Our India has numerous historical monuments and Maharashtra is hub of such surreal Monments ,which witnesses the golden history of Maharashtra. has various Forts ,Temple , Caves,Pillars ,Stupas,Tombs etc ,each and every monument of has its particular history behind it. Few years ago ,the history department of our college arranged a study tour and the venue is Lohagad- one of the strongest fort of Maharashtra.In this blog ,we will share our and experience and information regarding Lohagad.Lohagad fort the name ''Loha" means iron in marathi ,as the name itself suggest that the walls of fort are as strong as iron ,hence the name emerged as Lohagad.History of Lohagad
Lohgad fort has very strong and impenetrable fortification. The Bhaje and Bedse Buddhist caves near the fort are believed to have been built 27 years ago. Satvahana, Chalukya, Rashtrakuta, Yadav dynasties were all ruled in this fort. In the year 1489, Malik Ahmed established Nizamshahi and conquered many forts, one of which was Lohgad.In the year
1564, the seventh king of Ahmednagar, the second Burhan Nizam was imprisoned on this fort. The fort came under the rule of Adilshahi in 1630 AD. In 1657, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj conquered the Kalyan and Bhiwandi regions and annexed Lohgad and Visapur forts
The fort was handed over to the Mughals in the treaty of Purandar in 1665 AD. Later on,In 13th May 1670, the Marathas recaptured the fort. When Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was capturing Surat ,Netaji Palkar brought Lohagad back to Hindavi Swaraj.In 1713, Shahu Maharaj graciously gave Lohgad to Kanhoji Angre. In 1720, the fort was ruled by the Peshwas
In 1770, it was captured by Javaji Bombale, chief of Nana Fadnavis. Nana later handed over the management of the fort to Dhondopant Nitsure. In 1789, Nana strengthened the fort. In the fort, Nana built a well and carved an stone inscription beside it.
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| Stone inscription on Lohagad |
The fort was captured by the British in 1803 but was later recaptured by another Bajirao. On March 4, 1818, General Prother came to conquer Lohgad. He won Visapur first of all. The Marathas left Lohgad on the second day after the British took Visapur.
Places to visit on the Fort :-
As you climb upwards you will find a path through four entrances. There are mainly four entrances called ''Darwaza"are as follows: -
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| Ganesh Darwaza: |
1 Ganesh Darwaza: Its fourth-right burujdoot savale family was sacrificed and their descendants had becam3 to Patil of Lohgadwadi.You find the inscriptions inside.
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| Narayan Darwaza |
2.Narayan Darwaza: This door was built by Nana Fadnvis. There is a basement here, where rice and ragi etc food grains were stored .You will find tiger inscription carved on both sides of this door.
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Hanuman Darwaza
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3.Hanuman Darwaza: This is the oldest door among all entrances.The Images of Sharbha 's are carved on both the sides of this door.
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| Mahadarwaja |
4.Mahadarwaja: This is the main gate of the fort. Hanuman's image is carved on it.
As soon as you enter through Mahadarwaza, you will find Dargah (tomb)in it Remains of Loharkhan are found. |
| Dargah at top of Fort |
As soon as you come outside the tomb ,you will find -चुना बनविण्याचा घाणा -A lime machine
If you go a little to the right next to the Dargah, there is a slope like part were you will find beautiful temple of Lord Shiva
There is a small pond as you walk straight ahead. This pond is octagonal. There is also a drinking water tank next to it. This is the only drinking water facility on the fort. Fifteen to twenty minutes walk from there is a big lake. This pond was built by Nana Fadnavis. This bottom is sixteen angles.
To the west is Vinchukata,looking like scorpion tail.The part called 'vinchukata" is fifteen hundred meters long and thirty meters wide. To get to Vinchukatya, you have to go down one step and go beyond where there is no railing. Seen from the fort, this part looks like a scorpion tail shape, hence it is called Vinchukata.
Beside these there is also a small Hanuman temple on the fort .
Also we find these cannons on the fort,used during war times in medieval period
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Pawna Lake view from top of fort: The famous artificial lake camping site, Pawna lake is visible from fort.
Also fort like Visapur ,Tung and Tikona can be seen from top of fort.
Accessibility:-
Lohagad fort can be accessed by various modes of travel. The nearest airport is the Pune International Airport.The nearest train station is Malavli, which can be accessed by suburban trains between Lonavala and Pune. The nearest major train station is Lonavala, on the Mumbai-Pune railway line. Lohagad is connected by the Mumbai-Pune Highway
It is a simple, very scenic and pleasant trek and the distance from Malavli and Lohagad can be covered in around two hours. A tar road exists all the way to the top from Malavli station and one can hire a tempo or an Auto the foot of the fort.
Best
The best season to visit the fort is in the monsoons.
A variety of birds and insects can also be spotted in these region
Accomodation :- As lohagad is nearest to Lonavala ,plenty of Hotels are their for stay.
Also on the fort drinking water facility is available .On the base of the fort you will find people of nearby village selling Lime juice ,and small packet foods
Trek Experience :-
Lohagad Fort is on a hill in Khandala, about a 100 km from Mumbai and 65km from Pune. Lohagad means 'iron fort' in Marathi, and when you set eyes on it you'll know why. It is a huge fort, situated at an elevation of 1,033 meters above sea level. Lohagad is connected to the neighbouring Visapur Fort by a small range. The four gorgeous gates of Lohagad are still in good condition and reasonably intact and has been declared a protected monument by the Archaeology Survey of India. It is indeed one of the best places for trekking in Maharashtra; especially for beginners.Indulge yourself in the Lohagad trek to witness the grace of the surroundings
Situated close to the famous hill station of Lonavala, Lohagad is one of the most magnificent places to visit in Pune. Located on a beautiful hillock near Malavali, this place is one of the favourite destinations for trekking enthusiasts in Pune. Dating back to the 18th century, this place is an interesting visit to appreciate the charm of ancient architecture nestled in the midst of natural beauty.
The mobile connectivity at Lohagad Fort is moderate as you can expect basic connectivity but not high-speed internet.There are no ATMs near Lohagad Fort and you will have to reach Lonavala as that is the nearest destination for ATM.
one must ensure that they carry enough packaged food with themselves for the trek.
Minimum Duration for Lohagad Fort:-
The time needed to complete the trek two way is 4 hours There are approximately 300 stairs on the fort .The total distance of the trek is 10 km.All over experience was superb .Fort is highly recommended for beginners.
Final thought:-
The lohagad fort trek standout amongst the most prevalent treks in Pune district followed by Rajmachi ,Tung,Tikona.and now became one of best spot for tourists.
Historical forts around the Maharashtra have been a matter of pride for the state for centuries. Sadly enough, the preservation and restoration of these structures are not taken in to account seriously. We must coordinate with people i.e the NGO's or those committee 's who work for the conservation of the forts as the forts of Maharashtra are the real glory of our state.
-by Bharati Parab
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