort’s defence structures.
Ownership and Management of the Sindhudurg Fort
The Sindhudurg Fort is under the jurisdiction of Mumbai Circle of

promotion of fort.
48
4.2.1.7 Vasai Fort
Vasai, also called Bassein, lies about 48 kms north of Mumbai just across the
Ulhas River. The fort in the old city, was the headquarter of the Portuguese in the
north, next in importance to Goa. The coastal land-fort of Vasai was surrounded by
sea on three sides and to the landside it had a moat which was filled by sea-water.
Its 4.5kms long strong stone wall had 11 bastions. The fort had two gates – the
westward land-gate. There was also a small citadel in the fort. Well – equipped with
water-tanks, store-houses, armory, etc. The fort also had fields for growing grains
and vegetables. All the old structures inside the wall are now in ruins.
Vasai came into prominence when the ancient harbour of Sopara (now
Nalsopara village, 10kms north of Vasai) became unfit for use. However, Vasai
continued to be a trading centre. A small fort-like structure was erected here in
1533 AD by Malik Tughan, the commander of Bahadur Shah, Sultan of Gujarat. In
1534 AD, the Portuguese forced Bahadur Shah to cede Vasai in perpetuity. Here,
first they constructed the citadel (Balekilla), and then in 1590 AD, the present fort
with its ramparts and other structures came into being. For the next about 150
years Vasai enjoyed opulence and prosperity. The Portuguese built here magnificent
houses, convents, churches and an orphanage. Only the Hidalgos (Portuguese
nobles) were allowed to reside within the fort walls. Vasai was the main naval base
and sort of ship-building centre of the Portuguese. The end came in 1739 AD, when
Chimaji Appa, Peshwa Bajirav’s brother, stormed the fort and captured it with great
loss of life. It was here in 1802 AD, the Peshwa Bajirav II signed the infamous “Treaty
of Bassein” which virtually dissolved the Maratha Confederacy. Finally, the fort and
the city of Vasai were ceded to the British in 1817 AD.
Ownership and Management of the Vasai Fort
The Vasai Fort is under the jurisdiction of Mumbai Circle of Archaeological

Survey of India which looks after the conservation, preservation and beautification of
fort and providing basic amenities to visitors inside the fort premises. Maharashtra
Tourism Development Corporation is the authority to regulate tourism development,
49
development and maintenance of basic as well as recreational facilities to tourists in
and around fort and also domestic and overseas promotion of fort.
4.2.1.8 Vijaydurg Fort
Vijaydurg, situated 48kms south of Ratnagiri, is one of the strongest marine

forts on the west coast of India. It is also an excellent harbour. Built on a hill on the
mouth of Vaghotan River, the fort was protected on three sides by the sea and on
the east side by ditch, now filled up. After crossing the front gate on the east, the
path, skirting round the massive middle wall, enters the hidden inner gateway. The
strong triple line of fortifications had 27 bastions, some of them two-storeyed.
Within the citadel there were many buildings and storehouses, now all in ruins
except a structure called Rest House. For the supply of water there were several
wells and large tanks.
In recent years a submerged wall 100 metres east of the fort has been
discovered. The under-sea wall is 3 metres high, 7 metres wide and 122 metres long.
How and why this sea-wall was built is not clear. On the bank of the Vaghotan River,
about 3kms from the fort, there was a wet dock where the Marathas used to build
and repair their ships.
Vijayadurg is an ancient site. Initially known as Gheria, it was enlarged by the

Bijapur rulers and then strengthened and enlarged in the mid-17th century by
Shivaji, to whom it owes its triple line of fortifications, towers and also its new name,
Vijayadurg – Victory Fort. During the time of Kanhoji Angre (1667-1729 AD), the
naval chief of the Marathas, the fort was so strong and firmly held that it successfully
withstood assaults of the European maritime powers. Later in 1756 AD it fell to the
combined operations of the British and the Peshwas. However, it remained in the
hands of the Peshwas till 1818 AD when finally it was surrendered to the British.
50
Ownership and Management of the Vijaydurg Fort
The Vijaydurg Fort is under the jurisdiction of Mumbai Circle of

promotion of fort.
The following table 4.3 showcases the trends in month wise tourist arrivals at
the sample fort sites in Maharashtra during
Table 4.3 Tourists Arrival Trends at Sample Forts in Maharashtra

October November December January February March
Destination 2011 2011 2011 2012 2012 2012
Dom Int Dom Int Dom Int Dom Int Dom Int Dom Int
Ahmednagar 260 0 263 0 270 0 254 0 248 0 238 0
Fort
Daulatabad 47609 948 48606 956 59102 1022 56516 960 52194 1120 53207 948
Fort
NaldurgFort -- -- -- -- -- -- 155 0 180 0 140 0
Raigarh Fort 16854 4 17504 17 20007 147 18943 139 15386 155 18839 133
Murud 50894 0 52341 0 55650 4 52315 5 48196 5 49208 49
Janjira
Sindhudurg 44456 9 45810 11 46555 29 43785 31 69808 49 69246 7
Fort
Vijaydurg 7060 18 7435 21 7523 25 7094 24 21869 75 15703 0
Fort
Vasai Fort 22435 29 23629 23 24496 16 23040 16 25838 13 21907 11
[Source : Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, Tourist Statistics of Maharashtra, Final
Report (April 2011 – March 2012)]
Note : (Dom = Domestic, Int = International Tourist)
51
4.2.3 Government, Policies, Plans and Schemes
4.2.3.1 Central Government
As discussed above Central Government plays vital role in overall legislation,

policy initiative, funding and development of tourism products in the state of
Maharashtra as well. As far as Fort Tourism is concerned, preservation, conservation
and tourism development of important Heritage Sites is an integral part of almost all
policies and plans of central government. Similar studies like Rajasthan on
Identification of Tourism Circuits across India were carried out for the state of
Maharashtra and as per Interim Reports of Phase I (February 2012) and Phase II (July
2012), in Maharashtra four major circuits were identified for integrated tourism
development namely:
Circuit 1 : Coastal/Beach Tourism Circuit
Circuit 2 : Sahyadri Mountain Range : Forts / Heritage Tourism
Circuit 3 : Aurangabad: Aurangabad, Paithan, Daulatabad, Ghrishneshwar,

Ellora, Ajanta
Circuit 4 : Integrated development of wildlife / ecotourism in Vidarbha region
This study has specifically identified a fort tourism circuit but has proposed
coastal / beach tourism circuit as a priority circuit. Though, in this region many
prominent coastal and island forts are available only Janjira Fort was considered in
the circuit. If the scope of plans is widened and implemented properly the circuit
development plans could remain helpful in development of fort tourism in
Rajasthan.
4.2.3.2 Maharashtra State Tourism Policy
The Maharashtra State Tourism Policy, 2006 clearly mentions that

Maharashtra has large number of valuable forts which should be conserved and
developed. It emphasizes the coordination amongst Government of Maharashtra,
52
Archaeological Survey of India and State Archeology department in development and
conservation of these forts for realizing their tourism potential.
4.2.3.3 Adopt a Monument Scheme
Government of Maharashtra launched ‘Maharashtra Vaibhav- rajya

Sanrakshit Smarak Sangopan Yojana’ (Adopt a Monument Scheme) as per section 15
of Maharashtra Ancient Monuments, Archaeological remains Act, 1960 under
Department of Archaeology in 2007.
The major objectives of the scheme are to motivate private parties /

individuals to adopt monument on commercial basis, to create public awareness
regarding heritage conservation and to attract experts in conservation and
preservation from private sector to provide their expertise in conservation and
preservation of monuments in public domain.
There are several forts identified under this scheme to be leased out to
private parties for conservation, preservation and development of these sites. The
scheme was welcomed and got good response from the private sector and local
public but the slower implementation from administration failed to get desired
results.
4.2.3.4 Other Initiatives
Apart from above mentioned plans and schemes, there are some initiatives
of government of Maharashtra which needs to be considered while analyzing its role
in fort tourism development, these are as follows:
Tourist Trains:
After witnessing the success of Palace on Wheels a special luxury train was
started by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation in association with Indian
Railways and Ministry of Tourism. In its itinerary two prominent forts of Maharashtra
such as Sindhudurg Fort (Malvan Fort) and Daulatabad Fort are included. In 2004,
53
the operations were stopped due to low response of tourists which was again
started after the monsoon in the same year.
Bed and Breakfast:

Considering the seasonality of tourism business and to cater the needs for
accommodation of tourists at destinations specially located in rural and remote
areas, the government of Maharashtra started Bed and Breakfast Scheme. This
scheme is a good initiative to provide a unique experience to tourists by staying with
the local families and also provide economic benefits to locals. As far as fort tourism
is concerned, this scheme is more beneficial because most of the forts in
Maharashtra are located in rural and remote areas where proper commercial
facilities are very limited.
4.3 Significance of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra
4.3.1 Historical Significance
Nowhere in the world could one find forts in that much number and that too
of this much types as in the state of Maharashtra. Fort building is about two
thousand year old tradition in Maharashtra. Satvahanas were the oldest known
dynasty in the western India which ruled during about 1 st century BC to 2nd century
AD. Satvahana had trade relations with Europe. For safe internal trade, they built
certain forts and with the support of these forts they could build several caves
around these trade routes.
In Maharashtra, many forts were built during the period of several national
and foreign dynasties such as Satavahana, Rashtrakuta, Chalukya, Shilahar, Yadava,
Kadamb, Maratha, Bahamani, Mughal, Peshwa, Portuguese, Dutch and British which
ruled in this region. Construction of the forts was their geopolitical need due to both,
the topography of the region and the then overall political situations. (Ghanekar,
2009)
54
It is hard to claim surely that the certain fort was built by a particular dynasty
because at almost all forts, some or the other type of changes are made by successor
dynasties. At some places the entire old fort was destroyed to be replaced by new.
Therefore, in Maharashtra hundreds of forts were built during almost two

thousand years duration right from Satavahana dynasty up to the end of medieval
period by dynasties of different region, clans, ancestry and even religions. But, from
the 17th century, when the Marathas rose under the leadership of Chatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj against the Mughals, forts began to assume an undeniable importance as
icons of Maharashtra’s rugged landscape.
The History of the present state of Maharashtra revolves around Chatrapati

Shivaji Maharaj, his forts and the battles he played with the help of common people
of (popularly known as Mavale) the state against foreign invasions. He is supposed to
be the best ruler in the history of Maharashtra who raised his kingdom (often
termed as kingdom of common people) against all odds with the help of natives of
this land and best use of the forts. He is worshiped as a God in the state of
Maharashtra due to his unmatched contribution in establishment of independent
Maratha kingdom for actual natives of the land which further inspired many freedom
fighters to revolt against British for Independent India.
4.3.2 Influence of forts on local culture
Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is one of the most important National Heroes in

the history of the country and it can be easily witnessed by the presence of his
several memorials and equestrian statues in many cities throughout the country
including the Parliament House Complex in Delhi. As far as Maharashtra is concerned
statues and memorials of Shivaji Maharaj are visible in almost all cities, towns and
even villages. Moreover, one of the busiest international airports and an important
railway station of the country, both located in Mumbai, are renamed after him as
Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport and Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus respectively.
55
As discussed above Chatrapati Shivaji is the most famous personality in the
history of Maharashtra and acknowledged not only in the stories, tales but also in
the academics as a student in Maharashtra start studying Shivaji right from the 3 rd or
4th standard. Hence, Chatrapati Shivaji and odd 350 forts, either built or modified by
him have the deep rooted influences on almost all the aspects of local culture of the
state of Maharashtra. In Maharashtra, building mud forts by children is an integral
part of the celebration of Diwali and ‘Simmolanghan’ and ‘Shastrapuja’ are integral
part of the Dussehra celebration. Even, the ‘Shiv Jayanti’ (Birth Anniversary of Shivaji
Maharaj) and ‘Shiv Rajyabhishek’ (Commemoration of Coronation Day of Shivaji
Maharaj) has become one of the biggest festivals in the state as thousands of
peoples celebrate these days by visiting Shivneri Fort and Raigarh fort respectively.
Further, today’s famous folk art forms of ‘Lavani’ which was started for the
entertainment of soldiers after tiresome wars and ‘Powada’ a folk song form which
was aimed to motivate people by describing Shivaji’s brave expeditions has their
origins at the forts during Maratha period.
Shivaji not only popular in general public but also one of the most discussed
subjects in the elite group of the society. Every year several books, novels, research
papers etc get published on the topics related to Shivaji, his forts, his defence
strategies and his administration. Babasaheb Purandare, Kanitkar, G. N. Dandekar
and P. K. Ghanekar are some of the prominent writers who contributed significantly
in the literature based on Shivaji Maharaj and his forts. Even in today’s digital world
theatrical drama’s such as ‘Janata Raja’ based on the literary work of Babasaheb
Purandare and ‘Raigadala Jevha Jag Yete’ written by Vasant Kanitkar attracts large
number of audience for each show.
Shivaji Maharaj is one central personality in the overall politics of the state of
Maharashtra and there are several political outfits which were started on the
foundation of his ideology. Chatrapati Shivaji is very much related to the sentiments
of Maharashtrians and hence any matter or topic related to him creates buzz in the
political arena. For instance, some political outfits and public groups demanded a
huge statue of Shivaji Maharaj in the Arabian Sea. Keeping sentiments of people in
56
mind the state government has declared to build a statue of Chatrapati Shivaji bigger
than the statue of Liberty in the Arabian Sea very near from the marine drive coast of
Mumbai with the cost of Rs. 530 crore. Though this was a right move by the
Government with the point of view of general public but it would have been better if
government have paid attention towards the conservation and preservation of
existing valuable forts of Shivaji Maharaj before spending lots of money on erecting
his statue. That is the reason this news has created fury among elite group and some
other political parties which believes that the government is neglecting the heritage
and trying to use the name of historic heroes only for political gains.
Forts of Maharashtra are the prominent visible evidences of Shivaji Maharaj

and glorious history of the state in that period and therefore several NGO’s, social
groups such as Shivdurg Samvardhan, Gonida Durgpremi Mandal, Kille Vasai, Durg
Bhramanti, Sahyadri Pratishthan etc. comprising of historians, conservationists and
other local groups which are working hard for the awareness, conservation,
preservation, documentation and promotion of these valuable forts.
57
Chapter 5
5.1 Trends in Fort Tourism

5.2 Tourist Satisfaction Level
5.3 Potential of Coastal and Island Forts
58
This research relied on both the sources of data i.e. Primary as well as
Secondary. The primary data was collected with the help of two different sets of
schedules for tourists visiting four sample forts of Rajasthan and eight sample sites
of Maharashtra. Out of the eight forts selected from Maharashtra only four were
considered for comparative study as categories of coastal and island forts are not
available in Rajasthan. Also, interviews of concerned officials and experts were
conducted. For secondary data different policies, books, study reports, journals etc.
were referred. The major findings of the study can be summarized as follows:
5.1 Trends in Fort Tourism:

The survey revealed that, there is negligible number of International tourists
visiting forts in Maharashtra except Daulatabad fort as compared to Rajasthan where
considerable large numbers of International tourist visits to almost all forts indicating
forts are integral part of the itinerary of almost every international tourist visiting
state of Rajasthan contributing huge revenues for the state. (See Figure 5.1)
Also, the forts of Maharashtra are preferred by younger tourists as maximum

percentage of tourists to these forts lies in the age group of 18-25 and 26-35 in
contrast to Rajasthan forts which are preferred destination of middle age tourists in
the age group of 36-45 years. (See Figure 5.2) The preferred modes of travel to forts
of Maharashtra are personal car, two wheelers and public transport buses indicating
roads are the only convenient option to reach these forts, whereas personal car is
preferred mode of travel amongst domestic tourists and trains, tourist coaches and
plane are preferred by foreign tourists to the forts of Rajasthan. (Figure 5.4)
As far as sources of information about the forts are concerned; word of

mouth and own interests were the major responses but there are significant
responses of other sources too. The other sources of information for forts of
Rajasthan includes films, magazines and TV commercials, on the other hand novels,
study books and literatures were the other sources of information about forts of
Maharashtra (Figure 5.5). Figures 5.7 and 5.8 revels that most of the visitors to the
forts of Maharashtra come for the day excursions only and maximum visitors who
59
are staying back prefers to stay with friends and relatives. But, maximum tourists to
the forts of Rajasthan prefer overnight stay and that too in commercial place which
is helpful in boosting local economy. The purpose of tourists visiting forts of
Rajasthan was mainly interest in historical places and travel to new places. In
contrast, tourists visiting forts of Maharashtra are mostly fun loving and visiting forts
for picnic. But there are considerable numbers of history and adventure lovers too.
(Figure 5.11) As per figure 5.12, there were different purpose behind the visit to
these forts, the ratings given by tourist is mostly good followed by average in both
the states. The ratings could be because of the historical significance of this valuable
heritage. In both the states, it is found that majority tourists prefers to make their
travel arrangements by their own but, there is considerable number of tourists
visiting forts of Rajasthan especially foreigners who prefers services of travel agents
and tour operators. At last, it can be concluded that forts of Rajasthan are amongst
the most popular tourist destinations of India as about 32.1 visitors to the forts of
Maharashtra have visited forts of Rajasthan. (See Figure 5.13)
Figure 5.1 : Nationality of tourists visiting forts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan
100
90
80
70
60
50 Rajasthan
Maharashtra
40
30
20
10
0
Indian Foreigner
60
Figure 5.2 : Age group of tourists
45
40
35
30
25
Rajasthan
20 Maharashtra
15
10
0
Below 18 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 Above 55
Figure 5.3 : Whether visiting this fort for first time
100
90
80
70
60
50 Rajasthan
Maharashtra
40
30
20
10
0
Yes No
61
Figure 5.4 : Preferred Mode of Travel
60
50
40
30 Rajasthan
Maharashtra
20
10
0
Bus Train Plane Personal Two Other
Car Whealer
Figure 5.5 : Source of Information about the fort
60
50
40
30 Rajasthan
Maharshtra
20
10
0
Travel Agents Friends & Own Interest Other
Relatives
62
Figure 5.6 : Accompanied on this tour with
60
50
40
30 Rajasthan
Maharashtra
20
10
0
Alone Friends Family
Figure 5.7 : Duration of stay at the destination
70
60
50
40
Rajasthan
30
Maharashtra
20
10
0
One Day More than one Uncertain Day Excursion
day
63
Figure 5.8 : Preferred place for stay
90
80
70
60
50
Rajasthan
40
Maharashtra
30
20
10
0
Commercial Rented own place With Friends or Other
relatives
Figure 5.9 : Earlier visit to any fort
90
80
70
60
50
Rajasthan
40 Maharashtra
30
20
10
0
Yes No
64
Figure 5.10 : Reasons behind no earlier visit to fort
120
100
80
60 Rajasthan
Maharshtra
40
20
0
Not Interested No Information No Entertainment Interested but
didn't get chance
Figure 5.11 : Purpose of visit
60
50
40
30
20
Rajasthan
10 Maharashtra
65
Figure 5.12 : Ratings to the visited fort
60
50
40
30 Rajasthan
Maharashtra
20
10
0
Unsatisfactory Average Good Excellent
Figure 5.13 : Any visit to the forts of compared state
100
90
80
70
60
50 Rajasthan
Maharashtra
40
30
20
10
0
Yes No
66
5.2 Tourist Satisfaction Level:
Level of satisfaction of tourists visiting forts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan
was analyzed on the basis of 25 odd factors which could be summarized in five main
indicators such as Connectivity; Transport Services; Accommodation and Food
Services; Maintenance and Management of Tourist Attraction (Fort); and Other
Facilities. (See Figure 5.14).
Figure 5.14: Five combined indicators to access Tourist Satisfaction Level
Connectivity
•Connectivity of the destination Air / Rail / Road
•Condition of Airport / Railway Station / Roads
•Quality of service by Airline Operator / Railways / Road Transport Operator / way side
amenities on this road
Tourist Tranport Services
•Availability of mass transit system/public transport
•Availability of metered taxi
•Availability of authorized tour operators /tourist coaches
•Behavior of staff of the transport operator
Accommodation and Food Services
•Availability of luxury hotels
•Availability of budget hotels
•Affordability of accommodation facilities
•Availability of Restaurants / eateries
•Hygiene at wayside restaurants and Dhabas
•Behavior of the staff of service providers
Maintenance and Management of Tourist Attraction (Fort)
•General cleanliness and beautification of monument (fort) and area around it
•Public utilities at the forts /tourist Attraction
•Conditions of signage within the forts / tourist attraction
•Parking facility at the forts /tourist attraction
•Availability of tourist guidance/reception centers
•Availability of trained tourist guides
•Behavior of the guides at the forts /tourist attraction
•Conservation of heritage sites/ forts
•Illumination of forts
•Promptness at the ticketing window of the forts /tourist attraction
Other Facilities
•Availability of recreation and entertainment facilities
•Availability of telephone/mobile/ATM/Internet facilities
67
An Independent ‘t’ test to compare means to evaluate the difference
between tourist satisfaction levels at forts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan was
applied to all the factors. The test resulted significant and explained in detail below:
Connectivity
Table 5.1: t-test to evaluate the difference between tourist satisfaction levels about connectivity at
forts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan

Sig. 95% Confidence
Mean Std. Error
t df (2- Interval of the
Difference Difference
tailed) Difference
Lower Upper
Connectivity of the 15.775 558 .000 1.01071 .06407 .88486 1.13657
destination
15.775 509.204 .000 1.01071 .06407 .88484 1.13659
Condition of Airport/ 17.133 558 .000 .86786 .05065 .76836 .96735
Railways/ Roads
17.133 521.925 .000 .86786 .05065 .76835 .96737
Quality of Service by 15.153 558 .000 .95000 .06270 .82685 1.07315
Airline operator/ Railway
/Road Transport
Operator/ way side 15.153 504.594 .000 .95000 .06270 .82682 1.07318
amenities
Note : Values in the third column (Sig. 2-tailed) are less than 0.05 which indicates that the gaps
between tourist satisfaction levels with above factors in both the states are significant.
It shows that fort tourism in Maharashtra suffers with problem of

connectivity compared to Rajasthan. Out of four forts of Maharashtra only
Daulatabad Fort has good connectivity with good quality of services by service
providers because of its proximity to Aurangabad and Ellora World Heritage Sites.
Ahamadnagar fort is also located in the city and at least has good road connectivity,
but the other forts are generally located in remote areas which could only be
reached via nearby villages. Therefore, the combined performance of forts of
Maharashtra is comparatively low on all factors such as direct connectivity and
quality of service etc as compared to Rajasthan where almost all selected forts are
located in major cities with direct air, rail and road connectivity.
68
Tourist Transport Services
Table 5.2: t-test to evaluate the difference between tourist satisfaction levels about Tourist
Transport Services at forts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan

Sig. 95% Confidence
Mean Std. Error
tailed) Difference
Lower Upper
Availability of mass transit 14.656 558 .000 .95000 .06482 .82268 1.07732
system/ public transport 14.656 387.193 .000 .95000 .06482 .82256 1.07744
Availability of Metered 22.985 558 .000 1.49286 .06495 1.36528 1.62043
taxies 22.985 462.108 .000 1.49286 .06495 1.36523 1.62049
Availability of Tour 28.142 558 .000 1.98929 .07069 1.85044 2.12813
Operators / Tourist
28.142 375.249 .000 1.98929 .07069 1.85029 2.12828
Coaches
Behavior of the staff of 14.522 558 .000 .85357 .05878 .73812 .96902
Tour Operators 14.522 400.707 .000 .85357 .05878 .73802 .96912
Above table revels that, tourists to the forts of Maharashtra are not much
satisfied with the availability of tourist transport services. Though, there is
availability of travel agents, tour operators, tourist cabs and even number of taxi’s to
visit Daulatabad fort and organized trekking camps to Raigarh fort by few trekking
groups, no such facilities are available at Naldurg fort and Ahmednagar fort.
69
Accommodation and Food Services
Table 5.3: t-test to evaluate the difference between tourist satisfaction levels about
Accommodation and Food Services at forts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan

Sig. 95% Confidence
Mean Std. Error
tailed) Difference
Lower Upper
Availability of Luxury 25.829 558 .000 1.86429 .07218 1.72251 2.00606
Hotel
25.829 485.047 .000 1.86429 .07218 1.72247 2.00610
Availability of Budget 25.381 558 .000 1.83214 .07218 1.69036 1.97393
Hotel
25.381 441.690 .000 1.83214 .07218 1.69027 1.97401
Affordability of 13.517 558 .000 .86429 .06394 .73869 .98988
accommodation facilities
13.517 550.107 .000 .86429 .06394 .73869 .98988
Availability of 12.525 558 .000 .86786 .06929 .73176 1.00395
Restaurants/ Eateries
12.525 439.152 .000 .86786 .06929 .73168 1.00403
Hygiene at wayside 20.300 558 .000 1.33571 .06580 1.20647 1.46496
restaurants and Dhabas
20.300 497.147 .000 1.33571 .06580 1.20644 1.46499
Behavior of the Staff of 8.721 558 .000 .43571 .04996 .33758 .53385
service providers
8.721 546.839 .000 .43571 .04996 .33758 .53385
Heritage hotels of Rajasthan themselves are the tourist attraction and are
well known for the luxury and royal services which they offer to tourists. Also there
are abundant budget hotels available in almost all fort tourism destinations with
comparatively good affordability except Jodhpur. In contrast, there are no luxury
hotels available at fort tourism destinations in Maharashtra except at Daulatabad
fort (at Aurangabad). If tourists visiting to Raigarh fort and Naldurg fort are intended
to overnight stay they have to prefer nearby towns such as Mahad and Tuljapur
respectively. The Raigarh fort at least has one MTDC resort and few home stays to
offer but Naldurg even lacks in that. There are some dhabas or eateries are available
nearby all the forts in Maharashtra, but to find a restaurant or dining with pleasant
ambience and good hygienic conditions is really a tough job for tourists especially at
Naldurg.
70
Maintenance and Management of Forts
Table 5.4 : t-test to evaluate the difference between tourist satisfaction levels about Maintenance
and Management of forts (as a tourist attraction) in Maharashtra and Rajasthan
Sig. 95% Confidence
Mean Std. Error
tailed) Difference
Lower Upper
General cleanliness and 23.527 558 .000 1.73214 .07362 1.58753 1.87676
beautification of
monument and area 23.527 488.053 .000 1.73214 .07362 1.58749 1.87680
around
Public utilities at the fort 39.076 558 .000 2.17857 .05575 2.06906 2.28808
39.076 557.814 .000 2.17857 .05575 2.06906 2.28808
Conditions of signage 25.151 558 .000 1.60357 .06376 1.47834 1.72880
within the forts/ tourist
25.151 557.879 .000 1.60357 .06376 1.47834 1.72880
attraction
Availability of Parking 17.165 558 .000 .79643 .04640 .70529 .88757
facilities at fort 17.165 556.624 .000 .79643 .04640 .70529 .88757
Availability of tourist 25.884 558 .000 1.85000 .07147 1.70961 1.99039
guidance/ reception
25.884 427.853 .000 1.85000 .07147 1.70952 1.99048
centre
Availability of Trained 19.807 558 .000 1.52143 .07681 1.37055 1.67230
tourist guides 19.807 551.377 .000 1.52143 .07681 1.37055 1.67231
Behavior of guides at the 4.814 418 .000 .41429 .08606 .24511 .58346
fort/ tourist attraction 5.239 347.989 .000 .41429 .07907 .25877 .56981
Conservation heritage 24.928 558 .000 1.60000 .06418 1.47393 1.72607
site/ fort 24.928 554.811 .000 1.60000 .06418 1.47393 1.72607
Illumination at forts 20.214 558 .000 1.21071 .05989 1.09307 1.32836
20.214 557.030 .000 1.21071 .05989 1.09307 1.32836
Promptness at the 9.215 418 .000 .50357 .05465 .39615 .61099
ticketing window of the
8.732 241.874 .000 .50357 .05767 .38997 .61717
forts/ tourist attraction
This section comprises the responses about the core product i.e. the fort and
highlighted the biggest difference in Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Forts in
Maharashtra mostly managed by government agencies, lying in the state of decay as
most of their structures are ruined. Some of the forts of Maharashtra are non-
ticketed with absolutely no availability of basic public utilities, signage, tourist
reception centers and guides (even touts at times). On the other hand, forts in
71
Rajasthan (either privately owned or under management of government agencies)
are at present converted in to well preserved and maintained museums with all
necessary facilities to enhance tourist’s experience.
Other facilities
Table 5.5: t-test to evaluate the difference between tourist satisfaction levels about availability of
other facilities at forts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan

Sig. 95% Confidence
Mean Std. Error
tailed) Difference
Lower Upper
Availability of recreation 27.597 558 .000 1.92857 .06988 1.79131 2.06584
and entertainment
27.597 550.908 .000 1.92857 .06988 1.79130 2.06584
facilities
Telephone/ Mobile/ ATM 10.244 558 .000 .62857 .06136 .50805 .74909
/ Internet services 10.244 531.335 .000 .62857 .06136 .50804 .74911
The forts of Rajasthan provides added values to the tourists by providing

some or the other types of recreational facilities such as Sound and Light Show at
Amber Fort, Zip tours at Mehrangarh Fort, Camel safaris at deserts of Jaisalmer and
Bikaner and other cultural performances. The rope way services at Raigarh fort
proved to be an attraction for some tourists but it is negligible to increase the overall
satisfaction level of tourists. Also, the remote locations of some of the forts of
Maharashtra affect their performance in availability of technological services such as
internet café, ATM and mobile phone services.
5.3 Potential of Coastal and Island Forts of Maharashtra:
The similar survey was carried out at sample forts under categories of coastal
and island forts to analyze travel trends and to evaluate their performance on the
basis of tourist satisfaction. The trends in tourism at the coastal and island forts are
much similar to the hill forts of Maharashtra and far better than the land forts.
Despite these forts located very near to the Mumbai-Goa National Highway, they
72
failed to attract much international tourists. The number of domestic tourists visiting
these forts is comparatively better but it is highly seasonal, especially the island forts
remain absolutely inaccessible due to heavy rains in monsoon.
The positive signs for fort tourism in this region are that, these forts are
popular amongst all age group and except the Vasai fort, the purpose of visits to
coastal and island forts are mostly for their historical significance and other tourism
related activities. The state of fort tourism along the coast of Maharashtra is though
not sufficient but comparatively in the good state as there is availability of few travel
agents, tour operators and commercial accommodation facilities which are used by
few tourists. The local cuisine (Konkani/Malvani food) is itself an attraction for
tourists from different regions. Also, there are some efforts taken by government
agencies too, to promote this region as Sindhudurg is declared as Special Tourism
Zone. Availability of MTDC Resorts at Vijaydurg and Tarkarli, Houseboats at Tarkarli,
availability of snorkeling and other water sports facilities in and around Malvan are
some of the good signs for fort tourism in this region.
The only factor which is really hampering the fort tourism in this region is the
sorrow state of maintenance, conservation, beautification and management of these
sites. The constant attack from sea waves on the walls of these forts increases the
urgency of conservation of these sites.
The following tables and figures provide detail picture about the scenario of
fort tourism in the coastal region of Maharashtra.
Table 5.6: Nationality of the Respondent visiting coastal and island forts
Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
Valid Indian 272 97.1 97.1 97.1
Foreigner 8 2.9 2.9 100.0
Total 280 100.0 100.0
73
Table 5.7: Age Group of the Respondents visiting coastal and island forts
Valid Cumulative
Valid 18 - 25 62 22.1 22.1 22.1
26 - 35 72 25.7 25.7 47.9
36 - 45 80 28.6 28.6 76.4
46- 55 57 20.4 20.4 96.8
> 55 9 3.2 3.2 100.0
Total 280 100.0 100.0
Table 5.8: Mode of Travel to reach coastal and island forts
Valid Cumulative
Valid Bus 65 23.2 23.2 23.2
Train 35 12.5 12.5 35.7
Personal Car 151 53.9 53.9 89.6
Two wheeler 29 10.4 10.4 100.0
Total 280 100.0 100.0
Table 5.9: Source of Information about the coastal and island forts
Valid Cumulative
Valid Travel Agent 6 2.1 2.1 2.1
Friends or
118 42.1 42.1 44.3
Relatives
Own Interest 124 44.3 44.3 88.6
Other 32 11.4 11.4 100.0
Total 280 100.0 100.0
Table 5.10: Stay Duration of tourists visiting coastal and island forts of Maharashtra
Valid Cumulative
Valid One Day 104 37.1 37.1 37.1
> one day 26 9.3 9.3 46.4
Day Excursion
150 53.6 53.6 100.0
only
Total 280 100.0 100.0
74
Table 5.11: Preferred place for stay by tourists at coastal and island forts of Maharashtra
Valid Cumulative
Valid Commercial 36 12.9 60.0 60.0
Staying with
24 8.6 40.0 100.0
Friends or Relatives
Total 60 21.4 100.0
Missing System 220 78.6
Total 280 100.0
Table 5.12: Purpose of visiting the coastal and island forts
Valid Cumulative
Valid I am History and
92 32.9 32.9 32.9
Heritage Lover
I love to travel 89 31.8 31.8 64.6
I came for
adventure 35 12.5 12.5 77.1
activities
Local 30 10.7 10.7 87.9
Volunteer for
13 4.6 4.6 92.5
Restoration work
Others 21 7.5 7.5 100.0
Total 280 100.0 100.0
Table 5.13: Ratings by the tourists to coastal and island forts
Valid Cumulative
Valid Poor 4 1.4 1.4 1.4
Unsatisfactor
21 7.5 7.5 8.9
y
Average 105 37.5 37.5 46.4
Good 112 40.0 40.0 86.4
Excellent 38 13.6 13.6 100.0
Total 280 100.0 100.0
75
Figure 5.15: Ratings for connectivity by the visitors to coastal and island forts
Connectivity
20
15
Percent
10
4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 9.00 10.00 11.00 12.00 13.00 14.00
Connectivity
Figure 5.16: Ratings for transport services by the visitors to coastal and island forts
TS
25
20
15
Percent
10
4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 9.00 10.00 11.00 12.00 13.00 14.00 15.00 16.00 17.00
TS
76
Figure 5.17: Ratings for Accommodation and Food Services by the visitors to coastal and
island forts
AFS
14
12
10
Percent
0
9.00 10.00 11.00 12.00 13.00 14.00 15.00 16.00 17.00 18.00 19.00 20.00 21.00 22.00 23.00 24.00 25.00 26.00
AFS
Figure 5.18: Ratings for Maintenance and Management of coastal and island forts by the
visitors
MMTA
25
20
15
Percent
10
13.00 14.00 15.00 16.00 17.00 18.00 19.00 20.00 21.00 22.00 23.00 24.00
MMTA
77
Figure 5.19: Ratings for availability of other facilities by the visitors to coastal and island
forts
OTHER
40
30
Percent
20
10
3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00
OTHER
78
Chapter 6
6.1 Major Observations

6.2 Recommendations
6.2.1 Product Development
6.2.2 Tourism Infrastructure Development
6.2.3 Marketing
6.2.4 Awareness
79
6.1 Major Observations
Even though Maharashtra is having huge inventory for fort tourism
development, it is absolutely clear that, the status of fort tourism in Rajasthan is far
better than Maharashtra. But the present study highlighted some of the facts which
need to be considered while comparing fort tourism in both the states. Rajasthan is
huge success, and the most prominent reason behind its success is the rich beauty
and lavishness of its forts and palaces. These forts and palaces were purposefully
built by the rich royal families as their residences; hence these forts and palaces are
intricately decorated and beautifully carved. Also, the availability local sandstone,
marble and skilled craftsmen made their task easy. Some of the popular palaces are
still owned by the successors of royal families which are converted in to the best
museums. Again, one of the key elements in the development of tourism in
Rajasthan is its proximity from National Capital and Agra which is world famous for
Taj Mahal. Delhi-Agra-Jaipur (popularly known as Golden triangle) was the first ever
tourism circuit developed in India. At the same time efforts taken by the Rajasthan
Government are also appreciable. The state realized the importance of tourism to
boost its economic development at earlier stages and hence along with the core
products, the state leveraged all its potential such as deserts, local art forms,
colourful festivals and ethnic food culture. The innovations such as heritage hotels,
film tourism, wedding tourism, luxury tourist trains etc. further remained helpful to
increase popularity of the state manifold.
On the other hand, the economy of the Maharashtra state was mainly
depended on Industrial Development hence the service industry was sidelined from
the planning and strategies of the state government. But now after realizing the
economic as well as cultural importance of tourism, the government has now started
to facilitate the growth of tourism industry in the state. While discussing the fort
tourism in the state, one thing should be considered that the forts of Maharashtra
were mainly built during the era of continuous invasions from outsiders with the
main purpose of defence and hence they lack on the part of beautified and
decorated palaces. Also, these forts witnessed several wars right from medieval
period to modern period which is one of the factors behind the ruined state of these
80
forts at present. Due to such continuous warfare these ownership of these forts
transferred from one dynasty to another and finally now all these forts are
government properties.
Though, these forts are in ruins they are capable enough to showcase the
glorious history and highlight architectural, social and cultural development of that
era. More specifically the forts which are associated with the life of Chatrapati Shivaji
and those which are located in good natural surroundings such as hills, coast and
islands has tremendous potential to be developed as popular tourist destinations.
6.2 Recommendations
In order to develop fort tourism in Maharashtra this study provides certain

feasible recommendations to be implemented. The first and foremost requirement
for development of fort tourism in Maharashtra is to undertake integrated and
holistic approach and therefore this study provides information to policy makers,
implementing agencies, private players in the industry, NGO’ and locals about their
roles and responsibilities and suggests some practical steps which could be taken by
them at different stages. The major aspects to be dealt with for fort tourism
development in Maharashtra and the role of different stakeholders at every point
are discussed in detail below:
6.2.1 Product Development
Forts here are considered as the main attraction or purpose of taking the
tour. The study showed that the maintenance and management of forts was the
critical factor in the tourist satisfaction level and therefore needs urgent attention to
flourish fort tourism in Maharashtra. The major recommendations for product
development are as follows:
Policy Makers:
As all the forts in Maharashtra are owned by the Government agencies, the
role of government in development of forts as a tourism product is very crucial. The
first and foremost the policy makers require to do is to take conservation,
81
preservation and beautification of these forts on priority basis. Apart from
recognition in the tourism policies, there is a need to prepare research based
feasible perspective plan for each fort or at least circuits of different categories. To
diversify the concentrated growth of tourism at few major tourist destinations in the
state, special fund allocations are needed to develop these underdeveloped forts.
Encouraging Private – Public Partnership or Creation of special Heritage Fund with
the help of public can remain helpful for raising the substantial funds. The governing
bodies are required to make strong amendments in the laws and regulations with
the view to vest more powers to the concerned authorities to deal with the issues
like encroachments and destruction of monuments or artifacts etc.
Implementing Agencies:
Proper implementation of plans and policies is very important part in any

development program. The forts of Maharashtra fall under jurisdiction of different
government organizations such as Archaeological Survey of India, State Department
of Archaeology and Museums, Forest Department and Coast Guards, and hence
there are complex rules and regulations to deal with. To solve this hurdle there is
need that all these organizations should work in synergy. Development of fort (as a
tourism product) does not only mean to conserve and preserve the fort but, proper
interpretation of these structures is also important. The authorities such as ASI and
state archaeology are the experts in the field and can create proper tourist
information centers/interpretation centers/visitor centers providing proper
information of the fort and glimpses of the past associated with the fort before
tourist actually visit the ruins of these forts. In addition to this some galleries
consisting or museums could be developed with the help of some artifacts or
replicas of artifacts, historic photographs or even sketches and or by audio visual
aids. Further as these authorities are well aware with the ground realities they
should suggest feasible plans to the policy makers.
Other stakeholders:
To boost fort tourism the participation of private players in the industry is

must. There is need that the tour operators and travel agents should come up with
82
innovative tour packages. There are few trekkers groups which arrange treks to
some hill forts but these activities need to be expanded on professional basis. Some
of the innovative packages can be developed like small cruise trips to coastal and
island tours and aerial tours to hill forts by small charters.
6.2.2 Tourism Infrastructure Development
Tourism infrastructure is a wide phenomenon than the general infrastructure

development. The available infrastructure at the tourist site needs to blend with the
texture of the destination. Further, excessive infrastructure could really decrease the
aesthetic sense of the site and hamper tourism.
Policy Makers:
As discussed in previous chapters’ fort tourism in Maharashtra suffers due to

limitation of infrastructure. Many forts are still having problems of connectivity and
proper commercial accommodation and food services. To boost fort tourism,
infrastructure development is must. Apart from basic infrastructure, here the special
requirement for fort tourism from policy makers is to liberalize older rigid norms and
formulate some holistic norms which could facilitate proper zoning of fort tourism
site. Most of the forts are spread in huge acres of land, and this area is lying unused.
Proper zoning such as core zone, tourism zone and recreation zone can be created as
per the topography and other condition of each fort. In core zone only visit to
historic remains through fixed path should be allowed; in tourism zone basic facilities
for tourists such as public utilities, interpretation centers and small cafeterias can be
developed and area which is located in outskirts of the actual fort or inside premises
but at proper distance from architectural remains can be designated as recreational
zone where limited infrastructure such as non conventional accommodation units
(tents, mud huts or stone barracks etc.), amphitheatres (for cultural shows, audio-
visual shows etc.) and other facilities (trekking facilities etc.) can be allowed. These
regulations should consider interest of private organizations as well to encourage
their involvement both privately or through PPP model.
83
Tourism projects at initial stages requires huge investments, therefore

responsibilities of government agencies like Maharashtra Tourism Development
Corporation increases manifold to develop fort tourism in the state. These forts have
potential to be developed as good resorts as they are located either on the hill at
high altitude or along the coast. MTDC is running some resorts in Maharashtra
including few at forts such as Raigarh, Panhala, Vijaydurg etc. As discussed above
MTDC can take active part in the development of accommodation and recreational
facilities in recreational zones. Further, strengthening of existing schemes such as
Bed and Breakfast and Mahabhraman will also remain helpful. In this scheme some
categories for the tourism units can be introduced such as bronze, silver, gold or
similar in order to set standards of operations and services of tourism units. It will
also remain helpful for tourists to recognize the required services and will also help
tourism units to promote their business. MTDC again needs to create awareness
amongst small tourism related enterprises to be get registered under different
schemes for easy monitoring.
Other stakeholders:
Other tourism service providers can also come up with innovative

recreational facilities Maratha martial arts shows, folk cultural shows or even better
is to encourage tourists to participate in restoration and conservation works. Also,
locals are having chance to be entrepreneurs by establishing some or the other form
of tourism units and should participate in the decision making and planning of
sustainable infrastructure.
6.2.3 Marketing
In today’s competitive world where each country or even different states

within countries are competing for attracting maximum tourists to gain all possible
benefits of tourism and hence mere availability of good products or better
infrastructure doesn’t guarantee good tourist inflow. Special efforts are required at
different levels to market fort tourism in Maharashtra.
84
MTDC is the whole and sole authority to promote tourism in the state.
Therefore bears major responsibility of promoting forts not only in the state or
country but also in the overseas market. MTDC has to take some creative efforts to
promote fort tourism along with the conventional approaches. As discussed earlier
forts in Maharashtra are altogether different products so royalty and lavishness are
not attached to them. Therefore there is need to create a different brand for these
which could highlight the major attributes of history, wars, pride etc of these forts.
Use of information and communication technology has emerged as crucial element
in tourism marketing so, MTDC has to promote fort tourism with the help of
innovative ideas like YouTube channels, social media etc. As far as international
tourism is concerned, Mumbai is the most preferred port of arrival in India but
unfortunately, these potential international tourists couldn’t be converted as actual
tourists for the state of Maharashtra. Extra efforts are needed to motivate these
potential tourists for visiting forts.
Other stakeholders:
Business of all the stakeholders depends on the overall popularity of the core
attraction. Therefore stakeholders have to participate in the development of
marketing strategies. Maintaining PR with the stakeholders of other countries and
states of India can help them to get maximum business. Also, locals can help in
deciding sustainable branding for the site which will reduce host-guest conflicts.
6.2.4 Awareness
At the end it could be concluded that, forts of Maharashtra are the identity of
the state and linked with the every facets of its culture. But it seems that there is not
much awareness about their value for next generation. It could be suggested that
public awareness should be done about the preservation of these valuable heritage.
It can be done by including need of conservation of heritage sites in the school
syllabus; arranging awareness drives and road shows with the help of students and
volunteers; arranging capacity building camps for service providers and locals.
85
Preservation, conservation and promotion of these forts is not only responsibility of
government but of every individual and unless everybody understand it is not
possible to pass on this priceless heritage to the next generation.
86
References
 Basham A. L. (1954) The Wonder That Was India. Rupa & Co.: New Delhi
 Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Rajasthan.

Tourists & Income of Monuments and Museums.
 Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan. (2011). Rajasthan Tourism

Trade (facilitation and Regulation) Rules 2010. Government Central Press,
Jaipur
 Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan. (2012) Paying Guest

Houses Scheme. Retrieved from http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in/App
Themes/Green/Images/Home /PGSEng.pdf
 Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan. (2013). Rajasthan Film

Shooting Regulations, 2012. Government Central Press, Jaipur
 Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan. Introduction Palace on

Wheels. Retrieved from http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in/Attractions/
PalaceOnWheels.aspx
 Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan. Royal Rajasthan on

Wheels. Retrieved from http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in/Attractions/rro
w.aspx
 Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Government

of India. 20 years Perspective Plan for Sustainable Tourism in Rajasthan, Final
Report.
 Desai, R. (1987). Shivaji the last great Fort Architect. Maharashtra

Information Centre: New Delhi
 Ghanekar, P. K. (2009) Shivrayanche Durgvidhnyan. Snehal Prakashan: Pune
 Government of Maharashtra. (2007). Tourism and Cultural Affairs

Department. Government Resolution
 http://junagarh.org/trust.html
87
 http://mehrangarh.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71
&ltemid=572
 http://osmanabad.nic.in/newsite/touristPlaces/NaldurgFort.htm Osmanabad
District official website. Naldurg Fort : historical Background
 http://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/mtdc/HTML/MaharashtraTourism/T
ouristDelight/Forts/Forts.aspx?strpage=Maharashtra_Forts.html
 Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation. (2013). Final Report (April

2011 - March 2012) on “Tourism Statistics of Maharashtra”
 Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation. Tourist Statistics of

Maharashtra, Final Report (April 2011 – March 2012)
 Maharashtra Tourism Policy, 2006
 Mehrangarh Museum Trust. Statement of Visitors at Fort.
 Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. (2005). Best Practices adopted by

State Governments for the Development of Tourism.
 Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. (2006). Final Report on

“International Passenger Survey 2003”
 Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. (2006). Report on “Collection of

Domestic Tourism Statistics For the State of Rajasthan Reference Period : April
2005 to March 2006”
 Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. (2008). India Tourism Statistics

2007.

2010.
 Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. (2012). Identification of Tourism

Circuits across India, Interim Report : Phase-I, Maharashtra.

Circuits across India, Interim Report : Phase-II, Maharashtra.
88
Circuits across India, Interim Report : Pahse-I, Rajasthan.

Circuits across India, Interim Report : Pahse-II, Rajasthan.

2011.
 Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Annual Report 2011-1.2
 Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Annual Report 2012-13.
 Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Report of The Working Group On

Tourism 12th Five Year Plan (2012- 17).
 Naravane, M. S. (1998). Sea and Hill Forts of Western India. The Curator,
Maritime History Society: Mumbai
 Naravane, M. S. (2001). The Heritage Sites of Maritime Maharashtra. The

Maritime History Society: Mumbai
 Patil, M. J. (2013, July-September). A Reminder of a Martial past Paranda

Fort. Maharashtra Unlimited, 2, 16-21.
 Rajasthan State Tourism Policy
 Rangarajan L. N. (1992). Kautilya, The Arthashastra. Penguin Books: New

Delhi
 UNWTO. (2013). Annual Report 2012, Madrid.
 UNWTO. (2013). Tourism Highlights.
 Why Tourism, UNWTO, Retrieved from www2.unwto.org/en/content/why-

tourism
 World Travel & Tourism Council. (2012). India: How does Travel and Tourism
compare to other sectors.
89
Appendix : Questionnaire
SCHEDULE Confidential
The information in this survey will be strictly used for the preparation of the
-- report of UGC Major Research Project entitled “Potential of Fort Tourism in
Maharashtra : A Comparison with Forts in Rajasthan”.
Department of Tourism Administration

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad (MS)
DETAIL OF RESPONDENT
1. Name of Respondent : _______________________________________________
2. Address of Respondent: ______________________________________________
3. Tourist category: i. Indian ii. Foreigner
Good ...............: I am from Dr. BAMU, A’bad,. We are currently conducting a survey on “Potential of
Fort Tourism in Maharashtra : A Comparison with Rajasthan”. Your views will be very useful in
improving the infrastructure and quality of services provided to the tourists. So, Please spare few
minutes to express your views which will be kept confidential.
SECTION 1
Q.N QUESTIONS CODING CATEGORIES RESPO
O. NSE
101 Age Less than 18 years---------------------------- 1
18-25 yrs ---------------------------------------- 2
26-35 yrs ---------------------------------------- 3
36-45 yrs ---------------------------------------- 4
46-55 yrs ---------------------------------------- 5
Above 55 yrs ----------------------------------- 6
102 Gender Male ---------------------------------------------- 1

Female ------------------------------------------- 2
103 Whether visiting this Fort for the first Yes ------------------------------------------------- 1
time? No -------------------------------------------------- 2
104 Country of residence India ----------------------------------------------- 1

Foreign Country -------------------------------- 2
If tourist belongs to India, then ask questions 105 to 112, otherwise skip to Q 113.
105 Which state of India you belong to?
District ____________________________
106 What was the mode of travel to reach

this place? Bus -------------------------------------------------1
Train -----------------------------------------------2
Plane --------------------------------------------- 3
Personal car ------------------------------------ 4
Any two wheeler ---------------------------- 5
Others (specify) ----------------------------- 8
90
107 How did you come to know about this
Fort? Through travel agent --------------------------1
Through friends/relatives ---------------------2
My own effort because of interest in
seeing different places -------------------------3
Others (specify) ----------------------------------8
108 Whether you came in a group Travel agent arranged group -----------------1
organized by travel agent or on your On my own -------------------------------------- 2
own?
109 Whether came alone, with friends or Alone --------------------------------------------- 1
with family? With friends ------------------------------------- 2
With family /relatives ------------------------- 3
110 How many days you propose to stay Only one day -------------------------------------1
here? More than one day -----------------------------2
Uncertain/depends --------------------------- 3
Day Excursion Only----------------------------- 4
(If 4 Skip Que 111)
111 Whether you are staying in Commercial -------------------------------------- 1

commercial place, rented your own Rented own place ------------------------------ 2
place or with friends/relative? Staying with friends/relatives --------------- 3
Others (specify) --------------------------------- 8
112 Is this a part of your trip to other Yes -------------------------------------------------- 1

places of tourism? No --------------------------------------------------- 2
Go to Que 116
If tourist is a foreigner (Codes 02 to 19 in Q 104) , then ask questions 113-115
113 Country of residence __________________________________
114 Main purpose of visiting India Business --------------------------------------------1

Tourist ----------------------------------------------2
Official ----------------------------------------------3
Social ---------------------------------------------- 4
Others (specify) ----------------------------------8
115 Whether visiting India for the first Yes --------------------------------------------------1

time? No ---------------------------------------------------2
116 Port of arrival
-----------------------------------------------------
About Fort Tourism
117 i. Have you visited any Fort Yes --------------------------------------------------1
earlier? No ---------------------------------------------------2
ii. If No, What is the reason Not interested -----------------------------------1
No information about Forts------------------2
There are no entertainment facilities----- 3
Don’t want to waste my vacation-----------4
Interested but didn’t get chance------------5
91
118 Do you feel Forts are our valuable Yes -------------------------------------------------1
heritage? No --------------------------------------------------2
119 Do you think promotion of such forts

Yes -------------------------------------------------1
will be beneficial for coming
No --------------------------------------------------2
generations?
120 Please state the purpose of visiting I am Art & Architecture lover ---------------1
Fort I am history & heritage lover----------------2
I am student--------------------------------------3
I love ttravel--------------------------------------4
I come for adventurous activities-----------5
Local------------------------------------------------6
Volunteer for restoration work--------------7
Any other -----------------------------------------8
Please Specify ______________________
121 Please rate this Fort Poor ------------------------------------------------1

Unsatisfactory ----------------------------------2
Average--------------------------------------------3
Good -----------------------------------------------4
Excellent -------------------------------------------5
122 Would you like visit this Fort again? Yes --------------------------------------------------1
No ---------------------------------------------------2
123* Are you motivated to visit another
Yes --------------------------------------------------1
Fort of Maharashtra after visiting
No ---------------------------------------------------2
Fort?
124* Have you visited Forts of Rajasthan? Yes --------------------------------------------------1
No ---------------------------------------------------2
125 Do you think forts of Maharashtra can Yes --------------------------------------------------1
be developed as Major Tourist No ---------------------------------------------------2
Destination? Can’t say -------------------------------------------3
126 Any relevant suggestion
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
(Note: questions with * mark were subject to change as per the state in which the survey was
conducted)
92
SATISFACTION LEVEL WITH THE TOURIST FACILITIES, SERVICES AND OTHER AMENITIES AT ---- FORT
Kindly circle the appropriate
column
Unsatisfactory
Conectivity Type of Facilities
Any Remark
Excellent
Average
Good
Poor
Facility
Q.NO.
1 2 3 4 5
201 Connectivity of the destination Air / Rail / Road 1 2 3 4 5
202 Condition of Airport / Railway Station / Roads 1 2 3 4 5
203 Quality of service by Airline Operator / Railways / Road Transport
1 2 3 4 5
Operator / way side amenities on this road
204 Public conveniences along roads/streets 1 2 3 4 5
205 Sewage and drainage system 1 2 3 4 5
Administration
206 Garbage disposal 1 2 3 4 5

207 Conditions of city roads 1 2 3 4 5
208 Drinking Water supply 1 2 3 4 5
Civic
209 Conditions of street lighting 1 2 3 4 5

210 Conditions of signage 1 2 3 4 5
211 Traffic signals 1 2 3 4 5
Traffic & Transport
212 Traffic management 1 2 3 4 5

Management
213 Availability of mass transit system/public transport 1 2 3 4 5

214 Availability of metered taxi 1 2 3 4 5
215 Availability of authorized tour operators /tourist coaches 1 2 3 4 5
216 Behavior of staff of the transport operator 1 2 3 4 5
217 Availability of luxury hotels 1 2 3 4 5
Accommodation
& Food Services
218 Availability of budget hotels 1 2 3 4 5

219 Affordability of accommodation facilities 1 2 3 4 5
220 Availability of Restaurants / eateries 1 2 3 4 5
221 Hygiene at wayside restaurants and Dhabas 1 2 3 4 5
222 Behavior of the staff of service providers 1 2 3 4 5
223 General cleanliness and beautification of monument (fort) and 1 2 3 4 5
Maintenance & Management of Fort /
area around it
224 Public utilities at the forts /tourist Attraction 1 2 3 4 5
225 Conditions of signage within the forts / tourist attraction 1 2 3 4 5
226 Parking facility at the forts /tourist attraction 1 2 3 4 5
227 Availability of tourist guidance/reception centers 1 2 3 4 5
228 Availability of trained tourist guides 1 2 3 4 5
Tourist Attraction
229 Behavior of the guides at the forts /tourist attraction 1 2 3 4 5

230 Conservation of heritage sites/ forts 1 2 3 4 5
231 Illumination of forts 1 2 3 4 5
232 Promptness at the ticketing window of the forts /tourist 1 2 3 4 5
attraction
Other 233 Availability of recreation and entertainment facilities 1 2 3 4 5
234 Telephone/mobile services 1 2 3 4 5
Schedule ‘---’ – This denotes data is collected at ---- Fort
93
Plates
Plate 1 : Baradari, Daulatabad Fort
Plate 2 : Moat, Daulatabad Fort Plate 3 : Sheesh Mahal, Mehrangarh Fort
94
Plate 4 : Rampart, Sindhudurg Fort
Plate 5 : Homes within the bastions, Jaisalmer Fort
95
Plate 6 : Royal Darbar, Mehrangarh Fort
Plate 7 : Picture Gallery, Jaisalmer Fort
96
Plate 8 : Sweet Water Tank at Island fort of Murud-Janjira
Plate 9 : Ruins of Different buildings including Royal Darbar within the Murud – Janjira fort
97
Plate 10 : A picturesque view from the rampart of Vijaydurg Fort
Plate 11 : Rampart, Bastions and Moat, Naldurg Fort
98
Plate 12 : Hidden Entrance Gate, Sindhudurg Fort
Plate 13 : A view of magnificent Daulatabad Fort
99
Plate 14 : A view of coastal fort of Vijaydurg and Vijaydurg Beach
Plate 15 : A distant view of Murud-Janjira island fort
100
Plate 16 : The only Temple of Chatrapati Shivaji, Sindhudurg Fort
Plate 17 : Huge gathering of people to celebrate the coronation day of Chatrapati Shivaji at
Raigarh Fort
101
Plate 18 : Third Durg Sahitya Sammelan organized by Gonida Durgpremi Mandal, Pune held
at Vijaydurg fort
Plate 19 : Members of Sahyadri Prtishthan agitating at Azad Maidan, Mumbai for

conservation of forts in Maharahtra
102
Plate 20 : Followers gathered to pay homage to Shivaji Maharaj at his birthplace on Shiv
Jayanti, Shivneri Fort
Plate 21 : Group of Volunteers performing restoration work at Vijaydurg Fort
103
Plate 22 : A discussion by project fellow with Mr. Hemant Raj Singh Chundawat,
Manager (Administration), Mehrangarh Museum Trust Jodhpur
Plate 23 : Ropeway at Raigarh Fort
104
Plate 24 : Tourist Survey at Mehrangarh Fort
Plate 25 : Tourist Survey at Naldurg Fort
105
Plate 26 : Tourist Survey at Vijaydurg Fort
Plate 27 : Tourist Survey at Naldurg Fort
106
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Potential of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra A Comparison With Rajasthan

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Potential of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra A comparison with Rajasthan

Technical Report · July 2014

Rajesh Narayan Ragde Madhuri Sawant

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University Grants Commission, New Delhi

Dr. Rajesh Ragde Dr. Madhuri Sawant

Forts with their distinct defence architecture, unique strategic locations

The third chapter focuses on the conceptual study of heritage tourism

The consecutive chapters provides deeper insight to the subject as fourth

Dr. Rajesh Ragde

Dr. Madhuri Sawant

We owe a deal of gratitude to Dr. Vijay Pandharipande, Honorable Vice

The preparation of our report was invaluably aided by our interactions

We would also like to specially appreciate the inputs given by subject

We specially thank Mr. Daulat Lomte who worked hard as a Project

Dr. Rajesh Ragde

Dr. Madhuri Sawant

1.1 Tourism An Overview 2

1.2 Tourism in India 5

2 About the Research 13-27

3 Forts as Heritage Tourism Product 19-30

3.1 Heritage Tourism 20

3.2 Forts as Heritage Tourism Product 23

4 Potential of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra 31-57

4.1 Case Study of Fort Tourism in Rajasthan 32

4.2 Present Status of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra 42

4.3 Significance of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra 54

5 Survey Revelation 58-78

5.1 Trends in Fort Tourism 59

6 Observations and Recommendations 79-86

6.1 Major Observations 80

3.1 Architectural Features of Fortification 27

1 Baradari, Daulatabad Fort 94

Despite of having huge and distinct inventory for developing Fort

In order to study the factors behind the success of Rajasthan and

2. To study the potential of Forts in Maharashtra to be developed as

3. To study the visitor profile at the major Fort Tourism sites in

4. To make comparative study of Fort Tourism in Maharashtra with

5. To suggest future plan of action to the Government for Fort Tourism

E.2 Major Findings

The survey revealed that, there is negligible number of International

The purpose of tourists visiting forts of Maharashtra varies between

Further, the fort tourism in Maharashtra is highly seasonal; specially

Tourist Satisfaction Level:

Level of satisfaction of tourists visiting forts of Maharashtra and

Role of Public Sector:

In short, the potential of fort tourism in Maharashtra is not utilized to

E.3 Observations and Recommendations

The study highlighted that, though Maharashtra is having huge inventory

In order to develop fort tourism in Maharashtra this study provides

1.1 Tourism An Overview

1.2 Tourism in India

Tourism is becoming one of the largest and fastest-growing economic sectors

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (2010) stated that

Tourism policy of Maharashtra (2006) illustrates the economic importance of

Thus it can be stated that importance of tourism industry has been

1.1.2 World Tourism Scenario

Table 1.1: International Tourist Arrivals

(Source: UNWTO, June 2013) (*- Provisional Data)

(Source: UNWTO, June 2013) (*- Provisional Data)