The beauty of Sahyadri is hard to describe in words. And the forts of Sahyadri are built on its top are like its Crown.
I always keep finding opportunities to explore these treasures of Maharashtra. However despite of living in the Pune city an historically important fort was unexplored for me, it is- The Purandar Fort
One of my uncles asked me whether I would be interested in trek to Purandar, I instantly said yes without thinking for a second :-)
The huge hill rock of Sahyadri on which this fort stands out is called as ‘Indraneel Parvat’ .And saga about this hill is, while Lord Hanuman carried the hill containing Sanjeevani from Himalaya, a small part of it fell down and it is called as Indraneel Parvat.Later a fort was constructed on this gigantic hill rock.
Even though this fort resides on hill range of Sahyadri, it is not part of the main Sahyadri range which runs from North to South parallel to the west sea shore.
This fort resides on a hill range which has been bifurcated towards east from the main Sahyadri Range.
So after collecting the necessary information about the history of fort we decided to explore this mighty fort of Purandar.
On one fine morning of Saturday we started at 6 am from home and managed to reach at the base village by8.30am.The fresh Wad-pav and warm Jalebis were waiting for us. Without wasting time we filled our bellies and started towards the fort base.
By that time it was 9.30am.Till the time we reach base, nobody can make out that there is a huge fort built over this huge hill. The fort walls and bastions are constructed in such manner that it is very difficult to make out the actual fort location.
As we started climbing the fort, and fort walls and bastions started looking visible. By 10 am Sun started showing its influence. Within 45mins we reached the fort.(which is only a half of climb). A beautifully structured door welcomed us, it was Bini Darwaja. Still after so many years it is in a good condition and is still witnessing those glorious days of Maratha Empire.
We sat down for while at the door and had water and glucose drink. Clicked few snaps and tried to locate out vehicle parked at the base village. It was appearing like an ant! :-)
One can see small rooms created in the door for army people to rest, those are called as ‘Paharekarancha Devadya’ in Marathi.
After relaxing for a while we started walking ahead. Just immediately after crossing Bini Darwaja there are remains of a Church constructed by British people. This Church is huge and is still in a quite good condition. It can easily accommodate around 25 to 30 people.
We tried to imagine those days of British era and continued walking ahead. From here two ways goes towards the main darwaja. One is a coarse road which goes straight till the Padamavati Lake and Shivaji Statue and a second short cut road on immediately right side goes up towards Main doorway. This second road is bit difficult as it involves steep climb and rock patches.
We took second road and reached the stair case way going towards the Main door. This door is main door to the citadel i.e. balekilla and facing north. It is named as Dilli Darwaja. This door is also in good condition.
Here also we can see ‘Pahekaranchya Devadya’ constructed. After crossing the Dilli Darwaja we immediately took right and another door welcomed us. This is Kedar darwaja.
After crossing Kedar Darwaja we get to see few remains of castles.
There is also one water cistern which had refreshing cool water, even though not potable water, we halted there for while.
From this water cistern as we moved ahead, on right hand side we get to see remains of Rajgadi. This is an elevated place of Citadel which used to host the main castle of fort.Sambhaji Maharaja was born at this place on Purandar. Way to this place is in devastated condition.
As it was very hot and we were about to finish our stock of water, we decided not to climb the Rajgadi, and directly go to Kedareshwar temple, have food and rest for a while.
We kept walking straight towards the Kedareshwar temple. We saw some villagers, they were returning from Kedareshwar temple.
There are very beautifully constructed staircases to reach the temple. This temple is the highest point of elevation of the fort, and would have been difficult to climb if stair cases would not have been made here.
The Shiv Linga of the temple is said to be existing from time of Shivaji Maharaj.
The temple had very calm environment with a Nandi and two Deep Mala present on its front side.
It is believed that Peshwe innovated this temple, that’s why it in a good condition till date.
From this point we can view Narayanpur village and a ghat stretch going towards Ketkawale village.
One can see Sinhagad on its right front, Torana and Rajgad on left front from this point.
We had lunch in the shade of temple and rested for a while. Here we met one group of trekkers, they were having their lunch. Those guys had planned to go to Torana after getting down from Purandar.That group was of good hearted people, as they shared some of their water stock with us :-).
After having lunch we decided to get down and while returing we decided to visit the remaining places on the fort, Padamavati lake, Shivaji Mararaj Statue and Murarbaji Statue and Purandareshwar temple.
The water of Padamavati Lake was refreshing. This lake reconstructed by Govt.
While returning we saw many bungalows of British era, all are in devastated condition now and looks like haunted housesJ. But staying in those bungalows on the fort in Monsoon season must be an experience comparable to staying on a hill station.
All the bungalows looked lavishly constructed and must be looking beautiful at British time.
While moving back towards the Statue of Great Murarbaji Deshpande, we get to see Purandareshwar Temple on left hand side. This temple was constructed by Peshwe and is in a good condition. This temple is also worth visiting.
Just outside of the temple in one of the Bungalows’ constructed by British, there is a hotel set up by some local people. We had refreshing Linmbu-Sharabt there, and also got our water bottles filled.
After having refreshment we visited Maurarbaji Despande’s statue. It is located at great location on the fort with Dilli Darwaja at its background. We get feel like this hero of history is still fighting bravely with weapons holding in his both hands.
We bowed our heads towards the brave officer of Shivaji Maharaj and started descending through Bini darwaja towards Narayanpur village.
By this time clock was showing 2pm and Sun was active like anything. While returning we did little adventure as we missed the way by which came up. Then we searched for an optional way to get down and managed to trek down to Narayanpur.
After sitting down for a while at Narayanpur, I was looking up at the fort and felt like we have visited a grand fort which has witnessed many ups and downs in its life time. It has celebrated birth of Sambajhi Maharaj and Madavrao Peshwa. It has witnessed Murarbaji and Baji Pasalkar giving up their lives for Maratha Kingdom. It was an important fort in the kingdom of Shivaji Maharaj.
I felt very much contended after traversing in the history of this fort. We started our journey towards Pune and reached city by 6pm.
I always keep finding opportunities to explore these treasures of Maharashtra. However despite of living in the Pune city an historically important fort was unexplored for me, it is- The Purandar Fort
One of my uncles asked me whether I would be interested in trek to Purandar, I instantly said yes without thinking for a second :-)
The huge hill rock of Sahyadri on which this fort stands out is called as ‘Indraneel Parvat’ .And saga about this hill is, while Lord Hanuman carried the hill containing Sanjeevani from Himalaya, a small part of it fell down and it is called as Indraneel Parvat.Later a fort was constructed on this gigantic hill rock.
Even though this fort resides on hill range of Sahyadri, it is not part of the main Sahyadri range which runs from North to South parallel to the west sea shore.
This fort resides on a hill range which has been bifurcated towards east from the main Sahyadri Range.
So after collecting the necessary information about the history of fort we decided to explore this mighty fort of Purandar.
On one fine morning of Saturday we started at 6 am from home and managed to reach at the base village by8.30am.The fresh Wad-pav and warm Jalebis were waiting for us. Without wasting time we filled our bellies and started towards the fort base.
By that time it was 9.30am.Till the time we reach base, nobody can make out that there is a huge fort built over this huge hill. The fort walls and bastions are constructed in such manner that it is very difficult to make out the actual fort location.
As we started climbing the fort, and fort walls and bastions started looking visible. By 10 am Sun started showing its influence. Within 45mins we reached the fort.(which is only a half of climb). A beautifully structured door welcomed us, it was Bini Darwaja. Still after so many years it is in a good condition and is still witnessing those glorious days of Maratha Empire.
We sat down for while at the door and had water and glucose drink. Clicked few snaps and tried to locate out vehicle parked at the base village. It was appearing like an ant! :-)
One can see small rooms created in the door for army people to rest, those are called as ‘Paharekarancha Devadya’ in Marathi.
After relaxing for a while we started walking ahead. Just immediately after crossing Bini Darwaja there are remains of a Church constructed by British people. This Church is huge and is still in a quite good condition. It can easily accommodate around 25 to 30 people.
We tried to imagine those days of British era and continued walking ahead. From here two ways goes towards the main darwaja. One is a coarse road which goes straight till the Padamavati Lake and Shivaji Statue and a second short cut road on immediately right side goes up towards Main doorway. This second road is bit difficult as it involves steep climb and rock patches.
We took second road and reached the stair case way going towards the Main door. This door is main door to the citadel i.e. balekilla and facing north. It is named as Dilli Darwaja. This door is also in good condition.
Here also we can see ‘Pahekaranchya Devadya’ constructed. After crossing the Dilli Darwaja we immediately took right and another door welcomed us. This is Kedar darwaja.
After crossing Kedar Darwaja we get to see few remains of castles.
There is also one water cistern which had refreshing cool water, even though not potable water, we halted there for while.
From this water cistern as we moved ahead, on right hand side we get to see remains of Rajgadi. This is an elevated place of Citadel which used to host the main castle of fort.Sambhaji Maharaja was born at this place on Purandar. Way to this place is in devastated condition.
As it was very hot and we were about to finish our stock of water, we decided not to climb the Rajgadi, and directly go to Kedareshwar temple, have food and rest for a while.
We kept walking straight towards the Kedareshwar temple. We saw some villagers, they were returning from Kedareshwar temple.
There are very beautifully constructed staircases to reach the temple. This temple is the highest point of elevation of the fort, and would have been difficult to climb if stair cases would not have been made here.
The Shiv Linga of the temple is said to be existing from time of Shivaji Maharaj.
The temple had very calm environment with a Nandi and two Deep Mala present on its front side.
It is believed that Peshwe innovated this temple, that’s why it in a good condition till date.
From this point we can view Narayanpur village and a ghat stretch going towards Ketkawale village.
One can see Sinhagad on its right front, Torana and Rajgad on left front from this point.
We had lunch in the shade of temple and rested for a while. Here we met one group of trekkers, they were having their lunch. Those guys had planned to go to Torana after getting down from Purandar.That group was of good hearted people, as they shared some of their water stock with us :-).
After having lunch we decided to get down and while returing we decided to visit the remaining places on the fort, Padamavati lake, Shivaji Mararaj Statue and Murarbaji Statue and Purandareshwar temple.
The water of Padamavati Lake was refreshing. This lake reconstructed by Govt.
While returning we saw many bungalows of British era, all are in devastated condition now and looks like haunted housesJ. But staying in those bungalows on the fort in Monsoon season must be an experience comparable to staying on a hill station.
All the bungalows looked lavishly constructed and must be looking beautiful at British time.
While moving back towards the Statue of Great Murarbaji Deshpande, we get to see Purandareshwar Temple on left hand side. This temple was constructed by Peshwe and is in a good condition. This temple is also worth visiting.
Just outside of the temple in one of the Bungalows’ constructed by British, there is a hotel set up by some local people. We had refreshing Linmbu-Sharabt there, and also got our water bottles filled.
After having refreshment we visited Maurarbaji Despande’s statue. It is located at great location on the fort with Dilli Darwaja at its background. We get feel like this hero of history is still fighting bravely with weapons holding in his both hands.
We bowed our heads towards the brave officer of Shivaji Maharaj and started descending through Bini darwaja towards Narayanpur village.
By this time clock was showing 2pm and Sun was active like anything. While returning we did little adventure as we missed the way by which came up. Then we searched for an optional way to get down and managed to trek down to Narayanpur.
After sitting down for a while at Narayanpur, I was looking up at the fort and felt like we have visited a grand fort which has witnessed many ups and downs in its life time. It has celebrated birth of Sambajhi Maharaj and Madavrao Peshwa. It has witnessed Murarbaji and Baji Pasalkar giving up their lives for Maratha Kingdom. It was an important fort in the kingdom of Shivaji Maharaj.
I felt very much contended after traversing in the history of this fort. We started our journey towards Pune and reached city by 6pm.
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