Gawilgarh Fort

Gawilgarh, also spelt Gawilgadh, is a mountain fort on the northern edge of the Deccan Plateau in Amravati district, close to Chikhaldara and the Melghat Tiger Reserve. It is said to have been raised by the Gavlis, a pastoral ruling clan, in the 12th and 13th centuries; it then passed to the Gonds and afterwards to the Mughals, and later served the Marathas. The Archaeological Survey of India protects it as a heritage monument.

Inside the walls are carvings from the time the Nizam's officials ruled from nearby Elichpur: elephants, bulls, tigers and lions, with inscriptions in Hindi, Urdu and Arabic, alongside images of Hanuman and Shiva. Three gateways carry Persian lettering, and two lakes lie within the circuit. Ten cannons cast in iron, copper and brass still remain. The summit gives wide views over the forested hills, and the fort is often combined with Gugamal National Park and Chikhaldara.