Maheshwar Fort

This is 'Maheshwar' from your book, Santoor (Chapter 12). It is a conversation. Here it is, told in short.

One pleasant evening, Aarav and Ananya were sitting with their Chachi (their father's brother's wife, a paternal aunt). In the newspaper they saw a picture of a grand fort. Chachi told them it was the majestic Maheshwar Fort, famous for its overhanging balconies, balconies that stick out from the walls and seem to float in the air. The fort is also called Ahilya Fort, after Queen Ahilya Bai, who ruled over Maheshwar, a place in Madhya Pradesh, about 95 kilometres from Indore.

Chachi said the fort stands on a hill on the banks of the Narmada River. From there you can see the town of Maheshwar on one side and the river on the other. The fort is known for its grand staircases, and it is made of special red stones brought from Gujarat and Rajasthan. A 13-feet tall statue of Queen Ahilya Bai stands in front of the palace, like a guardian watching over her land. There are many beautiful temples near the fort.

Chachi also told them that the people of Maheshwar weave the famous Maheshwari sarees, of cotton and silk. Aarav and Ananya were so excited that they wanted to visit, and Chachi said, 'Let's plan a visit soon.'