Pratapgad Fort Maharashtra

-

Pratapgad Fort
Maharashtra


Pratapgad meaning Valour Fort is a huge fort situated in the Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the best places to visit for a day trip and will be liked people who are interested in adventure, history and nature.
This mountain fort was a built by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on a spur to look over the road between the villages of Kinesvar and Par. The fort is 15 kilometers away from Poladpur and 23 kilometers away from the west of Mahabaleshwar which is also a popular hill station. It stands 1080 meters above the sea level. It is also known for the Battle of Pratapgarh which was fought between Shivaji and Afzal khan beneath the rampants of the fort.

The fort is divided into two parts- the lower fort and the upper fort. The upper fort which is a rough square shaped fort is built on the crest of the hill. There are a few permanent buildings that include a temple of god Mahadev. The fort is surrounded by sheer cliffs that drop up to 250m. this part is located in the northwest part of the fort.

The lower fort is located in the southeast is around 110m wide and 320m long. It is also surrounded and protected by bastions and towers which are almost 10 to 12m high. There is also a tower named Afzal tower named after Afzal Khan whose head is supposed to be buried underneath the tower. It is made to protect the approach towards the fort.

 

HISTORY OF THE ATTRACTION


The task of building the fort was given to prime minister of Shivaji named Moropant Trimbak Pingle and was constructed for defending the river banks of Koyna and Nira rivers. The famous Battle of Pratpgarh was also fought here. After numerous invasions and destruction, in the year 1957, a 17 feet high statue of Shivaji made of equestrian bronze was unveiled. The same year a road was constructed by PWD for better communication and transportation. In the year 1960, a national park and a guest house was also built inside the fort. This fort is now owned by Uday Raje Bhosale who is the heir to the former princely State of Satara.

 

GETTING THERE


This fort is located 25 kilometers from Mahabaleshwar and one can avail for buses that go to this fort. With a road constructed by the government, reaching the fort is not difficult.

 

OPENING/ CLOSING TIMINGS AND DAYS


The fort is open for all days of the week from 10:00 AM to 05:00 PM.

 

BEST TIME TO VISIT


The best time to visit this fort is during winter seasons. One can also visit this heritage site during holidays. It comes under Maharashtra tour department and is promoted by Maharashtra tourism.


ENTRY FEES


No entry fee is needed to enter the fort.

THINGS TO DO IN AND AROUND


The place is perfect for sightseeing and the best choice for tourists who love to dwell amidst nature. It is a famous tourist attraction with the following things to see:
  • ·        Rahat Lake
  • ·        Bhavani Temple
  • ·        Bastions
  • ·        Entrance of Bale Killa
  • ·        Statue of Shivaji Maharaj
  • ·        Watch towers on the fort
  • ·        Beautiful Sahyadri Mountains
  • ·        Afzal Buruj 
  • ·        Afzal Khan’s tomb

It is also perfect for camping and trekking.




Location: Poladpur Mahabaleshwar Road, Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra 412806, India

Comments

Post a Comment

Thanks for your valuable response,
Go Trekking

Popular posts from this blog

Panhala Fort Maharashtra

-
Image
Panhala Fort  Maharashtra Panhala Fort, one of the recognised forts of Maharashtra is also known as Panhalgad, Panhalla or Panalla. The word literally means “the house of the serpents”. This fort is based in Panhala which is 20 km northwest in Maharashtra, India. The fort speaks of the ancient Indian heritage and also of the grand reign of Shivaji Maharaj here. The fort is strategically placed where it can help to keep a vigilance over the pass in Sahyadri mountain ranges. This pass happens to be one of the main trade routes from Bijapur to the coastal areas. Due to this strategic position of the fort, it has been witnessing many wars and struggles between the Mughals, the Marathas and also the East India Company over the decades. This is the famous fort where the illustrated Tarabai have spent her formative years. Large part of the interiors of the fort has been kept intact the way they were since the beginning of their times. The fort is a great tourist attraction and is...
Read more

Khanderi-Underi Fort Maharashtra

-
Image
Khanderi-Underi Fort Maharashtra This fort is in the form of Jaladurga type. This fort of Raigad district is considered to be easy to trekkers in the Konkan hill range. Very well-known to the well-known trekkers of Sahyadri, but very few of these trekkers are seen as the pair of stairs actually seen in the fort, ie Khede Khanderi-Andheri. The specialty of the Khanderi-Underi, facing the waves of the sea, is the strong fortification, the 15-16 guns on the Undertaker, and the 3 guns in the caravan carrying very rare guns on Khanderi. History Khanderi (Official name Kanhoji Angre Island) is located 5 km off the coast of Maharashtra (off Thal, Kihim) and 20 km south of Mumbai. Khanderi, along with its sister fort Underi (Jaidurg) formed the major fortification along the Maharashtra coast, the former falling under Shivaji's control and the latter under his opponents, the Siddis. The island consists of two high hills, one facing north and the other facing s...
Read more