Trek FORTS

Ajinkyatara

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 01:35:00 -0800

Ajinkyatara is a fort on one of the 7 mountains surrounding the city of Satara in the Sahyadri Mountains of Maharashtra. This fort has been the place where several pivotal moment in Maratha history took place.

The fort is located at Ajinkyatara Mountain, which is 3,300 feet high. As the fort is in the higher altitude, visitors can enjoy a magnificent view of the entire Satara city. There are number of water tanks inside the fort for storing water. So, there is no scarcity of water even as the fort is in the higher place

In 1708, Shahu Maharaj won Ajinkyatara, remained with the Marathas till 1818. The Ajinkyatara fort is a major historic place of Maharashtra, and was very vital as one could keep watch of the entire South Maharashtra.

Ways To Reach :

Satara is well connected by rail and road with Pune. Take any bus from Satara station, which goes via ‘Adaalat Wada’ and alight at Adaalat Wada. Satara to Rajwada bus service is also available. Every 10 minutes a bus plies from Satara to Rajwada. The distance between the Adaalat Wada and Rajwada is of 10 minutes. From Adaalat Wada, a proper way leads us to the main entrance. All the ways towards the fort take approximately one hour to reach.

Kenjalgad

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Wed, 8 Jul 2009 04:03:00 -0700

Kenjalgad or Ghera Khelanja Fort, (Wai Taluka) 4,269 feet above sea level, is situated on the Mandhardev spur of the Mahadev range eleven miles north-west of Wai. It is a flat-topped hill of an irregular oval shape, about 250 yards long and one hundred yards wide at the extremes, looking remarkably strong both from a far and near. But on ascending it is found to be commanded by the Yeruli Asre and Doicivadi plateaus about two miles to the east which are easily ascended from the Wai side, and the Jambli hills about a mile to the west.

The fort forms a village in itself but has to be ascended from the villages of Asre or Khavli which lie at its foot on the Wai side. The ascent is by about two miles of a very steep climb or the Asre-Titeghar bridle path can be followed for two miles and then a tolerably easy path leads due west from the pass another mile on to the fort. The fort is a black scarp rising vertically from the main ridge which is hogbacked.

Map :

Getting there :

Pune > Go to TITEGHAR or KORLE or AMBAVDE > The route leads up to MACHI (5 Kms) where a good shelter is available.

Go with Trek Group :TrekDi Trek Group

Check out the details here

SNAPSHOTS :

Kenjalgad Front View

Pratapgad

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:19:00 -0800

Pratapgad is a large fort located in Satara district, in the state of Maharashtra in India. Significant as the site of the Battle of Pratapgad, the fort is now a popular tourist destination.

Pratapgad Fort is a mountain fort built by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The fort is at a distance of 24 km from the hill station of Mahabaleshwar. The fort holds a sturdy view of coastal Konkan. The Bhavani Temple and Afzal Khan's tomb are other places of interest.

Pratapgad consists of two forts - an upper fort built on the top of the hill and a lower fort immediately below on the south and the east. Surrounding areas can be easily taken guard from the fort on almost all the sides. The southern side is rocky while the eastern side has a strong outwork ending in the Afzal Buruj.

The famous minister More Tirmal Pingale on the command of Shivaji Maharaj to control the rebellious satraps of the surrounding Javali Basin built Pratapgad Fort in 1656. It is believed that Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja was blessed with a shining sword at the temple of Goddess Bhavani here.

The historic battle between Chatrapati Shivaji and Afzal Khan, the commander of the Bijapur Sultanate fought here. Bhavani Temple and Afzal Khan's Tomb are major attractions where are situated near the fort.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

Bhavani Temple

The Bhavani temple was built by Shivaji Maharaj in 1661, because he was unable to visit the famous temple of Bhavani at Tuljapur due to torrential rains. The temple is on the eastern side of the lower fort. It consists of a hall and a shrine. The hall has wooden pillars and the shrine is made of black stone. The roof of the temple is flat inside, outside is a leaden cover put by Maharaja Pratap Singh of Satara, also there is a small spire or 'Shikhar' over the shrine.

Afzal khan's Tomb

The tomb where Afzal Khan's head was buried beneath the tower bears his name, Afzal Buruj. A Dargah of Afzal Khan is constructed away from the fort to the southeast of the Afzal Buruj, where an Urs (fair) is held annually in the month of January or February.

Getting there:

By Air : Pune is the nearest airport, 120-km away.
By Train : Satara Road is the closest railway station, but Pune / Mumbai is the normal departure point for Mahabaleshwar.
By Road : State transport buses run from Pune and Mumbai. There are also MTDC / private luxury buses, that plies daily in either direction between Mumbai and Mahabaleshwar.

MORE SNAPSHOTS >

Clouds on Pratapgad

Afzal Buruj

Small Canons and Guns

Monkey at Fort Pratapgad

Cannon at at Fort Pratapgad

Rajmachi Fort

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Sun, 7 Dec 2008 08:53:00 -0800

Rajmachi Fort is one of the most popular tourist sites in Khandala. It is situated about 20 kilometers from Lonavala. It is located mid-way between Khandala and Lonavala. The fort can be reached through Tungarli Lake: this trek is popular among the beginners. Tourists willing to reach Rajmachi fort in Khandala can avail the local transport from Pune.

Rajmachi Fort is famous for trekking. The beautiful place is has exotic natural locations as well as it is a historic site. Rajmachi can be reached via the town of Lonavla along the Khandala plateau. Lonavla is an important train station on the Indian rail network. It is most convenient to start the trekking from the morning itself at around 11am.

Rajmachi consists of two beautiful peaks namely 'Shrivardhan' and 'Manaranjan'. Rajmachi is very famous fort near twin hill stations in Maharashtra - Lonavala and Khanadala. Rajmachi fort is nearby 18/20 Kms from Lonavala but a nice way to reach the fort is from Tungarli Lake. This trek is very good for the beginners.

Rajmachi Pond surrounded by green hills

Shrivardhan and Manaranjan can also be considered as two separate forts. There is one small platue in between them. A temple of 'Bhairoba' is very beautiful. Shrivardhan is 'Bale killa' of Rajmachi. It is almost 3000 feet high. But it was mainly built to keep watch on Konkan area. The other - Manaranjan is 2700 feet high. Manaranjan consists of strong walls, 3 doors and many water tanks. One can see Ulhas river, Dukes Nose (Nagphani), Karnala ,Matheran, Mahuli and Bhimashankar etc. The old caves of 'Kondhavi' on Rajmachi fort are worth to see. The way to fort is long but truly with a good view. One can enjoy a nice forest, Tungarli lake and many waterfalls as well. Truly, Rajmachi is one of the good places to visit around Pune. And the trekkers especially the beginners enjoy the way to fort.

Map and Direction

More Snapshots >>

Waterfall enroute Rajmachi

Rajmachi fort inner walls

Buruj, Shrivardhan, Rajmachi

Rajmachi Shrivardhan and Manoranjan forts

Arnala

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:45:00 -0700

District : Thane Grade : Easier

The fort of Arnala is built on the northeast of a small island Arnala. As river Vaitarna of North-Konkan meets the sea near this fort it is possible to keep watch on this creek and the surrounding area.

History :
Sultan Mahmood Begda of Gujarat built the sea fort of Arnala in 1516. In 1530 Portuguese won this fort and built new structures on it. Portuguese ruled over the fort for more than 200 years. Later the Marathas took it. Bajirao-I reconstructed fort like the Portuguese. In 1817, like the other forts, British captured this fort also.

Fascinating Spots :
The fort is approximately rectangular in shape and is being protected by continuous and strong ramparts having a height of about 10 meters. The bastions are in good condition even today. There are three entrances to the fort out of which the main entrance is on the north side. At both sides of this entrance there are two big bastions. On the arc of this entrance nice carvings can be seen and on both sides an elephant and a tiger are carved. These indicate the strength of the ruler of the fort. On the main entrance a lithograph is seen. From the lines of the lithograph we can understand Bajirao Peshwa reconstructed that fort. Inside a fort there are temples of ‘Tryambakeshwar’ and ‘Bhavani Mata’. In front of ‘Tryambakeshwar Mahadev’ temple is a nicely built octagonal lake. Inside the fort, wells of drinking water are available. On the way towards main entrance, there is a temple of ‘Kalikamata’.

If we see the fort from the beach we see a bastion to the left, which is apart from the fort. There is a small entrance to enter it.
It takes about half an hour to 45 minutes to see the fort completely. We can view the surroundings while walking on the strong rampart of a fort. From the projection above the main entrance we can see the fort completely.

Ways To Reach :
Arnala is about 10 km from Virar station on western railway route. S.T. buses and auto-rickshaws are available to reach there. After reaching the beach from Arnala village we can reach fort by commuter boat only. The boat service is available from 6 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. It takes about 5 to 10 minutes to reach fort through the boat.

Accommodation Facility :
Not available on fort. A day is sufficient as one can see the fort completely and return by boat within 2-3 hours.

Food Facility :
Not available on the fort

Drinking Water Facility :
Water is available in the wells on fort.

Time To Reach :
About one hour from Virar

SNAPSHOTS:

Main Entrance gate of Arnala Fort

Water tank at Arnala

Temple inside Arnala Fort

Arnala fort ruins

Separate Buruj of Arnala fort

Arnala fort Walls

Inside View of Arnala Fort

Chavand - Near Pune

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:38:00 -0700

Situated at a height of 3000ft from sea level, the fort houses many a remnant of constructions that take us about 800 years back into the time. The fort is in Pune district, at a distance of 20 km from the city of Junnar. The region at the foothills of the fort contains exotic flora & fauna. It was here that we could spot at least 12 varieties of birds. Village of Chavandwadi lies at the base of the fort.

History

Malik Ahmed founded the Nizam Dynasty in 1485. He was the first Nizamshah who acquired the fort of Chavand after the dissolution of the Bahmani Empire. The seventh Nizamshah was Second Burhanshah. His grandson Bahadurshah was imprisoned here in 1594. Bahadurshah was the nephew of Chandbibi, a renowned
personality from the same period. She played an important role in helping him to achieve the throne.

In 1636 Shahajiraje, father of Shivaji Maharaj, signed a treaty with the Moghals, in which the Moghals got Chavand. Shivaji Maharaj named the fort as Prasannagad",

Mythological references :

The forts named after the names of great sages (for e.g. Vasota, named after Vasistha) are pre-ancient forts.
The forts decorated by Buddhist carvings and sculptures (for e.g. Shivneri) are ancient forts.
Forts belonging to the medieval period are related to Shaiva, Shakta or Naath.
The goddess Chamunda is an idol of destruction of evil, with a terrifying appearance, armed with weapons. The deity belongs to Bengal, Bihar and Karnataka.

Attractions

Saptamatrika (The seven cisterns) : The British in their attack have destroyed many a construction in the eighteenth century. Here a temple half buried in the earth can be seen. As we go ahead on the left, we can see 7 water tanks aligned along each other. These have much mythological significance, & their names are as follows: Brahmi, Maheshwari, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Indrayani & Chamunda, the most powerful goddess of all.

Rock Cut Caves : As we proceed towards the northern direction around the fortification, we can see that a proper way was constructed hereby to move around to keep watch. On the north side of the fort, human made caves are situated where the fortification ends. Here it is said that a secret passage exists, amidst the wall, right below the caves. As we go the south side, we can have a beautiful view of the river Kukdi that originates from Kukdeshwar, a famous pilgrimage near the fort. On the southeastern side, no fortification exists as steep fall dominates this place. Again as we proceed westwards, we can see the fortification here. This fort being strongly secured was used for imprisoning Bahadurshah Nizam in 1594.
Chavandabai Shrine : On the topmost part of the fort, i.e. on a small hillock, is situated the temple of Goddess Chavandabai. Here rises the question, that who brought this deity here in Maharashtra, which is predominantly from the provinces of Bengal, Bihar & Mysore. The answer is also quite simple. Naneghat had been the main route for transport of goods that came from other provinces via harbour of Sopara & Kalyan, the place of junction. Some well established businessman from Mysore, who came through Naneghat, must have established Chamunda here. Folks were unable to utter Chamunda, & they called it as Chavand, hence was named the fort.

Reaching There

By Air -
Pune is the nearest Airport 130 km away.
By Rail -
Pune is the nearest rail head.
By Road -
From Junnar regular ST buses ply to Kukdeshwar.

Trek Routes

Chavandwadi Route (Grade : Easy) -
Decend at Pur phata. From here head towards Chavand village. A well defined pathway from here takes you up the fort. Mid way there are steps hewn out of rock to reach the top.

Mahim Fort

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:22:00 -0700

The Mahim Fort is a fort in Mahim, in Mumbai (Bombay), India. It was built by the first governor of Bombay, Gerald Aungier (1669-1677). It was part of the larger Bombay Castle. It overlooks the Mahim Bay and Bandra to the north. Strategically located it was a defence post against possible Portuguese attacks from the north (which owned the Salsette Island across the Mithi River) and later from the Marathas.

For a large part of this last millennium, barring the last 55 years, India had many rulers. Be it the Mughals, Portuguese, or British, there has been no shortage of folks who wanted to rule this part of the world - after all, India was once called the land of milk and honey.

The city of Mumbai has several historic monuments and heritage sites, each telling its own tale. The Mahim Durgah, the Portuguese Church, or for that matter the Gateway of India, are all legacies of the ruler of that era.

Of these, the Mahim Fort is a relic from the British Raj. This fort is actually a fortress - a part of the larger "Bombay Castle" or St. George's Castle. This castle was an important base during the time of the British Empire, but now all that remains are a few ramparts scattered about the city.

The Mahim Fort has cousins in Sion, Worli, Shivri and Mazgaon. The fort was built by the then Governor of Bombay, Gerald Aungier, in the year 1669, in order to strengthen British defences. He also made Bombay more populous by attracting Gujarati traders, Parsi shipbuilders, and Muslim and Hindu manufacturers from the mainland.

A man named Thomas Grantham then strengthened the fort's ramparts in 1684. In the year 1772, 111 years after Bombay was taken from them, the Portuguese attempted to attack this fort. The British replied with cannonballs and thunder. In fact, the Bandra church also bore the brunt of their fire. By all historical accounts, there were apparently 100 soldiers and 30 cannons in the Mahim Fort at that time.

It is therefore anti-climactic that today, in all probability, all one can find are encroachers and hutments in the area. It is sad that a heritage site with such a glorious past, has been allowed to run to seed. The fort which was once visible from the Mahim Causeway and Bandra Reclamation, is barely visible now. The Mahim Fort needs to be restored and given the status of heritage structure.

A case of Mahim Fort, Mahim, Mumbai, submitted by Swetal Kanwelau of the Kamala Raheja Institute of Architecture & Environmental Studies, Mumbai, won the second prize at the Second IAHH International Student Design Competition. The results were announced in February 2004. The competition was aimed at investigating the issue of urban decay and degradation to evolve a more enlightened approach to planning, design and management of revitalisation, restructuring, redesign, conservation and redevelopment of such urban areas.

Fact File

Location: Mumbai

Distance from major cities:
Pune - 165 km

Villages at Foothills: Mahim
Altitude: Sea Level
Latitude: 19°2'31"N
Longitude: 72°50'17"E

Best time to visit: Throughout the year {mosmap lat='19.042056'|lon='72.838108'}

topHistory

In 1684, the fort was strengthened by Sir Thomas Grantham. In 1772, the Portuguese attempted to attack this fort, but
they were repelled by the British with cannon balls. The Mount Mary's Bascilica also was damaged during this encounter.
According to accounts, the fort had 100 soldiers and 30 cannons at that time.

topAttractions

The fort lies off the Mahim Causeway which links the suburbs to the city. The mushrooming of slums and encroachment
around the fort has lead to it being in a dilapidated state, with cracks appearing. Tidal changes in the Mahim Creek have
also contributed to structural changes. The Bandra-Worli Sea Link poses a threat to it.

OLD SNAP >>

Matheran

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:05:00 -0700

Matheran is tiny hill station with exceptionally striking pastoral beauty. It is set in the mountainous region in between Mumbai and Pune. The term ‘Matheran’ suggests "forest on top". Amidst the green Jumbo forest, it is indeed the most impressive and notable hill station in Maharashtra.

Hugh Poyntz Malet, who was the collector of Thane district, discovered this pretty resort in 1850. During camping around the village, he came across a spring and it still bears his name.

ORIENTATION

It is located at an altitude of 803 meters. It is situated about 108 kms from Mumbai City, in the Karjat Tehsil of Maharashtra.

WEATHER

Temperature: 12.35 to 36.35 (Celcius)

Rainfall in Matheran varies from 0.0 to 828.0 mm/month.

Best time to visit: Though Matheran is a year round destination, the best time to visit is from October to May. Average temperatures range from 16° C in winter, to 32° C in summer.

Entry Fee: There is an entry fee of Rs.25 per head, which you need to buy to enter Matheran. These tickets are sold at the small ticket window at the entry of the main gate and have a map behind it.

GETTING THERE / ROUTE INFORMATION

Matheran is 100 km from Mumbai and 26 km from Neral, from where you can get the toy train to Matheran, a journey of 1½ hours. You can get to Neral on a local train on the Mumbai-Pune line, a journey of 2 hours from Mumbai Central. The drive via Karjat and Neral is 108 km.

By Air
The nearest airport, Mumbai, 100 km, is well connected with national and international flights. From there, you’ll need to switch to train or road.
By Rail
The rail journey to Matheran is half the fun of your trip. Neral, the nearest railhead (21 km), is connected to Mumbai, Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. From here, a special, narrow gauge "toy train" gets you up, puffing and wheezing all the way. Except during the monsoon season (June-September), there are several trains a day on the mountain railway. These take 2 hours to cover the climb to their destination. Stations on the way have names like Water pipe and there is also the famous One Kiss Tunnel. During the monsoon, the service is restricted to one train a day and during heavy rains even this can be cancelled due to landslides.

By Road
State Transport buses regularly ply from Mumbai and Pune. A taxi from Neral to Matheran takes about half-hour to reach. Taxis stop about 2.5 km from the center of the hill station. After parking the car at the base of the hill, You can go to the top on horse.

SHOPPING INFORMATION

Shop for Chikki, honey walking sticks, and custom-made leather footwear. Matheran is a foot freak delight and the more you bargain the more you will get!

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS

Its 8 sq. kms cover a hilltop in the Sahyadri Hills, and its proximity to Mumbai ensures its’ continued popularity for weekend getaways.

There seems to be an obsession with unusually named lookout points; Matheran has 33 such points from where you can feast your eyes on the Sahyadris and the valleys below, and admire rosy sunrises and sunsets.

Matheran does not have any internal motorized transport, making it all the more special. The only modes of transport are horses, donkeys, by foot or a ”Taxi” which basically is a cart pulled by a guy.

Charlotte Lake is the prime attraction of Matheran, owing to its greenery and picturesque surroundings. The hoary charm of British and Parsi homes still allures people from both far and near. Malet Spring draws everyone’s attention with its scenic setting and clear waters. Panthers’ Caves and Paymaster Park are big attractions for children. One can take a wonderful view of the Towers of Bhivpuri Power House, Karjat Palasdari Lake, Borgaon Village and Rambaug Point from the renowned Alexander Point.

Declared an Eco-sensitive region by the Union Environment Ministry, Matheran is an exceptionally beautiful place, in the company of sightseeing places like Mount Berry, Luisa Point, Echo Point, One tree Hill, Garbut Point, Olympia Racecourse and Hart point. A large number of medicinal plants and herbs thrive in the region. The red laterite earth here completes the vision of the bucolic and unscathed hill resort.

NightLife: Well, there is no nightlife in Matheran.

Nearby spots: Panvel, Karnala, Lonavla, Poona and Mumbai.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Carry light woollens for winter. Walking-sticks.

Accommodation

Regarding places to stay, this serene place has a few ancient bungalows that have been turned into Hotels and guesthouses. Here, you can avail all basic facilities. Since this place falls under environment friendly region, construction is not allowed here. Probably that’s why Matheran has maintained its lovely charisma. Thus, come to Matheran and see yourself, the beauty and splendor that have been bestowed upon it by Mother Nature.

From simple lodges to luxury resorts, an MTDC bungalow to pure vegetarian guesthouses, Matheran has accommodation options to cater to all budgets.

MORE SNAPSHOTS FROM MATHERAN :)

MURUD - JANJIRA | The Unconquered Fort Of Swaraj

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 01:08:00 -0700

Murud-Janjira is the local name for a fort situated at the coastal village of Murud, in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. It is famous for being the only fort along India's western coast that remained undefeated despite Maratha, Dutch and English East India Company attacks.

The word Janjira is not native to India, and may have originated after the Arabic word Jazeera, which means an island. Similarly, the Marathi word Habshi is thought to be a corruption of Abyssinian. Murud was once known in Marathi as Habsan, or Abyssinian's land.The term Siddi is an expression of respectful address commonly used in North Africa. The ruler of the Habshi state of Murud-Janjira was known as the Siddi. Others believe that Habshis that converted to Islam called themselves "Sayyadis" (descendants of Muhammad); from which came the term "Siddi".

At the time they seized the fort, the Siddis were employed by the Bahamani Sultan of Ahmednagar and a Habshi, Malik Ambar (1550-1626), held a prominent position in that government. Before the rise of the Maratha sardars, the courts of the Bahamani sultanates were rent by rivalry between the Indian Muslims and the foreign Muslims, as a result of which, the Sultans began to patronize the Marathas as a third force, leading to the rise of Shivaji and the Maratha Empire.

Malik Amber initially rose to great prominence as the Prime Minister of Ahmednagar. He is credited with having carried out a systematic revenue settlement of major portions of the Deccan, which formed the basis for many ubsequent settlements.

When the Ahmadnagar kingdom was conquered by Bijapur and the Mughals in alliance, the Siddis switched their allegiance to the Sultanate of Bijapur; when the Bijapur kingdom was conquered by the Mughal Empire, the Habshis switched their allegiance to the Mughal Empire.As clients of these Muslim states, the Siddis were nominally part of their navies, and fulfilled the role of defending Muslim interests in the sea, and particularly, access by sea for the Hajj and Umrah, for which reason, the interior Muslim states felt compelled to aid and rescue the Siddis from their enemies.

Despite being feudatories, first of Bijapur and then of the Mughals, the Siddis acted as if they were independent, and lived mainly by piracy on coastal shipping.

The piracy of the Siddis provoked the various local powers to attempt to suppress them, but despite eforts by the Portuguese, Dutch, English and the Marathas, the fort was never conquered. The fort thus earned a reputation for being impregnable.

The reputation may be false. Mass mobilizations by the English and Marathas were always forced off before they could complete the task by the intervention of another power, such as the Mughals, creating a diversion in order to prevent the fall of Murud-Janjira. It must be noted that the same happened with Goa, with the Mughals invading Maratha lands in order to divert Maratha attempts to conquer Goa.

The name of the fort is a concatenation of the Konkani and Arabic words for Island, "morod" and "jazeera". The word "morod" is peculiar to Konkani and is absent in Marathi. In Goa, the word is now more generally used for those parts of the village which were originally dry land as against the fields, which were swamps. Thus, during the rains, the fields get flooded, but the morods never flood.

The State of Murud-Janjira was known to the Maratha Empire as Habsan, the and of the Habshis.The founder of what later developed into the Maratha Empire, Shivaji Bhosale, sent his Prime Minister or Peshwa, Moropant Pingle to conquer the Siddis and end their piracy during August, 1676, albeit unsuccessfully. Shivaji's inability to capture this fort led him to build the Vijaydurg fort down the coast, and also a fort named Sindhudurg on the island of Padmagad, near the town of Malvan. The Siddis remained a formidable foe to him until his death.Several further attempts were made by the Marathas to conquer the Siddi principality, but in vain.

The English too strived in vain to suppress the Siddis, and the Siddis even succeeded in seizing Bombay for a day, overwhelming the English garrision, before being driven away by a militia organized by a Parsi from his fellow-immigrants from Surat.

As the Muslim powers of the interior waned in the face of rising English power, the Siddi state submitted to England under the system of Subsidiary Alliance, becoming a dependency under paramountcy of the Kings of England. HH Nawab Sidi Muhammed Khan II Sidi Ahmad Khan was the last Ruler of Murud-Janjira. The state continued in this condition until late 1947, when the last prince acceded his state to the Indian Union, and his state was merged into the Bombay Presidency which was later transformed into the State of Bombay and the State of

Maharashtra.

HOW TO REACH THERE

What to see:

(1) Janjira fort: where a stone carving at the main entrance shows six elephants trapped by a single tiger-a- symbol of the bravery of the Sidis.

(2) Kalal Bangdi, Landakasam and Bhavani, the cherished weapons of the Sidis, built from five metals

(3)Beaches: which are filled with the serenity

(4) Carambi Dharan (Dam), a picnic spot providing clean water through pipes to Murud throughout the year channeled from its natural springs.

(5)Datta Mandir (temple) atop a hill, a picturesque spot giving an extraordinary view of the sea.

(6)Sidhi Vinayak Temple of the Hindu deity Lord Ganapati.

SOME

(7)Alkapuri, a picnic spot favored for its lush green vegetation.

SOME MORE SNAPs :

Fisherfolk at Murud Beach

Sand Castle at Murud Beach

Dumeril's black-headed snake Sibynophis subpunctatu...

Mosques inside Janjira (Jazeera) fort

caves at Murud

MORE

Ratnagad - Superb Place for Trekkers

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:47:00 -0700

Ratnagad is just 100 k.m from pune

Ratan(Gem) gad fort is a grand fort in the beautiful bhandardara region near Nashik(Nasik), it lies near harishchandragad and kalsubai peak. It lies 20 kms away from the bhandardara dam. Lashing rains for 2 days, extreme windy conditions and some exciting climbs made this one of the most memorable treks in recent times.

Kalvantin DURG !!

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:23:00 -0700

It is adjacent to Prabalgad fort. On the Mumbai Pune express highway one can take the Shedung exit. Shedung is the base villageof Prabaland Kalavantin forts. The trek is a 3 hours tiring climb from here. You need to trek up the machi and from the village on machi there are rock cut steps which lead us to the top of the fort.

The fort top commands an excellent view of the surroundings with Prabal in
the front. Matheran, Chanderi, Shrimallang, Irshal Karnala, Manikgad, etc
can be easily identified

CLOSE LOOK

MALSHEJ ( Its a MANSOON TIME GUYS ) !!

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Tue, 3 Jun 2008 05:42:00 -0700

Malshej Ghat is a tourist spot near the city of Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra, India. The site is nestled in the lofty rugged hills of the Western Ghats. The best time to visit is between August and September. At this time of the year, the hills are clothed in a soothing shade of mint green and the weather is cool due to the monsoons. Known for its misty tops and ice cold cascades at this time of the year, the site is a very popular weekend getaway for most of the city's residents at that time of the year.

If you want to experience Nature at her prettiest, the hill station town of Malshej Ghat is a great place. Beautiful waterfalls, verdant green hillsides, interesting rock formations – the hill station of Malshej Ghat has all of this. Adding to the scenic vistas in Malshej Ghat are the flamboyant flamingoes, which come here between July and September all the way here from Europe.

Malshej Ghat is particularly beautiful during the monsoons when the falls become more tempestuous and the rain freshens everything in sight. If you are brave enough, get under some of the waterfalls – the spray will definitely revive you. Trek into the forest surrounding the hill station of Malshej Ghat– the tall stately trees a wonderful sight to behold.

Getting There

Drive to Malshej Ghat from Mumbai via Thane, Kalyan, Saralgaon and Vaishakhare. The nearest airport is Mumbai (150 km)and the nearest railhead is Kalyan (86 km -1 ½ hrs ), from where you can catch a bus to Malshej Ghat.

SOME MORE SNAPSHOTS

BHIMASHANKAR ( Hill Fort )

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Mon, 2 Jun 2008 07:20:00 -0700

HISTORY : Bhimashankar is one of the 12 Jyotirlings of India, a pilgrimage place approximately 3500 feet high up in the hills. The area around Bhimashankar is covered with thick dense jungle. The Maharashtra Government has also declared it a Sanctuary.

Fascinating Spots :

The Temple :

The temple of Bhimashankar is around 1200 – 1400 years old and is built on the Hemad Panthi style. There are very beautiful sculptures and paintings on the roof and pillars of the temple. In the outer corridor of the temple we can see a sculpture of the god seated on a throne accompanied by his pallbearers holding an umbrella over his head. At the front of the temple hangs a huge metal bell cast in 1729. There is also a 15-20 feet high “Deepmala” or lamppost in the outer corridor of the temple. There is also an inscription on stone on this lamppost. It is to be noted that the original name of the river Chandrabhaga at Pandharpur is Bhima. This Bhima River originates at Bhimashankar.

Gupt Bhimashankar :

On d way

There is a water stream route going down from the left of the Ram temple. Taking that route, we enter a thick jungle. We reach a temple around 25 minutes through this route. A route going toward the waterfall, left of this temple, leads to the “water sculpted” “Shiva Linga” under this waterfall. This is called the Gupt Bhimashankar. There is a huge waterfall at this place during the monsoons.

Nagphani Peak :

Nagphani peak

VIEW FROM NAGPHANI PEAK

We reach a pond when we climb towards Bhimashankar from the Ghat. The route going towards the right, from this pond, takes us to the Hanuman temple. The route going up through this route leads to the Nagphani. We can have a view of the forts of Peth and Padhar and the plateaus of Peth and Matheran. We can remember the poem composed by the famous “Samarth” Ramdas, the lover of natural beauty, when we see such beauty around.

Architecture :

The Temple: The Bhimashankara temple is a composite of old and the new structures and is built in the Nagara style of architecture. It is a modest temple yet graceful temple and it dates back to mid 18th century. The shikhara of the temple was built by Nana Phadnavis. The great Maratha ruler Shivaji is also said to have made endowments to this temple to facilitate the carrying out, of worship services. As with other Shiva temples in this area, the sanctum is at a lower level.

Although the structure here is fairly new, the shrine Bhimashankaram (and the Bhimarathi river) have been referred to in literature dating back to the 13th century CE. Saint Jnaneshwar is said to have visited Tryambakeshwar and Bhimashankar. Chimaji Appa ( brother of Nanasaheb Peshva & son of Bajirao Peshva) has presented a large chime which he has won in war against Portuguese at Vasai Fort.

MAP

SOME SNAPSHOTS :

Rhino faced tree @ Bhimashankar Jungle

SINHGAD ( KONDHANA )

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Sat, 31 May 2008 00:13:00 -0700

The present day Sinhagad Fort was known as Kondhana Fort, when it was first constructed in the 14th century. While the fort had been of great strategic importance right form the date it was built, it is now best known in Indian history as well as folk lore, for the “Battle of Sinhagad”.

Located high on Sahyadri mountain range (keep watching the photo stream for images), Sinhagad Fort is on the outskirts of the present day city of Pune.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (Shivaji Bhonsale, born April, 1627) was the founder of the great Maratha Empire. Shivaji is as much history as folk lore. The greatest guerilla fighter of his days, Shivaji formed an empire by winning over territory from his enemies, who always outnumbered his forces by at least five to one!!!

Kondhana was in “enemy” hands in 1670, and Shivaji’s mother, Jijabai, invited, and then defeated Shivaji in a game of chess, and asked for the fort as “the bet”. She did this, realizing the importance of control of this fort, in his son’s larger game plan.

Shivaji contacted his trusted lieutenant, Tanaji Malusare (Tanaji) for meeting his mother’s demand. Tanaji left his son’s marriage ceremony in March, 1670, and stormed Kandhana with a force of 300 Malwas (local Maratha soldiers), who were pitted against more than 1500 Rajput soldiers, who were led by Raja Udai Bhan, and owed allegiance to Mirza Raja Jai Singh. The audacious attack on the seemingly impregnable fort took place on a moonless night, and Tanaji chose to storm the fort from the side which was most difficult to approach, and hence, least guarded.

The side which Tanaji chose to attack the fort from, presented a sheer rock face of more than 150 metres high, and Tanaji used the services of a pet giant monitor lizard, to haul him along, to climb this sheer cliff, and then drop rope ladders to bring his forces up into the fort.

Tanaji’s forces overcame the stiff resistance presented by the inmates of the fort (leaders of whom were reportedly enjoying a gala party, at the time when Tanaji was climbing the cliffs with help from the pet monitor lizard, called Jashyawanti) at great cost. Tanaji lost his life in the process, but Kondhana was under the control of Shivaji once more.

On receipt of information about the fort falling to his forces, and the loss of one of his greatest lieutenant, Shivaji lamented “Gad aala, pan singh gelaa”, meaning, “We have got the fort, but lost the lion”. Since that day, the fort came to be known as Sinhagad (The Lion’s Fort).

History of Fort Sinhgad

1.Fort Kondhana :

Kondhana fort existed for about 900 years to watch cluster of villages around Kalyan village (District Pune). But the fort came into limelight after it was assigned to Subhedar Dadoji Konddev - teacher of King Shivaji. Shivaji's mother Jijabai came in Pune to mold Shivaji's childhood and Sinhgad was like a daily ritual for Shivaji.

2.Shivaji and Sinhgad

This was one of the initial forts that formed Shivaji's independent kingdom called 'swarajya' Along with Rajgad, torrna, Purandar, this fort also played equally important role in guarding borders of that initial small kingdom.(around 1640)

3.Mughal Sardar Mirza Raje Jaysingh :

Sinhgad was surrendered to Mogul Lord Mirza Raje Jaysingh as part of treaty to surrender 23 forts of swarajya not to destroy the villages and people here

4.Gad Aala pan Sinh Gela (Lion like fort was won but the true lion is lost)

To win the fort back, Tanaji Malusare climbed the fort with his soldiers and fought a brutal war up on the fort. Both he and the mughal subhedar Udaybhan died in the war. When the message of victory was conveyed to Shivaji, he said Gad Aala pan Sinh Gela Note that the fort name was Sinhgad where 'sinh' in Marathi means lion. He meant they won one lion but lost another. After Shivaji's death, Martha Kingdom was passing through a unstable stage where forts were being lost slowly against Mogul emperor Aurangzeb. In 1693, Lakhamaji Balkavde again won the fort back and then Maratha Kingdom never lose the fort.

POINTS TO SEE ON THE FORT :

1.View of Sinhgad :

On reaching Sinhgad, first you will see is the parking place on a huge plateau before entering the fort. From here you will see two huge TV towers - a peculiar mark of Sinhgad now a days

Up high on the tower to the right in that picture there is an elephant gargoyle (not sure if it is "just" an elephant or if it is intended to represent Ganesha):

2.Devtakee

Devtake means water tank of God. Taste of its water is considered to be the naturally sweetest and purest in Maharashtra. The water is cool like from refrigerator and has been properly maintained for purity.

3.Tanaji Malusare Memorial

Now come back to the Devtake and take a left turn to go towards Khadakwasla. On the way lies Tanaji Malusare Memorial who fought and sacrificed to in the fort. Refer to Gad Aala pan Sinh Gela section of History of Sinhgad above.

Kalyan Darwaja:

This is Official entrance of Sinhgad fort, through which an elephant can also enter. The entrance is hidden as usual but the specialty of this door is a huge 50 feet unusually tall bastion. The steps from the door take you down to Kalyan village from where you can reach Rajgad. The bastions here are worth photography.

Tanaji Kadaa

Now walk over to the edge and you will see huge fortification on the way to Tanaji Kadaa. Tanaji Kadaa is the place from where Tanaji Malusare and his men had climbed the fort with the help of rope and a huge pet lizard
-called as 'Ghorpad' in Marathi - to hold and tie the rope.

Pune Darwaja

-On entering the fort through Pune Darwaja, don't forget to read the marble board behind the Pune Darwaja, telling Tanaji Malusre and Rajaram Maharaj

SOME MORE SNAPSHOTS

SHIVNERI

noreply@blogger.com (VISHAL) — Fri, 30 May 2008 02:59:00 -0700

Shivneri

( Birth Place Of Shivaji Maharaj )

HISTORY

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj - The name itself speak out the history. The total Maratha history is focused on this great person only. The creator of Hindi Swaraj was born here in 1627. He lived his childhood here and played here with his friends. The fort today also speaks out the greatest Maratha.

The fort is huge one and with good height. Because of it's uniqueness and difficult to reach , Shahaji - father of Shivaji - kept his wife - Jijabai during her pregnancy. The fort is tough to climb from the hills. But the normal road is comparatively simple through a bit time consuming. This road has 7 doors till one reaches the actual fort. The temple of 'Devi Shivai' is in between and which is very old. After the name of this goddess , Shivaji was named. The temple is very beautiful.

Shivneri is famous for Shivaji's birth. The birth - place of Shivaji is auspicious one and easily memorise the period. The building and the surroundings are worth to see. The other places to visit in Shivneri are 'Kaman Take' , 'Kadelot Tok' , 'Koli Chouthara ' and 'Dongarmatha' (the top of the fort). One can see various places like Khodad, Arvi and Kukadi dam nearby, in the same trip.
Truly, a place where one can remember Shivaji Maharaj and his childhood.

DESCRIPTION OF TREK :

The fort can be reached by two ways ;

RAJMARG
Its also called as Sat Darwajachi Wat. This is the easy route ever,this route is amazingly maintain and new construction are done to develop shivneri.

2. SAKHALI WAT
This is the shortest secret route to the fort that takes you through the 15 Feet Rock Patch. The Rock patch has been carved steps and railings. This takes you on the fort near SHIVKUNJ in 45 min.Beginners may feel little afraid on the rock patch to see the valley below.

MAP

Fascinating Spots

The fort has a significant shape, like an arrowhead, pointing towards the north. Someone has described this as an arrow pointing towards the tyrant Moguls of north, threatening about Shivaji Maharaj. It is surrounded by about 7-8 forts in the region, and was built to guard the city of Junnar and the ancient route of Naneghat. From the top of the fort we can have a view of Lenyadri, a famous pilgrimage and the Giant Meteoric Radio Telescopes of Narayangaon.

1)Shiv Janmasthan:

This is the place on the fort where the birth of Shivaji Maharaj took place. This place is named as Shiv Mandir. Ahead of Shiv Mandir there is a huge water tank.

2) Kadelot point :

This is the place where prisoners were punished by throwing them down the fort. This point is on the northern end of the fort.

3)Shiv Kunj :

Shiv Kunj is a monument constructed by the state government, in honor of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Inside Shiv Kunj there is an idol of Bal Shivaji and Jijabai made of “Panchdhatu” (An alloy of 5 metals.)

4) Kamani Masjid :

In front of Shiv Kunj on can see this Kamani Masjid. It might have been named Kamani because the top of this structure is like bow that is called as Kaman in Hindi. On the east-facing wall there is an inscription in Urdu.

5) Ganga Jamuna :

These are the water cisterns behind the Shiv Kunj. Water in these cisterns is potable. On whole of Shivneri there are more than 10 water tanks.

6) Koli Chauthara

This monument is built in the place where Mughals killed thousands of Koli soldiers in the year 1650.

7) Ambarkhana :

Every fort needs to have a warehouse for its storage of grains and food products. Ambarkhana is the place where huge amount of grain can be stored. The caretakers here keep this place very clean.When descending/ascending through the way near Ambarkhana all the seven doors of the fort can be visited. These doors help us to imagine the strength this fort would have given to its defender. The sequence of these doors is as follows

LETS TAKE SOME VIEW OF SHIVNERI

SHIV MANDIR

LONG VIEW OF SHIVNERI

VIEW FROM SHIVNERI