Narnala Fort, Hill fortress in Akola district, India

Narnala Fort is an expansive hilltop fortification divided into three main sections: Zafarabad on the east, Narnala in the center, and Teliagarh on the west. The complex includes numerous structures such as mosques, gates, and bastions built during different periods.

The site was first established around the 10th century CE by the Gavli kings, not the Gonds. In 1425–1428 Shahab-ud-din Ahmad Shah I Wali of the Bahmani Sultanate repaired the fort while camped at Achalpur. Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk took control in 1487 and appointed Rao Rana Narnal Singh Solanki as governor; Mughal generals seized it in 1597–98 and renamed it Shanoor.

The fort displays building elements from different periods left by its former inhabitants. Visitors can see a mosque with Islamic patterns and gates decorated with lotus motifs and Arabic inscriptions.

A paved road leads visitors to the entrance, with the nearest transportation hub located in a nearby town. Wear sturdy shoes as the path climbs uphill and the terrain is uneven throughout the site.

The fort stands 3,161 feet above sea level, and its ramparts run for 24 miles with 64 bastions. The Marathi name for the fort's main reservoir, Sakkar Tank, is linked to a local belief: people bitten by dogs bathe in it, offer jaggery and roasted gram at the dargah, then descend without looking back.