Barely Bright and Bovine Encounters at Bayana Fort

Somehow, circumstances lead me into situations where I land up in remote places on the verge of sundown. This time, it was at the base of a high cliff atop which sat the Bayana fort, with fortification walls stretching for miles and miles. I learned about Bayana Fort only a few months ago from a book called ‘Forts of Rajasthan’, and had been itching to set foot on it since. It was quarter to five on this mid-November evening when I finally arrived at my destination, having driven for an eternity, having been slowed down by narrow winding roads, interrupted by a political rally, and rocked by an undulating last-mile dirt road.

As I stood at the bottom of the long flight of stony steps, with the last group of people having already descended, I mulled over whether it would be a prudent idea to climb uphill at this hour. Figuring I did have a small window of sunlight, I virtually ran up the tall, sloping steps, stopping mostly to catch my breath at each hairpin bend and sometimes to steer clear of the langurs. In 10 minutes, I was within the fort precincts, passing through multiple arched gates after almost a kilometre-long climb. The panoramic view of the countryside was breathtaking from that height.

On the flat hilltop, flanked by jungle, stood several buildings in various stages of decay and a half-finished minar dedicated to Ibrahim Lodi. To say that I was scared out of my wits, owing to the lack of human presence, would be an understatement. Add to that the fear of wild animals and reptiles that could be lurking just around the corner. Could there also be a supernatural presence? As I waded through the jungle, I saw a figure emanating from behind a bush. I was almost happy, hoping for it to be human, but was startled to come face-to-face with a cow! I jumped aside, but the cow following the first one simply darted off, as if it had seen a ghost! Perhaps, nay, definitely, it was time to turn back now.

With darkness fast approaching, as I was descending down the stairs, I came face-to-face again with a long line of cows and buffaloes, making their way up, who simply refused to budge and let me pass. The stand-off continued for 10 minutes with me perched atop a ledge…till a calf, of all the bovines out there, decided to take the bull by its horns (pun intended) and took a few steps forward; the adults followed. I heaved a sigh of relief as the last one passed me by. With the sun already down, I hiked back, admiring the loftiness of the fort walls and the lushness of the landscape awash in the waning twilight while peacocks went about their evening walks.

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Bayana is associated in the lore of Krishna with Banasur, and the precursor to the Bayana fort itself can be traced to 4th century AD at least, from some inscriptions found on the hill. However, the fortification was reinforced and the fort repaired by king Vijayapal in the 12th century AD who named it Vijaymandir. It subsequently fell to the Sultanate, then passed through the hands of the Lodis, and then the Mughals. The battle between Babur and Rana Sanga at nearby Khanwa proved to be a landmark event in the Mughal conquest of Northern India.

How to reach
While Bayana town itself is reachable from Delhi by public transport or by a 5 hour drive from Delhi, the fort, 8km away from the town, needs private transport to reach. Alternatively, one can also reach Bayana town and the fort from Agra by a 2.5 hour drive.