For
six years upto his death, Raigad remained the
capital of the Marathas with its broad gates
and magnificent monuments. There was only one
pathway leading to the top, and prizes were offered
to those who scaled the fort through unconventional
methods. Though parts of Raigad are in ruins,
yet they inspire an aura of grandeur.
Sinhagad
Sinhagad
-- where valour is etched on every stone and
the soil has
turned red
seeped by the blood of martyrs! From the
time when a Koli chieftain, Nag Naik stoutly
defended this fort (AD 1328) against the
might of the Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq for nine
months to Jaswant Singh, Aurangzeb's commander,
who dragged his guns up the fort's steep
shoulders to avenge the insult to Shaista
Khan, who was rebuffed by Shivaji, this
fort has been infused by tales of bravery.
It
was here that Shivaji's general, Tanaji
Malusare launched an attack to recapture
the fort.
In the ensuing battle, Tanaji valiantly
laid down his life, but captured the fort.
A grieving
Shivaji is known to have said,"Gad ala pan
sinh gela" (The fort is won but the lion
has gone). And this is how the fort got
its name: sinh (lion's) gad (fort). |
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Bassein
Bassein
Fort, now in ruins, was under the Portuguese
a thriving fortified
city from 1534 to 1739 when it was sacked
by the Marathas. The ruins of the Portuguese
Fort
still stand almost hidden by brushwood and
palm groves. Some of the walls and churches
can still be seen.
About 10 kms to the north-west lies Nalasopara
village, the capital of the Konkan region from
1500 BC to AD 1300. Many Buddhist relics were
discovered here. Nalasopara is believed to have
been the birthplace of the Buddha in a previous
life. To the north, is the Agar of Agashi and
to the south is the Agar of Bassein. An hour
by bus from Bassein station are the Vajreshwari
Temple and Akoli Hot Springs.
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Daulatabad
Rising
dramatically over 600 ft above the Deccan plain
is the arresting sight of Daulatabad. Once
known as Devgiri, this fort served as the head
quarters
of the powerful Yadava rulers. In the 13th
century, Mohammed bin Tughlak, the Sultan of
Delhi, made
it his capital and renamed it Daulatabad, or
City of Fortune.
One of the world's
best preserved forts of medieval times, surviving
virtually unaltered, Daulatabad still displays
many of the internal contrivances that made it
invincible. A series of secret, quizzical subterranean
passages lie amidst the fort. Its defense systems
comprised fortifications of double and even triple
rows of massive walls. A fortress conquered only
by treachery!
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Gavilgad
Shrouded
in mist and myths is the Gavali tribal fort
of Gavilgad or Gavaligad, on the Chikhaldara
plateau, now under the Melghat Tiger Project.
Featured in the epic, the Mahabharata, this
is the place where Bheema killed the villainous
Keechaka in a herculean bout and then threw
him into the valley. It thus came to be known
as Keechakadara -- Chikhaldara is its corruption.
At Gavilgad, the bloody history continues,
though the serenity of the dense forests around
it camouflage the turbulent past. |
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Ghodbunder
Beyond
the hustle bustle of cities, is an option that's
happily rustic. An option that gives you a panoramic
view of the
Bassein Creek, Winding Rivers, lofty hills and
playful little island fanned by tall palms. And
at Ghodbunder Forts, you can relive the excitement
of the Portuguese and Maratha occupations. |
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Murud
and Janjira
Formerly
the capital town of the Siddis of Janjira, Murud
is today popular for its alluring beach, whispering
casurina, coconut and betel palms and an ancient
fort. On a hillock to the north is the shrine
of Lord Dattatreya, the three heads representing
Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. Battered on all
four sides by sea waves, its strong walls yet
standing intact and 40 feet high even at full
tide is the majestic island fortress of the Siddis
-- Murud-Janjira. |
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Murud
and Harnai
South of old Harnai
fort, the palm-fringed beach of Murud
is famous for its clean, white
sands and safe waters. Visit the Goa Killa
or Harnai Fort, which is built on different
levels.
See Panhale kazi, the Famous rock-cut monument,
30 kms. from Murud-Harnai. |
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Panhala
The
history of Panhala Fort is also the history of
the
Marathas. There are innumerable places of
interest , each with its share of haunting anecdotes.
Sajja Kothi, where Sambhaji was imprisoned.
Ambabai Temple, where Shivaji used to seek
blessings before venturing on expeditions.
Pavankhind, where Baji Prabhu laid down his
life to cover Shivaji's escape.
The largest of
all Deccan forts, Panhala, was built between
AD 1178-1209. Though it was the seat of
the Shilahara dynasty since AD 1190, and held
successively
by the Yadava and Bahamani kingdoms, it
is
today redolent with memories of Shivaji.
Not surprising, though considering that this
is
one of the few forts in which Shivaji spent
more than 500 days! Visit the innermost
citadel, or march past the three magnificent
double-walled
gates which guard the entry to the fort.
You will be awestruck by the huge granary,
Amberkhana, said to contain 25,000 khandis (50,000
mounds)
of corn poured into it from symmetrical
gaps in the ceiling.
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Vijaydurg
and Sindhudurg
Once naval bases,
Vijaydurg and Sindhudurg bear testimony to
Maharashtra's
martial supremacy during Shivaji's reign. Vijaydurg
or Victory Fort was strengthened around the
seventeenth century by Shivaji, to whom it
owes its finest
features -- the triple line of walls, the numerous
towers and the massive interior buildings.
Once seized by the British and renamed Fort
Augustus,
Sindhudurg or the Ocean Fort at Malvan port
has history etched all over.
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