Panhalgad

Panhala
Type: Hill Fort

Region: Kolhapur

Height: 3100 ft

Base Village: Panhala

Food and Accomodation :

There are many hotels in situated at panhala village. Water is available throughout the year. As regards accommodation, being a hill station Panhala offers many hotels to stay including MTDC Resort.

How to Reach :
One can reach Kolhapur by Bus/Rail, from kolhapur direct buses to Panhala (18 kms) are available.

Best time to visit : Any time during the year

ABOUT:
Panhala fort was built between 1178 and 1209 CE, one of 15 forts (others including Bavda, Bhudargad, Satara, and Vishalgad) built by the Shilahara ruler Bhoja II. A copper plate found in Satara shows that Raja Bhoja held court at Panhala from 1191–1192 CE. About 1209–10, Bhoja Raja was defeated by Singhana (1209–1247), the most powerful of the Devgiri Yadavas, and the fort subsequently passed into the hands of the Yadavas. Apparently it was not well looked after and it passed through several local chiefs. In 1376 inscriptions record the settlement of Nabhapur to the south-east of the fort.

It was an outpost of the Bahamanis of Bidar. Mahmud Gawan, an influential prime minister, encamped here during the rainy season of 1469. On the establishment of the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur in 1489, Panhala came under Bijapur and was fortified extensively. They built the strong ramparts and gateways of the fort which, according to tradition, took a hundred years to build.

In 1659, after the death the Bijapur general Afzal Khan, in the ensuing confusion Shivaji Maharaj took Panhala from Bijapur. In May 1660, to win back the fort from Shivaji Maharaj, Adil Shah II (Ali Adilshah) of Bijapur sent his army under the command of Siddi Jauhar to lay siege to Panhala. Shivaji Maharaj fought back and they could not take the fort. The siege continued for 4 months, at the end of which all provisions in the fort were exhausted and Shivaji Maharaj was on the verge of being captured.

Under these circumstances, Shivaji Maharaj decided that escape was the only option. He gathered a small number of soldiers along with his trusted commander Baji Prabhu Deshpande and, on 13 July 1660, they escaped in the dead of night to flee to Vishalgad. Baji Prabhu and a barber, Shiva Kashid, who looked like Shivaji Maharaj, kept the enemy engaged, giving them an impression that Shiva Kashid was actually Shivaji Maharaj. In the ensuing battle, almost three quarters of the one thousand strong force died, including Baji Prabhu himself. The fort went to Adil Shah. It was not until 1673 that Shivaji Maharaj could occupy it permanently.

Sambhaji, Shivaji Maharaj's son and successor to the throne, fell out of favor with his father. Shivaji Maharaj imprisoned Sambhaji in Panhala fort. He escaped from here along with his wife on 13 December 1678 and attacked Bhupalgad. He returned to Panhala, however, on 4 December 1679 to reconcile with his father just before his father's death on 4 April, 1680. At the height of Shivaji Maharaj's power in 1678, Panhala housed 15,000 horses and 20,000 soldiers.

Places of Interest:

The fort covers a vast area having huge boundary walls of over 7 km in length and a steep slope beneath. Three magnificent double-walled gates protect the entrance of the fort. There is a large amberkhana (granary) inside the fort, which has the capacity of containing 25,000 khandis of grains.Sajja Kothi - where Sambhaji was imprisoned, Ambabaji Temple - where Shivaji used to seek blessings before venturing on expeditions, Pavankhind - where Baji Prabhu laid down his life to cover Shivaji's escape, Someshwar Temple are also worth to visit. This place is an ideal for trekking as well.

Ratangad

Ratangad

Type: Hill Fort

Region: Ahmednagar

Height: 4255 ft

Base Village: Ratanwadi (reachable from Bhandardara)

Food and Accomodation :

One should arrange for his own food. water is available at the wells on top. for stay one can utilize the caves at the top (1 small for 8-10 people and one big cave for 40-50 people).

How to Reach :

Nearest railway station is Igatpuri (on Mumbai Nagpur route). One has to reach Igatpuri by bus/train. Village Shendi/Bhandardara is about 35 km from Igatpuri (1st bus at about 5.15 am).From shendi one has to walk for 3-4 kms to village called Murshet from where one can catch a small non-motorised ferry and reach the other bank. However bit unreliable with no timetable. Depending on the water in the lake, you would be dropped somewhere on the other bank and may have to find way towards Ratanwadi.

From Ratanwadi :
The route to Ratangad is along the stream on the bank of which Ratanwadi is situated. The climb is not so steep, and most of it was under the forest cover under shade. Just before the final climb, there are 2 steel ladders to climb the rocky patch and finally some rock-cut steps when we reach the door of the fort. From here the route left leads to the Rani mahal and the water tanks and the route right leads to the cave. Only place where one can lose way is just before the final climb on rock cut steps, where one way leads to Harishchandragad, while actual ways is to turn right for the climb.

Best time to visit :

October to February

ABOUT:

Ratangad is a fort in Ratan Wadi, Maharashtra, India, overlooking the picturesque locale of Bhandardara, one of the oldest artificial catchment area. The fort is about 2000 years old.

Ratan means jewel in Hindi. This hill fort is indeed jewel in all the hill forts here in Sahyadri. It is located in the district of Ahmednagar and is located about 4255 feet above sea level.It lies in the Ajoba mountain range surrounded by great mountains of Kulang, Alang, Kalsubai, Katarabai, Ajoba and Ghanchakkar. Geographically Ratangad is at the banks of Bhandardara lake of Ahmednagar district. At the base of this fort is ancient Lord Shiva (Amurteshwar) temple. With views of lake and highest mountains in Sahyadris looks very much lost in time.

Ratangad has a natural rock peak with a cavity in it at the top which is called 'Nedhe' or 'Eye of the Needle'; formed by natural erosion, it is big enough to accommodate a group of ten people and the view of the entire region from here is absolutely amazing.

Ratangad was captured by ChhatrapatiShivaji Raje Bhosle and was one of his favorites. The base village Ratanwadi has a beautiful Amruteshwar temple which is famous for its carvings. The fort is origin for the river Pravara / Amrutvahini . The Bhandardara dam(arthar dam) is built on this river.

The main attraction at Ratanwadi, one can take in the beauty of the Amruteshwar temple dating back to the Hemadpant Era Roughly from the 8th Century.

Harishchandragad

Harishchandragad

Type: Hill Fort

Region: Ahmednagar

Height: 4510 ft

Base Village: Khireshwar

Food and Accomodation:

In winter, arrangement for food is available on the fort. However, in summer and monsoon, one should make the arrangement himself. The water is available in the tanks near the caves. Carry ample amount of water from Khireshwar. After Khireshwar there are no water sources in the way till you get to the caves. For stay at the fort Ganesh caves & caves near the temple of Harishchandreshwar can be utilized. For stay in Khireshwar, local school is the best for a night's stay. In this village, we can see the beautiful temple of Nageshwar as well as ancient caves of the Yadav era.

How to Reach :

Harishchandragad lies where the boundaries of Thane, Pune & Ahmednagar districts converge. There are 4 - 5 known ways to this fort, the most usual being the following ones:

1)From Thane District :
One has to board the bus for Nagar from Kalyan & alight at 'Khubi Phata'. From there we reach the village of Khireshwar by bus or private vehicle. This village is at 4km from the foothills of the fort.
Way from Khireshwar:
The way beside the caves, where water tanks are seen, proceeds further to Junnar Darwaaja (Entrance From Junnar). From here, the route goes straight to Tolar Khind. Walking a few minutes from Tolar Khind, we come across a rock-patch on which railings are fixed. After ascending the railings, we come to the plateau region on which less dense forests are seen. From here, we have to cross 7 hills & after a walk of 2-3 hours, we reach the temple of Harishchandreshwar, the temple of Lord Shiva.

Note: On this way, many arrows help in indicating the way.

Way from Belpada:
The third way is specially meant for hikers, which is via Sadhleghat. One should board the bus for Malshej Ghat & go to the village of Belpada. From here, the route goes through Sadhleghat. Here one has to climb a straight rock patch on which grips are provided. The temple is situated at a height of about 1km from Belpada. The total distance is about 19km.

2) From Ahmednagar District :
One has to board the bus for Nasik or Mumbai & alight at Ghoti village. From Ghoti, we have to board another bus to Sangamner via Malegaon & alight at Rajur village. From here, 2 ways diverge to the fort.
1) From Rajur, one has to board the bus or a private vehicle to the village of Pachanai. From here, the way is straight to the topmost point.
2) Recently, the way from Rajur to Tolar Khind has been made available. From Tolar Khind (Tolar valley), the temple is about 2-3 hours by walking.

Best time to visit :

The best season to visit Harishchandragad is September February. One should carry warm clothing's as its really cold at night.

ABOUT:
Harishchandragad Fort is famous for its height, its toughness and the famous 'Konkan Kada'. Harishchandra Temple is known to be the pride of the fort. Sant Changdev stayed here for some time and completed his manuscript - 'Tatwasaar'. The Nandi and Shivling in the temple are breathtaking. A cave nearby is always full of very cold water. Harishchandragad Fort is situated in Junnar region near Malshej Ghat.

The fort is very popular to trekkers and nature lovers as it is one of the best forts to trek. Konkan Kada is a challenge for trekkers as it is at a height of 3,500 feet. Rohidas, Taramati and Harishchandra are the three peaks in Harishchandragad. Taramati peak is the highest one in the fort. Many peaks, fort and other beautiful places such as Malshej Ghat, Jivdhan, Nane Ghat, Ratangad, Kalsubai, etc. can also be seen from here.

Lucky tourists can sometimes see like tigers, cheetah, snakes, swallow and flamingos, etc. Harishchandragad is must to visit to enjoy the beauty of forest, especially for the Konkan Kada. Nearest airport is in Mumbai (154 km), while nearest railway station is Kalyan.

The fort is quite ancient. Remnants of Microlithic man have been discovered here. The various Puranas (ancient scriptures) like Matsyapurana, Agnipurana and Skandapurana include many references about Harishchandragad. Its origin is said to have been in 6th century, during the rule of Kalchuri dynasty. The citadel was built during this era. The various caves probably have been carved out in the 11th century. In these caves are idols of Lord Vishnu. Though the cliffs are named Taramati and Rohidas, they are not related to Ayodhya. Great sage Changdev (one who created the epic "Tatvasaar"), used to meditate here in 14th century. The caves are from the same period. The various constructions on the fort and those existing the surrounding region point to the existence of diverse cultures here. The carvings on the temples of Nageshwar (in Khireshwar village), in the Harishchandreshwar temple and in the cave of Kedareshwar indicate that the fort belongs to the medieval period, since it is related to Shaiva, Shakta or Naath.Later the fort was under the control of Moguls. The Marathas captured it in 1747. The last warrior named Joshi became a martyr in the fight against the English in 1818.

Places of Interest:

Saptatirtha :
To the east of the temple is a well-built lake called "Saptatirtha". On its bank are temple-like constructions in which there are idols of Lord Vishnu. Recently these idols have been shifted in the caves near the temple of Harishchandreshwar. These days many trekkers have been responsible for the sad plight of this beautiful place, as they throw plastic wastes and other things in the pond. 7 years back the water was potable, and now it isn't suitable even to swim.

Kedareshwar :
Going rightwards of Harishchandreshwar temple, we come across a huge cave. This is the cave of Kedareshwar, in which there is a big Shivlinga, which is totally surrounded by water. The total height from its base is five feet, and the water is waist-deep. It is quite difficult to reach the Shivlinga, as the water is ice-cold. There are sculptures carved out here. In monsoon it is not possible to reach this cave, as a huge stream flows across the way.

Konkan Kada (Konkan cliff) :
The most interesting point on this fort is this cliff, which has always fascinated many people from many years. From here, one can have a breathtaking view of the surrounding region & the setting sun. This cliff is not straight, but concave in its topmost approach. This feature renders it distinct. It has been accessed by rock-climbers only twice till now. Members of Pinnacle group recently ascended this cliff, after 12 years it was ascended for first time. A youth from Pune fell in love with this cliff & jumped from here. A monument is built here in his memory. It is said that a rainbow as a circle is seen from here.

Taramati peak :
This is the topmost point on the fort. Leopards are seen in the forests beyond this peak. From here we can have a glimpse of the whole range of Naneghat and the forts near Murbad

Caves on Harishchandragad :
These caves are situated all over the fort. Many of these are situated at the foot of Taramati peak & are the place of accommodation. A few are near the temple, whereas some are near the citadel and some far away in the forests. A natural cave is on the northwestern side of the fort, to the right of Kokan Kada. It is about 30 feet deep. The folks must know many such caves. Many of these may be remaining undiscovered.

Nageshwar temple near Khireshwar :
This is a great antique construction, and diverse artistic works are seen on this. On the ceiling of the temple are beautiful carvings. There are caves near the temple.

Temple of Harishchandreshwar :
This temple is marvelous example of the fine art of carving sculptures out of stones that prevailed in ancient India. It is about 16m high from its base. Around this temple there a few caves & ancient water tanks. Near the temple, the river Mangal Ganga originates. The top of the temple resembles construction with the north-Indian temples. A similar temple is situated in Buddha-Gaya. Here we can see many tombs, in which a typical construction is seen. These are built by arranging stones one over the other. The stones are well finished. There are three caves near the temple. The cisterns near the temple provide drinking water. Here another temple called Kashitirtha is located.

The fascinating thing about this temple is that it has been carved out from a single huge rock. There are entrances from all four sides. On the main entrance there are sculptures of faces. These are faces of guards of the temple. On the left side of the entrance is a Devnagri inscription, which is about saint Changdev.

Arnala

Arnala Fort

Type: Sea Fort

Region: Arnala (Virar)

Height: Sea Level

Base Village: Vasai

Food and Accomodation:

Not necessary as one can see the fort and return by boats withing 2-3 hours. water is available in the wells situated on fort

How to reach :

Arnala is about 10 km from Virar (Thane dist.) station on western railway route. S.T. buses and auto-rickshaws are available to reach there. After reaching the beach from Arnala village you can reach fort by commuter boat only. The boat service is available from 6 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. It takes about 5 to 10 minutes to reach fort through the boat.

Best time to visit :

Any time, except monsoon.

About :

In 1516, a local chieftain in Gujarat, Sultan Mahmud Begda originally constructed the fort on the island, strategically located at the mouth of the Vaitarna river. In the 1530s, the Portuguese had established their operations in the coastal area headquartered at Fort Bassein and soon gained control of the island. The Portuguese captain of Bassein donated the island to a Portuguese nobleman who tore down the old fort and began construction of 700x700 foot fort. Though fort was never completed by the nobleman, it remained under Portuguese control for 2 centuries, who used it to control shipping and navigation along the northern Konkan coast.
During the late 1600s and early 1700s, after a long struggle with the Mughal Empire, the Maratha Confederacy came to dominate present day Maharastra. In 1737 the then Peshwa Baji Rao I sent his brother, Chimaji Appa, to take the Bassein Fort from the Portuguese. After winning the Battle of Vasai, his general, Shankarji Pant, persuaded Chimaji to launch an assault on Fort Arnala, for its strategic importance to the Maratha navy in assaulting Portuguese interests. Their first assault, coordinated with a Maratha naval force commanded by Manaji Agre, was routed by a superior Portuguese naval force. A second assault on the fort on March 28, 1737, caught the Portuguese by surprise and forced them to abandon the fort. The victory was commemorated by a plaque installed on the northern wall of the fort and is still visible today. Marathas then rebuilt the fort, constructing three bastions Bahirav, Bhavani and Bava.

The Marathas controlled the fort until 1817 when, during the third British-Maratha war, despite successfully defending the fort, they were forced to surrender the fort to the British due to their superior naval power. The Arnala and Bassien forts were returned to the Marathas by the British in the treaty of Salabai, but the forts again changed hands under the treaty of Pune. Today the fort is in a state of disrepair

Places of Interest :

The fort is approximately rectangular in shape and is being protected by continuous and strong ramparts having a height of about 10 meters. The bastions are in good condition even today. There are three entrances to the fort out of which the main entrance is on the north side. At both sides of this entrance there are two big bastions. On the arc of this entrance nice carvings can be seen and on both sides an elephant and a tiger are carved. These indicate the strength of the ruler of the fort. On the main entrance a lithograph is seen. From the lines of the lithograph we can understand Bajirao Peshwa reconstructed that fort. Inside a fort there are temples of 'Tryambakeshwar' and 'Bhavani Mata'. In front of 'Tryambakeshwar Mahadev' temple is a nicely built octagonal lake. Inside the fort, wells of drinking water are available. On the way towards main entrance, there is a temple of 'Kalikamata'.

If we see the fort from the beach we see a bastion to the left, which is apart from the fort. There is a small entrance to enter it.

It takes about half an hour to 45 minutes to see the fort completely. We can view the surroundings while walking on the strong rampart of a fort. From the projection above the main entrance we can see the fort completely.

Kulaba Fort, Alibaug

Kolaba Fort, Alibaug

Type:Sea Fort

Region:Alibaug (Konkan)

Height:Sea Level

Base Village:Alibaug

Food & Accomodation:

Advisable to carry ones own food. A day is sufficient as one can see the fort completely and return to base village within 3-4 hours.

How to Reach:

To Reach the fort one has to reach Alibaug. It is approximately 93 kms from Mumbai by road.. the nearest railway station is Pen which is approx. 28 kms from Alibaug. By Taxi, the travel costs Rs 400

Best time to visit :

Any time of the Year. But Advisable to reach the fort during low tide as the fort gets sorrounded by water during high tide which makes it inaccesible to reach.

ABOUT:
Kolaba Fort, an old military fortification in India, is unique in its location and is situated right by the seaside, at about a distance of 1 or 2 kilometres from the shores of Alibaug. Built by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1652, the fort was built to keep a check on the activities of the foreign naval powers of the English, Portuguese and the Siddhi of Janjira.

The Kolaba Fort, on account of its being a military fortification, is an extremely strong and impregnable fort with high ramparts and seventeen bastions. The main gate faces east and sculptures of a tiger, peacock, elephant adorning it, but with the passage of time they are becoming indistinct. Similarly, most of the buildings inside and the main fortification have perished due to lack of sufficient restoration attempts.

A Ganesh temple, built in 1759 by Kanhoji Angre, still survives. A wall surrounds it and a large number of devotees come to pray at the temple on a regular basis. The idol, made out of marble, is definitely worth a look. Another unique structure worth a visit is the isolated fortified structure a little distance north of the main fort, which was named Sarjekot and was consider the eighteenth bastion of Kulaba.

An interesting feature of this sea fort is that it has freshwater wells in its premises even though it is a seaside fort. In the monsoons, the fort can be reached by wading through waist-deep water at low tide, while, at high tide, boats must be used to reach it.

Ajinkyatara

AJINKYATARA

Type:Hill Fort

Region:Satara

Height: 3300 ft

Base Village:Satara

Water availability : Though water tanks are there at fort, water is not available during summer and winter.

Food : One should arrange food for own as there is no food facility on the fort

Accomodation: At Hanuman temple for 10 to 15 people.

How to reach :

As the fort is situated in the city itself, there are many ways to reach the Fort. We can take any bus from Satara station, which goes via 'Adaalat Wada' and alight at Adaalat Wada. Satara to Rajwada bus service is also available. Every 10 minutes a bus plies from Satara to Rajwada. The distance between the Adaalat Wada and Rajwada is of 10 minutes. From Adaalat Wada, a proper way leads us to the main entrance. Good tar road has also been built. All the ways towards the fort take approximately one hour to reach.

Best time to visit :

Any time

ABOUT:

Ajinkyatara was the fourth capital of Marathas, the first one being Rajgad, followed by Raigad and then the fort of Jinji. Shilahar King Bhoj-II constructed it in the year 1190. This fort was captured by Bahamanis and then by Adilshah of Bijapur. In the year 1580, wife of Adilshah-I, Chandbibi was imprisoned here. Bajaji Nimbalkar was also kept at same place. During expansion of Swarajya, Shivaji Maharaj ruled over this fort from 27th July1673. Shivaji Maharaj had stayed on this fort for two months due to ill health. After unfortunate death of Shivaji Maharaj, Aurangjeb invaded Maharashtra in 1682. In 1699 he beleaguered the fort. Prayagji Prabhu was the chief of the fort at that time. On 13th April 1700, the moguls dug trenches and used explosives to blow the bastion named ‘Mangalai’. They succeeded as the ramparts were destroyed and some Marathas were killed. Fortunately Prayagji Prabhu escaped with minor injuries. At that moment there was another explosion and the broken ramparts fell on the moguls. The war progressed and Subhanji took the fort on 21st April 1700. It took four and half months for the Moghals to win the fort. It was renamed as ‘Azamtara’. Tara-Rani’s army again won this fort and named it ‘Ajinkyatara’. Moghals took back the fort again. In 1708 Shahu took the fort by treachery and declared himself as the ruler. In 1719, mother of Maharaj Shahu, ‘Matoshri Yesubai’ was brought here. Later the fort was inherited by Peshwas. After death of Shahu-II, the British captured the fort on 11th February1818.

Places of Interest:

There are two entrances on Satara side of fort. One entrance is in good condition. Both bastions still exist. At the right side of the entrance there is Hanuman temple. This is the best place to stay for. Water is not available on the fort. On the way towards left side we see Mahadev temple. Opposite to it there is office of Prasarbharati and two towers. After moving further, we see a board reading–way towards 'Mangaladevi temple' on the left side. Here we find the palace of 'Tara Rani' and one big storeroom. At the end of this road there is Mangaladevi temple. Opposite to it is the Mangaladevi bastion. Many sculptures are found around the temple. There are two entrances at the North. The way to these entrances is from Satara-Karad road. Near the entrances there are three lakes. After seeing the fort we can come down by same way. From fort we can see plateau of Yavateshwar, forts of Chandan-Vandan, Kalyangad, Jaranda and Sajjangad. It takes one and the half hours to see the fort.