Sinhagad is a hill fortress located at around 35 km southwest of the city of Pune, India.Previously known as Kondhana, the fort had been the site of many battles, most notably the Battle of Sinhagad in 1670. Perched on an isolated cliff of the Bhuleswar range in the Sahyadri Mountains, the fort is situated on a hill about 760 metres above ground and 1,312 metres above mean sea level.
The Sinhagad (Lion's Fort) was strategically built to provide natural protection due to its very steep slopes. The walls and bastions were constructed only at key places. There are two gates to enter the fort, the Kalyan Darwaza and Pune Darwaza which are positioned at the south east and north-east ends respectively.[1] The fort was also strategically located at the centre of a string of other Maratha Empire forts such as Rajgad Fort, Purandar Fort and Torna Fort.
HOW TO REACH :
1.BY AIR
Pune is the nearest Airport to Sinhagad. From the airport cabs are available for hire.
2.BY RAIL:
Sinhagad can be reached through trains plying till Pune Railway Station. One has to book a cab or take local transport bus to reach the fort from here.
3.BY ROAD :
Hardly an hour journey or two, the road from Pune to Sinhagad is the easiest path taken to reach the fort. One can avail the bus services plying from the Pune Bus Stand or even the deluxe buses operated by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation. One is even free to avail the local transport system plying from the major cities like Mumbai, Pune, or Nagpur.
Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) runs a bus service (bus number 50) from Shaniwarwada to the Sinhagad foothills (Sinhagad Payatha). The climbing route from either side of the fort can be covered in an hour. Shared taxi services to the base as well as the top of the mountain are also available.
Battle of Sinhagad :
One of the most famous battles on Sinhgad was fought by Tanaji Malusare, general of Chhatrapati Shivaji of the Maratha Empire in order to recapture the fort on March 1670
A steep cliff leading to the fort was scaled in the dead of the night with the help of a tamed monitor lizard named "Yashwanti", colloquially known as a Ghorpad. Thereafter, A fierce battle ensued between Tanaji and his men versus the Mughal army headed by Udaybhan Singh Rathod, a Rajput sardar who had control of the fort. Tanaji Malusare lost his life, but his brother Suryaji took over and captured the Kondana fort, now known as Sinhagad.
There is an anecdote that upon hearing of Tanaji's death, Chhatrapati Shivaji expressed his remorse with the words, "Gad aala, pan Sinha gela" - "The Fort is conquered, but the Lion was lost".
According to some, the name Sinhagad predates this event. A bust of Tanaji Malusare was established on the fort in the memory of his contribution to the battle.
Culture and Tourism :
1. The Sinhagad Fort is a popular weekend destination for many residents of Pune, including trekking enthusiasts with access to the top of the fort from the base of the Sinhgad village. The trek involves a one-way walk of 2.7 km (1.6 miles) over which the walker gains about 600 m (1950 feet) in elevation.
2. Parts of the once extensive fortification are in ruins. The fort houses a memorial to Tanaji as well as the tomb of Rajaram Chhatrapati. Visitors can see the military stables, a brewery and a temple of the goddess Kali (goddess) along with a Hanuman statue to the right side of the temple, as well as the historic gates. The original commemorative memorial of Tanaji Malusare has been unearthed by the restoration workers at Sinhagad Fort in Feb 2019. The stone structure was found buried under cement, concrete, and layers of oil paint and is believed to be around 350 years old.
3. Shinhagad Fort has played a vital role in India's freedom struggle. Bal Gandagdhar Tilak also known as 'The Father of Indian Unrest', used the fort as a summer retreat. It is here where Mahatma Gandhi after his return from South Africa had a historic meeting with Tilak. The bungalow has his bust at the entrance.
4. Training exercises are carried out at the fort by cadets from the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla. Cadets from the academy are regularly sent on hikes and runs from NDA to Sinhagad in full battle gear.
SOURCE : WIKIPEDIA
For More Updates Follow me on
Twitter :
mo...
Instagram :
...
Facebook :
/ viveksmore
coordinates credit: google earth
music credit:
"Makai Symphony - Dragon Castle" is under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: • 🔥 Epic Battle Music (N...
#killesaarthi #sinhgad_fort #kondhana #maharashtratil_gadkille #forts_in_maharashtra #kille #shivaji_maharaj_jayanti #jijamata_jayanti #sambhaji_maharaj_jayanti #trekkers #trekking_diaries #fortoba
14 окт 2024
