Chavand Fort information in English

 Chavand Fort information in English 

Location: 

Chawand Fort is located in the source region of the Kukdi River in Junnar taluka in the north of Pune district of Maharashtra. 

• Chawand Fort is also known as Prasannagad, Chawands, Chawund Chaund Chamundgad.

• Height: 

Chawand Fort is located at an average altitude of 3400 feet above sea level and 1155 feet above the base. This fort is located near Naneghat in the Sahyadri Mountains. 

• Naneghat is an old trade route and Shivneri, Jivdhan, Hadsar and Chawand forts were built in this area to monitor and protect that route. 

• Travel route to Chawand Fort: 

• To visit Chawand Fort, you will first have to go to the city of Junnar, which is located in the vicinity of this fort. 

• Chawand Fort is located 100 kilometers from Pune. 

• Chawand Fort is located 170 kilometers from Mumbai. 

• Chavand Fort is located 16 kilometers from Junnar city.

To visit Chavand Fort, you first have to go to Junnar, from there you have to take a bus or other vehicle to Chavandwadi. From there, Chavand Fort is nearby. 

• Mumbai – Junnar – Chavandwadi From there, you can go to Chavand Fort. 

• Pune – Junnar – Chavandwadi From there, you can go to see Chavand Fort. 

• Places to visit at Chavand Fort: 

• From Junnar, when you approach Chavandwadi by road, you will come to the footpath at the foot of the fort on a small dirt road. 

• Information board and scaffolding: 

When you reach the footpath of the fort, you will see boards giving information about the fort. Also, a scaffolding erected for observation can be seen nearby. 

• Footpath: 

When you reach the fort, you will take a footpath. You can reach the fort through this path. 

• Tough Katyal Path: 

When we approach the Katyal Path of the fort through the built path, this path is broken in places. These steps are dug in the steep Katyal while building the fort. This fort is located entirely on a naturally formed igneous rock called basalt. The entire plateau of the southern state of Maharashtra is made of this rock. The region of the Sahyadri mountains falls under this. At that time, it was created using a chisel hammer. These steps are also. To make this path easier, iron pipe rods have been installed. Due to this, it helps in climbing the fort. When the British attacked, this path was destroyed by firing cannons.

Cannon buried in the footpath: 

When we start going towards the fort through the footpath. Then we see a cannon buried on one of the steps. If we observe it, it seems to be of the Jamburka style. 

After climbing the footpath and coming up, when we start approaching the Ganesh Darwaza. At that time, we come across a large footpath. From that, the reality of the broken steps below the fort is visible. Or, the steps may have been designed in small and large sizes to make it difficult for the enemy to climb the fort. 

• Ganesh Darwaza/Mahadarwaja: 

We approach the Ganesh Darwaza by approaching the footpath. A sculpture of the deity Ganesh is carved on this door. A closed arch is visible on the top and a frame is visible below. The plate on the frame is broken. Iron pipe rods have been installed to prevent it from collapsing. This door has a bastion on one side and a wall with a slatted wall on the other. It can be seen that it is a protective structure created by nature. There are shrines for the guards on the inside of the door 

• Path: 

When you enter through the Ganesh Gate, there are two paths after going forward. One of these paths leads to the ruined ruins. 

The other is a dug path. Which leads to the upper part of the fort. 

• The said ruins: 

The fort of Chavand is ancient. At this place, you can see the construction of a Jotya on the upper part of the fort. Looking at the standing pillars and the stone bench, it seems that this place is a royal palace.

Water Tank:

 You can see many water tanks dug on the fort. On the one hand, strong walls and towers were built by removing stones to build the fort's walls and towers. On the other hand, these water tanks were created for the dual purpose of storing water. A few walls and two water tanks are dug on the southwest side of the fort. 

A footpath can be seen to reach the seven water tanks. A beautiful arch is also seen. 

Shiv Mahadev Temple: 

Near Pushkarni, we can see the remains of an ancient temple. It seems that it has deteriorated due to a lot of neglect in the present day. But if you look at the pillars with tasiv and ghadiv carvings in black stone and other mahiraps and chautharas, you can get an idea of its grandeur. You can see a beautiful Shivpindi inside. Looking at the structure of the temple, it is realized that the assembly hall, the pradakshina ferry route must also have existed. 

• Broken Nandi: On the side of the lake, you can see the remains of a broken Nandi. From its brokenness, you can imagine the attack and destruction that was done on it. 

Also, broken idols of deities are found in some places on the fort. 

• Water tanks: 

You can see many water tanks on the fort. At one place, seven water tanks can be seen dug. Which are known as Sapta Matruka tanks. The Shakta sect, that is, goddess worshipers, must have lived on this fort in ancient times. Since they were goddess worshippers, they must have built the Sapta Matruka tanks. This tank can be seen in the northwest part of the fort. 

In the medieval period, the Shakta sect emerged to protect the Hindu people. We can look at the Chavand Fort as a place of worship of this sect. 

• Water tank: 

We can see many water tanks dug on the fort. On the one hand, strong walls and towers were built by removing stones to build the walls and towers of the fort. On the other hand, these water tanks were built for the dual purpose of storing water. On the southwest side of the fort, a few walls and two water tanks are seen dug. 

A footpath can be seen to reach the Sapta Pani tanks. Also, a beautiful arch is seen to be built.

• Chamunda Devi Temple: 

There is a temple of Goddess Chamunda on the fort's bastion. There are plaques and directional signs on the way to reach there. It is located in the upper part of the fort. After the old temple was destroyed, a small temple was built at that place. There is a small dome-shaped spire on the Chirebandi temple. There is an idol of Goddess Chamunde inside the temple. Many small idols can be seen in front of the temple. There is also a lamp. Since the Shakta Panthi community is a worshiper of the goddess, you can see the temple of Goddess Chamunda here. The name of this goddess was corrupted and later this fort was named Chavand. 

• Caves: 

On the northeast side of the fort, we can see caves dug and prepared. Which must have been dug especially during the Satavahana period. These spacious caves can still be used for accommodation today. These caves are made using chisel hammers. The fortification of the fort is seen ending in this area. 

The caves located on the Chavand fort were built during the Satavahana period and by the Shakta sects for their accommodation. To reach these caves, one has to take a narrow path along the wall. As one goes further, these caves are in a cave structure one after the other. There was a sitting arrangement inside these caves. It is evident from the structure of the cave room here

Underground: 

Near the cave, you can see an underground passage. This passage is now closed for safety. 

Historical information about Chavand Fort: 

• Human settlement has been found in the area of this fort since ancient times. 

• Caves were dug in this place during the Satavahana dynasty. Later, the Sapta Matrika lake was dug in this place by the monks and sadhus who worshipped the Shakta sect goddess. And the goddess Chamunda i.e. Chavandadevi was established and worshipped. 

• During this period, Shivneri, Hadsar, Jivdhan and Chavand forts must have been built during the Satavahana dynasty to keep an eye on the Naneghat state road. It is believed that. 

• Later, the Yadav, Shilahar, and Shaka kings must have ruled this area.

It is believed that the Bahmani dynasty ruled this area during the thirteenth to fourteenth centuries AD. 

• During this period, the Mahadev Koli chieftains of this area had power over the forts in this region. 

• In 1485 AD, Malik Ahmed, who established the Nizamshahi in Ahmednagar, captured the Pune province and appointed his fortmaster there. 

• During the reign of Murtija Nizamshah, from 1565 to 88 AD, his vizier rebelled and imprisoned him in the Chavand fort. He was released through the mediation of Genghis Khan. After that, the second vizier, Asad Khan, was also imprisoned. 

• In 1594 AD, the son of Ibrahim Nizamshah and Chandbibi, who was one year old, was imprisoned here. But the vizier Mia Manju rescued him. 

• While Nizam Shah Shahzada Bahadur was at Chawand Fort, Wazir Ikhlas Khan rebelled. He ordered the Subedar of Chawand Fort to hand over Bahadur Shah to him. But the clever Subedar said that he would not hand over Bahadur Shah without a written order from Miah Manju. Then Ikhlas Khan created a puppet Bahadur Shah and tried to put pressure on Miah Manju. Then Miah Manju asked for help from Akbar's son Murad. Then Murad, instead of helping directly, came to take over Ahmednagar. Miah Manju regretted that she had invited trouble from outside.

In the year 1636, the Nizamshahi was attacked by Adil Shah and the Mughals. After being defeated in the war, the Nizamshahi made a peace treaty. Shahaji Raje gave the Chavand fort to the Mughals. 

• During the year 1672-73, Chhatrapati Shivaji captured Chavandgad, Harishchandragad, Mahishgad, and Adsargad. And renamed these forts that came under Swarajya. In this, the name of Chavand fort was changed to Prasannagad. 

• In the year 1694, Aurangzeb, when he came to the south, conquered Chavand fort and appointed Surat Singh Gaud as the fort master. This fort was again conquered by the Marathas, after which Ghaziuddin Bahadur conquered the fort again in 1665 on behalf of the Mughals. Thus, this fort repeatedly moved between the Maratha and Mughal states. 

• On 10 August 1749, the Chavand fort was given by the Mughals to Havaldar Santaji Mohite in a charter from the Mughals. 

• Later, this fort came under the Peshwa rule. During the Peshwa rule, this fort was used to keep prisoners. Nana Fadnavis had imprisoned the second Peshwa, Bajirao, for some time and kept him in this fort.

After the defeat of the Marathas in the Anglo-Maratha War in 1818, the entire power came under the control of the British Raj. At that time, the British officer Major Eldridge attacked the Chavand Fort on May 2. This time, he captured the fort by firing cannons at it. He destroyed the steps of the fort with cannon fire. He also destroyed the buildings on the fort. 

• Later, this fort was under the British rule. 

• After India became independent in 1947, this fort came under the control of the independent Indian government. 

• This is the historical information of Chavand Fort English .