The hill towered over the surrounding gentle plains. Its steep, barren slopes and uneven, rocky terrain stood out against the horizon. The car carrying Amma, Shiv and Veer made its way up along a winding road full of hairpin bends and steep inclines. As the vehicle climbed higher, rocky cliffs and massive boulders came into sight, with clusters of hardy trees dotting the landscape. Below them, the countryside stretched far and wide, a patchwork of small villages, farmlands and fields.

The road leading up to the fort atop the hill offered tantalising glimpses of the impressive fortifications that loomed ever larger with each turn. The scale of the grandeur that lay ahead became more and more evident with every bend.

Suddenly, the view opened, revealing the formidable walls and towers that encircled the fort. The fort’s sandstone outer wall stood several metres tall even after so many centuries. Its original purpose of defending the fort and its inhabitants from unwelcome guests was obvious.

The wall stretched for kilometres, following the perimeter of the plateau on which the fort stood. It merged into every incline and projection of the hill, making it nearly impossible to distinguish where the natural rock ended, and the man-made fortifications began.