Shihgad Fort (kondhana ) information in English

 Shihgad Fort (kondhana ) information in English 

Sinhagad aka Kondhana Fort 

Fort Kondhana is an important hill fort in Swarajya. Rajmata Jijabai can make a correct observation about it. She is as follows 

“ It is not good for the Mughals to have a strong fort like Shivaba Kondhana. Take it to Swarajya.”

• Location : 

This hill fort is located 25 km southwest of Pune in the Pune district of Maharashtra state. This hill fort is located in the Sahyadri mountain range extending to the east of Bhuleshwar. 

• Height : 

The average height of Sinhagad Fort is 1312 meters / 4304 feet. 

• The average height from the base is 750 meters. 

• Routes to reach Sinhagad : 

• From Pune – Vadgaon- Khadakwasla, one can reach the base of Sinhagad. 

• One can reach Sinhagad by car via Katraj Ghat via Shivapur. There is parking facility at the fort. 

• Places to see at Sinhagad Fort: 

• Pune Gate: 

After arriving at Sinhagad by car, walk forward from the parking lot and you will come to Pune Gate. Today, this gate is a well-maintained structure. 

• From there, if you go up the steps, you will come to another gate. And then another one, and so on. This is a series of three gates.

Ammunition warehouse: 

On the right side of the third door, there is an ammunition building. The liquor required for the cannon was kept here. 

• In the year 1751 AD, lightning struck this place. This not only damaged this warehouse, but also the house of Fadnavis who lived there was struck by lightning. And his entire family died in it. 

• Horse stable Sinhagad: 

After going further from the ammunition warehouse, there is a horse stable built in the forest. Its structure is like a cave. During that time, horses were kept here. And their fodder was given here. 

• Tilak Bungalow: 

After going further from there, there is Tilak Bungalow. Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak bought it from Ramlal Nandlal Naik. He used to come here regularly for rest. In the year 1915, Mahatma Gandhi and Lokmanya Tilak met here. 

• Kondhaneshwar Temple: 

This is a Shiva temple and a pind and Nandi can be seen here. Kondhaneshwar is the family deity of the Yadavas. 

• Shri Amruteshwar Temple: 

After going ahead from Kondhaneshwar Temple, Amruteshwar Temple is on the left. In this temple, idols of the gods Bhairav and Bhairavi can be seen. Bhairav holds the head of a demon. This place was originally inhabited by the Koli people. This is their family deity.

• Narveer Tanaji Malusare Samadhi and Memorial: 

While on a campaign to conquer Kondhana, Narveer Tanaji Malusare died a heroic death during the war. After climbing up from the back of the Amruteshwar temple, you will come across the Tanaji Malusare Memorial. Sculptures of the fighting Mavalas have been erected here and there. A beautiful garden has been created around it. In the middle of this memorial, a magnificent statue of Narveer Tanaji Malusare can be seen. His Samadhi can also be seen here. 

• Devtake: 

After moving forward from the Samadhi of Narveer Subhedar Tanaji Malusare, a small lake can be seen on the left. Some distance ahead from there, there is a drinking water tank. It is Devtake. Whenever Mahatma Gandhi came to Pune, he used to ask for water from this tank. 

• Rajaram Memorial: 

The Samadhi of Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj, the third ruler of Swarajya, can also be seen here. The construction of this Samadhi is in the Rajasthani style. After the death of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje, the responsibility of the entire Swarajya fell on Rajaram Maharaj. He fought against the Mughals for 11 consecutive years and kept the flame of Swarajya burning. He died at the age of 30, i.e. on 3 March 1700, at Sinhagad. 

• Dongiri aka Tanaji's Edge: 

Behind the Jhunjar Buruja, on the bank, there is a high western edge. It is called Dongiri or Paschimkada. Narveer Tanaji Malusare and Mavala climbed this edge and captured the fort.

• Kalyan Darwaza: 

There is a high gate on the west side of the fort. We can see two gates, one on each side. At the foot of this gate is Kalyan village. After climbing up from this village, these gates are one after the other, hence the gate is called Kalyan Darwaza. This is a difficult to climb staircase gate. A strong tower is built on its side. Elephant sculptures can be seen here. Also, the battlements on the gate have been built in a very planned manner to attract the enemy on this path. After Tanaji Malusare and the Mavlas climbed the ridge, they opened this Kalyan Darwaza on the west and together with the Mavlas and Suryaji Malusare outside, they defeated the enemy. And this fort entered Swarajya. 

• Udebhan Memorial: 

There is a square stone on the hill at Sinhagad. It is the Udebhan Memorial. 

• Jhunjar Buruj: 

After going further from the water tank, there is a tower. It is the Jhunjar Buruj. This is considered the last point of Sinhagad. From this place, one can see the forts Torna and Rajgad. In the east, one can see the Purandar fort. Also, the reservoir of Panshet Dam can be seen.

• Brief historical events about Sinhagad: 

• The name Kondhana for this fort is derived from the name of the sage Kondinya. In ancient times, there was an ashram of the Kondinya sages here. 

• Also, the Dravidian Mahadev Koli people lived here since ancient times. They introduced this place to the fort. 

• In the year 1328 AD, Muhammad bin Tughlaq captured this fort from the Koli king Nag Naik. To protect his power from the Mongol invaders, he shifted the capital to Devgiri. Then, with the aim of expanding south, he conquered this fort. But he had to face bitter resistance. The fort was given away because the supplies fort was exhausted. 

• When Muhammad Tughlaq went to Delhi, the Mahadev Koli people attacked again and conquered this fort again. 

• Until the Nizamshahi, this fort was owned by the chieftain of the Mahadev Koli community. 

• After the Nizamshahi, this fort went to Adilshahi. 

• During the Adilshahi period, Dadoji Konddev worked as the Subhedar of this fort. 

• After that, this fort was included in Swarajya by Shivaji. And in 1647, a center was set up here for army recruitment. Dadoji Konddev used to look after its administration. 

• In 1649, this fort was given to Adilshah for the release of Shahaji Raja. 

• After that, this fort was taken back to Swarajya. 

• During the Purandar Treaty, this fort was given back to the Mughals. Then the Mughal chieftain Udebhan, the Rajput fort master, was appointed. 

• It was decided to take this fort back to Swarajya. Then Narveer Tanaji Malusare and Shelar Mama and Suryaji Malusare and the Mavalas of their group decided to capture this fort and conquer it.

On 4th February 1670 AD, Tanaji Malusare along with his 300 Mavalas climbed the western Dronagiri ridge by climbing the kapari and ropes and a fierce hand-to-hand battle took place. Tanaji's shield broke while fighting with Udebhan Rajput. Tanaji fell while fighting with Udebhan, wrapping his headscarf around his hand and taking the blow. By then, Kalyan door had opened. Suryaji came in with 500 Mavalas. Instead of mourning the death of his brother, he rushed in with great force and scattered the Mughal army. And by burning the haystack, he informed that the fort had been conquered. When Chhatrapati Shivaji came to know that the brave Tanaji Malusare had fallen, he was very sad. Then the king said, "The fort has come but the lion has gone" and from then on this fort was named Sinhagad. 

• Brief historical events about Sinhagad: 

• After that, this fort was sometimes under the control of the Mughals and sometimes the Marathas. 

• The specialty of this fort is that from this fort, one can keep an eye on the forts Torna, Purandar, Vajragad, Rajgad and the surrounding region. A huge land remains under surveillance. 

‘James Douglas, a Western observer, calls this fort the lion's den.’

This is 

Shihgad Fort (kondhana ) information in English