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Sinhagad
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Sinhagad or Sinhgad (Devanagari, Marathi: ??????) meaning Lion Fort, is a fortress located roughly 20 kilometres southwest of the city of Pune, India. It is situated on a hill rising 800 metres above the surrounding countryside.
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Sinhagad or Sinhgad (Devanagari, Marathi: ??????) meaning Lion Fort, is a fortress located roughly 20 kilometres southwest of the city of Pune, India. It is situated on a hill rising 800 metres above the surrounding countryside. Previously called Kondana (Devanagari: ???????), the fort has been the site of many important battles, most notably the battle of Sinhagad in 1670. It was also strategically located at the center of a string of other forts such as Rajgad, Purandar and Torna.
Perched on an isolated cliff of the Bhuleswar range of the Sahyadri Mountains, its height above sea-level is 1380 metres. Given natural protection by its very steep slopes, the walls and bastions were constructed at only key places; it has two gates – the Kalyan Darwaza in the south-east and the Pune Darwaza in the north-east.
History
This fort has been quite a long history, referred to as 'Kundhana 'in a Persian poem named 'Shahanama-e-Hind', dating back to 1350 A.D. It was called 'Kondana' after the sage Kaundinya. The Kaundinyeshwar temple, the caves and the carvings indicate that this fort had probably been built two thousand years back. It was captured from the Koli tribal chieftain, Nag Naik, by Muhammad bin Tughlaq in 1328 AD.
Shahaji Bhosale, as the commander of Ibrahim Adil Shah I, was entrusted with the control of the Pune region. His son Shivaji, however, refused to accept the Adilshahi and initiated the task of setting up Swarajya. He gained control of Kondana in 1647 by bribing Siddi Amber, the Adilshahi Sardar who controlled the fort. In 1649, it had to be handed over to Adil Shah for Shahaji Maharaj's freedom. Shivaji Maharaj soon captured it back. Unfortunately it went into the hands of the Mughal army chief Mirzaraje Jaysingh, in the year 1665. In 1670, Shivaji Maharaj re-conquered this fort and then it stayed under Maratha rule till 1689. After the death of Sambhaji death, the Mughals regained control over. Again in 1693 the Marathas captured it. Rajaram died on Sinhagad on the 3rd of March 1700 & in 1703 Aurangzeb conquered it. In 1707, it once again went into the hands of the Marathas and remained with them till 1818, when the British conquered it.
Battle of Sinhagad
One of the most famous battles for Sinhagad was fought to recapture the fort by Tanaji Malusare, a general of Shivaji in March 1670. A steep cliff leading to the fort was scaled with the help of a ghorpad, or a monitor lizard. Thereafter, there ensued fierce battles between Tanaji and his men, and the fortkeeper Udaybhan Rathod and his army. Tanaji lost his life, but his brother Suryaji took over and captured Kondana.
Upon hearing of Tanaji's death, Shivaji expressed his remorse with the words: "Gad aala pan sinha gela" - "We gained the fort, but lost the lion". In honor of Tanaji's death, the fort was renamed as Sinhagad. A bust of Tanaji has been established on the fort in memory of his contribution to the battle.
Lokmanya Tilak
More recently, during the 20th century, Lokmanya Tilak, the Indian freedom fighter, built a bungalow atop the fort. Also, Gandhiji is said to have asked for water from it whenever he was imprisoned in the nearby town of Pune.
Present Day
Parts of the once extensive fortification are now in ruins, but visitors still sense how the fort acted as an active military outpost. It is a popular weekend destination for many residents of Pune, with some enthusiasts trekking to the top of the fort from the base near Sinhagad village. The site also houses a memorial to Tanaji as well as the tomb of Rajaram, Shivaji's younger son, who also died here. Visitors can see the military stables, brewery and a Kali (godddess) temple along with a Hanuman statue much to the right side of the temple, as well as the historic gates.
The fort is also part of training at National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. Cadets from the academy are regularly sent on a hikes and runs from NDA to Sinhagad in full battle gear to build endurance and stamina. The fort also houses a television tower for broadcasting local TV signals.
See also
External links
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