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46-531: Harishchandra Fort is a hill fort in the Ahilyanagar(Ahmednagar) district of India . Its history is linked with that of Malshej Ghat , Kothale village and it has played a role in guarding and controlling the surrounding region. The fort is quite ancient. Remnants of Microlithic man have been discovered here. The various Puranas (ancient scriptures) like Matsyapurana, Agnipurana and Skandapurana include many references about Harishchandragad. Its origin
92-459: A totem of tribes Mahadev Koli . They were controlling the fort before Moguls . Later the fort was under the control of Moguls. The Marathas captured it in 1747. To the east of the temple is a well-built lake called “Saptatirtha”. On its bank are temple-like constructions in which there are idols of Lord Vishnu. Recently these idols have been shifted in the caves near the temple of Harishchandreshwar. These days many trekkers have been responsible for
138-407: A walk of 2–3 hours, we reach the temple of Harishchandreshwar, the temple of Lord Shiva. Also there is one interesting short route if one has to skip the seven hills. By this route, you can reach the temple in 1 hour instead of 2 hours through seven hills but this route goes through very very dense forests hence if you are in group of many people, this route can be tried. After climbing
184-474: Is a big Shiva Linga , which is completely surrounded by water. Its height from the base is five feet, and the water is waist-deep. It is quite difficult to reach the Shiva Linga because the water is ice-cold. There are sculptures carved out in the cave. In the monsoon it is not possible to reach this cave, as a huge stream flows across the way. Actually this is the origin of River Mangalganga. As can be seen from
230-406: Is a small pond of pure natural water available at that pond. The history of that pond is that some years ago this pond provided water for all cowboys who came from the nearest villages. Pachnai is surrounded by mountain and in monsoon you can get visual of five falls from base. The water tanks near the caves provide water all round the year for basic needs. The perennial stream running near the caves
276-451: Is another way to reach Harischandragad is from Pachnai village, a village you can reach by buses or private vehicles. Buses coming from Rajur, Akole or from Kotul. From Kotul the distance is 25 km with buses going every hour towards Pachnai & Kothale. From kothale pachnai is 5 km away, you can reach there by local transport. Harischandragad is 3 km away from Pachnai. To reach Harischandragad you need to go by foot. On this way there
322-470: Is located. The fascinating thing about this temple is that it has been carved out from a single huge rock. There are entrances from all four sides. On the main entrance there are sculptures of faces. These are faces of guards of the temple. On the left side of the entrance is a Devnagri inscription, which is about saint Changdev. Harishchandragad lies where the boundaries of Thane, Pune and Ahmednagar districts converge. 1) From Thane District: One has to board
368-470: Is on the northwestern side of the fort, to the right of Kokan Kada. Many other caves are still said to remain undiscovered. This is a great antique construction, and diverse artistic works are seen on this. On the ceiling of the temple are carvings. The main attraction of the carvings here is the 1.5 m long sculpture of Lord Vishnu in the sleeping posture, popularly known as "Sheshshayi Vishnu" in Marathi. It
414-413: Is rare and hence holds a lot of importance. There are a lot of legends told about this sculpture. There are caves near the temple. This temple is marvelous example of the fine art of carving sculptures out of stones that prevailed in ancient India. It is about 16 m high from its base. Around this temple there a few caves & ancient water tanks. The river Mangal Ganga is said to originate from one of
460-417: Is reported to have buried 8,000 skulls of Mughals killed by him into the foundation. During the building of Purandar Fort one its bastions gave way several times. The king of Berar then ordered his minister, Esaji Naik Chive to bury a first-born son and his wife into the foundation of the bastion. This was promptly done and after a further offering of gold and bricks. When the bastion was finished Esaji Naik
506-399: Is said to have been in the 6th century, during the rule of Kalachuri dynasty. The citadel was built during this era. The various caves probably have been carved out in the 11th century. In these caves are idols of Lord Vishnu. Though the cliffs are named Taramati and Rohidas, they are not related to Ayodhya. Great sage Changdev (one who created the epic Tatvasaar ), used to meditate here in
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#1732902646617552-498: Is the major source for drinking water. It is advisable to refrain from drinking water at the tank near to caves. While in monsoon, there are a number of waterfalls around the caves which provide potable water. Potable water is available from the tanks which are present in the temple compound. On weekends during summer and winter, the villagers sell lemon water and buttermilk at 2–3 points between Tolar Khind and Harishchandreshwar. Basic meals are available at 7–8 temporary shacks over
598-581: The Sanskrit word durga , or Urdu word qila or the Hindi word garh or gad in Rajasthan, and Maharashtra is common. For example, Suvarnadurg , Mehrangarh , Sudhagad etc. Three major methods were used for the construction of ancient Indian forts. The first consisted of earthen ramparts . Often they were constructed of the sand which was dug out of the ditch surrounding the fort. The second of rubble with earth on
644-518: The 14th century. The caves are from the same period. The various constructions on the fort and those existing the surrounding region point to the existence of diverse cultures here. The carvings on the temples of Nageshwar (in Khireshwar village), in the Harishchandreshwar temple and in the cave of Kedareshwar indicate that the fort belongs to the medieval period , since it is related to mahadeva as
690-551: The French and the growing might of the Company resulted in stronger and more complex designs for the second round of construction, the design of Fort St George reflecting the influences of the French engineer Vauban . Although no Indian forts were destroyed by sudden disasters, there are several which were abandoned due to the ambitions of their rulers and have consequently deteriorated over time. Very few castles have survived unchanged since
736-635: The Khubi Phata village on Malshej road. Forts in India The existence of the earliest forts in India have been substantiated by documentation and excavation. In the medieval times, the architecture of the forts had both Hindu and Muslim influence. The forts constructed by the British initially opted for simple designs. The existing castles are continually modified and many of them are privately owned. Most of
782-519: The Muslims, closely followed by the introduction of artillery in the 16th century there were several changes to the construction and design of forts. These changes were similar to the changes that took place in Western forts with the advent of gunpowder, i.e. the lowering of walls, thickening of walls, further pushing out of bastions etc. The construction of a citadel in the center and putting in more area between
828-513: The bus for Malshej Ghat and go to the village of Belpada via Savarne village on the Malshej-Kalyan road. From here, the route goes through Sadhleghat. Here one has to climb a straight rock patch on which grips are provided. The temple is situated at a height of about 1 km from Belpada. The total distance is about 19 km. This route is not very popular and less used. Trekkers are advised to take guide and very slippery in rainy season. There
874-528: The bus for Nagar from Kalyan & alight at ‘Khubi Phata’. From there we reach the village of Khireshwar by bus or private vehicle. This village is 7 km from the foothills of the fort. 2) From Pune District: There is a daily bus from Shivajinagar ST stand (Pune) to Khireswar village. 3) From Ahmednagar District: One has to board the bus for Nashik or Mumbai & alight at Ghoti village. From Ghoti, we have to board another bus to Sangamner via Malegaon & alight at Rajur village. From here, 2 ways diverge to
920-727: The citadel and the walls was characteristic of Muslim forts (influenced in turn by the Norman mote and bailey). Classic examples of such structures are the Golkonda and Berar forts. The gates of medieval Indian forts were highly decorated. Two distinct styles are seen. The Hindu style with a lintel, and the Mughal style with an arch. Gates in Indian forts were often high and wide to allow elephants to pass. Often they had rows of sharp, stout iron spikes to dissuade an attacking army from using elephants to break down
966-399: The cliff and enjoy it rising high and falling back on the plateau. Also known as Taramanchi. This is the top most point on the fort (1429 meters). Leopards are seen in the forests beyond this peak. From here we can have a glimpse of the whole range of Naneghat and the forts near Murbad . From this Taramati point, we can have a glimpse of forts till Siddhagad near Bhimashankar in
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#17329026466171012-605: The construction of forts at each post. Mumbai fort, Fort William in Kolkata , Fort St George in Chennai were the main bastions constructed. These cities developed from the small townships outside the forts. Parsimony of the East India Company, non-availability of trained engineers and use of local materials and artisans resulted in the simple design and construction initially. The vulnerability of these earlier forts, hostilities with
1058-490: The court of Chandragupta Maurya . He describes Pataliputra as being guarded by a ditch with wooden walls. The fort had 570 towers and 54 gates with colonnaded halls decorated with gold and silver. One such hall has been excavated and is one of the oldest stone structures in India. Though most of the structures have decayed and are lost, India's legacy of ancient forts is seen mostly in the shastras (ancient Indian treatises) and in
1104-494: The forest fort suffers from monkey attacks, the earthen forts get swarmed with rodents, the water forts were plagued by diseases etc. The Manusmṛti considers the Hill fort to be the best defensive structure. Some Sanskrit text consider hill forts to be the abode of gods and hence auspicious. The Mahabharata describes the Human fort as the most effective fortification. With the advent of
1150-458: The fort, the most usual being the following ones: The way beside the caves, where water tanks are seen, proceeds further to Junnar Darwaaja (entrance From Junnar). From here, the route goes straight to Tolar Khind. Walking a few minutes from Tolar Khind, we come across a rock-patch on which railings are fixed. After ascending the railings, we come to the plateau region on which less dense forests are seen. From here, we have to cross 7 hills and after
1196-500: The fort. 1) From Rajur, one has to board the bus or a private vehicle to the village of Pachanai. From here, the way is straight to the topmost point. 2) Recently, the way from Rajur to kothale (Tolar Khind) has been made available. From Tolar Khind (Tolar valley), the temple is about 2–3 hours by walking. 3) from kotul to kothale bus facilities available way to tolar khind every hour bus going towards kothale, private vehicles also available on this route. There are 4–5 known ways up to
1242-517: The forts in India are actually castles or fortresses . But when the British Government in India were cataloging them in the 17th–19th century they used the word forts as it was common in Britain then. All fortifications whether European or Indian were termed forts. Thereafter this became the common usage in India. In local languages, the fort names are suffixed by local word for fort thus usage of
1288-457: The gates. Such a gate with spikes can be seen on the Shaniwarwada fort, Pune . The walls of the forts were often looked higher from the outside than the inside as the forts made use of the natural rock formations on hills. This not only gave an illusion of greater height but also lead to the lower walls of the fort to be entirely made up of natural rock providing almost a perfect defense against
1334-498: The outside which was more sturdy. The third type of construction was with stone and masonry work. The last was the strongest. Often materials from demolished forts were reused in the building of new forts. By 4th Century BCE, fortified cities were common in India. The largest ones were between the city of Mathura (on the Yamuna river) and Magadha (on the Ganges). Another series of forts in
1380-518: The person facing the valley. One phenomenon that can be observed at this place is the vertical cloud burst, in which the clouds nearing the cliff get sucked into the pit fall area below and are thrown vertically into the sky reaching more than 50 feet (15 m), creating the impression of a wall that is rising straight from the edge of the cliff without entering the landmass area. If you happen to visit this place in April-May, then throw your panama cap from
1426-418: The picture, there is a huge rock above the Shiva Linga. There were four pillars built around the Shiva Linga to support the cave. Another interesting thing about this place is that water seeps into this temple from the four walls on an daily basis. And owing to the water being very cold, it's difficult to reach inside too. The water continues to seep in during all the seasons during the year. During rainy season
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1472-463: The reliefs on stupas. On some of the early relief work, the carvings indicate that ancient Indian forts have crenellations, embrasures, and sloping walls. The Arthashastra the Indian treatise on military strategy describes six major types of forts differentiated by their major modes of defenses: Each of these types had its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, according to the Manusmṛti ,
1518-513: The rock patch from the Tolar Khind, follow the usual trek route going ahead and at one point, you will encounter two ways one to the right goes to the temple through seven hills and the straight one goes below the Balekilla (citadel) through very dense forests and this route reaches to the seventh mountain directly. The third way is specially meant for hikers, which is via Sadhleghat. One should board
1564-411: The sad plight of this place, as they throw plastic wastes and other things in the pond. 7 years back the water was potable , and now it isn't suitable even to swim. (However, this water is so cold in summer that you can actually feel like you are standing in a refrigeration unit.) Towards the right of Harishchandreshwar temple, there is the huge cave of Kedareshwar ( see picture ), in which there
1610-479: The south and Napta twin peaks, Ghodishep (865 meters), Ajoba (1375 meters), Kulang fort (1471 meters) in the north near the Kasara region. These caves are spread out all over the fort. Many of these are situated at the foot of Taramati peak and are the place of accommodation. A few are near the temple, whereas some are near the citadel and some far away in the forests. A 30 feet (9.1 m) deep natural cave
1656-660: The south, was on the Ujjain (on the Narmada) leading into the Deccan. These are inferred by the remains of fort walls and bastions seen on excavation at Rajagriha and at several sites in the Gangetic plain notably Kaushambi . At the latter site huge walls of burnt brick, which look like they have been battered. There are few descriptions of these ancient structures. The most noted is the one by Megasthenes , an ambassador of Seleucus I Nicator to
1702-444: The stone shell. Drainage channels were therefore installed along the length of the wall from top to bottom. The main binding material for construction was Lime mortar. The second method consisted of filling the space between the outer layers with earth mixed with rubble. This core was considerably harder than simply using rammed earth. The third and most advanced method involved the use of mortar. A rubble-built wall fastened with mortar
1748-511: The tanks located close to the temple. The top of the temple resembles construction with the north-Indian temples. A similar temple is situated in Buddha-Gaya. Here we can see many tombs, in which a typical construction is seen. These are built by well-finished arranging stones one on top of the other. There are three main caves near the temple. The cisterns near the temple provide drinking water. A short distance away, another temple called Kashitirtha
1794-403: The top, although they were sometimes fake: the parapet may be solid and the merlons shown in relief on the outside (as at Chittorgarh). What was unique is the arrangement and direction of loopholes. Loopholes were made both in the merlons themselves, and under the crenels. They could either look forward (to command distant approaches) or downward (to command the foot of the wall). Sometimes a merlon
1840-448: The use of a battering ram or war elephants to tear down the walls. The main gate to the forts was located mostly facing north direction, this was to avoid its deterioration by the rains, winds and the sun. Stone was the most important material for building fortifications in medieval India. Walls were erected by one of the following three construction methods. A wall could be an earthen rampart faced with stone on both sides. The rampart
1886-498: The water level in this cave becomes almost waist high. This cliff faces west and looks down upon the Konkan. It provides views of the surrounding region. The cliff has an overhang, but has been climbed many times. Sometimes a circular rainbow (the Brocken spectre phenomenon) can be seen from this point. It can be seen only when there is a bit of mist in the valley, and the sun is right behind
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1932-446: The weekend. Even tents can be provided by local people for accommodation. In monsoon, proper care should be taken while trekking in the rockface after Tolar khind. It is advisable not to walk on the rock face in monsoon particularly during night where one can experience heavy rainfall with thunder strikes. ST bus timings from Pune for trekkers While coming to Pune, around evening, there are many buses available around 5:30 pm from
1978-449: Was built using the earth excavated while digging the ditch, with three-quarters of it used for building a rampart and one-quarter for leveling out the surface inside the fortress and in front of the ditch. Facing the rampart with stone allowed for the erection of higher and steeper walls than those possible with a purely earthen rampart. The structure had a substantial shortcoming, however: an earthen core accumulated water, which could destroy
2024-606: Was given possession of the fort and the father of the sacrificed boy was rewarded with two villages. Along with the fortification, emphasis was also given for construction of rock cut water cistern, ponds, wells and lakes. To avoid evaporation of water, the water bodies were covered. At times rooms were built close to water bodies to keep the temperature low. Many Indian fortifications have parapets with peculiarly shaped merlons and complicated systems of loopholes , which differ substantially from similar structures in other countries. Typical Indian merlons were semicircular and pointed at
2070-582: Was pierced with two or three loopholes, but more often, one loophole was divided into two or three slits by horizontal or vertical partitions. The shape of loopholes, as well as the shape of merlons, need not have been the same everywhere in the castle, as shown by Kumbhalgarh. With the advent of the East India Company , the British established trading posts along the coast. The need for security against local rajas as well as other European rival nations led to
2116-529: Was strong and long lasting. Construction methods depended, however, on the materials available. In medieval India, several reports exist of the practice of burying humans either dead or alive in the foundations of fort walls, to ensure their stability, being widely followed. It was believed that the ghosts of those sacrificed as such would keep evil spirits away. During the building of the Sri Qila, Delhi Alauddin Khalji
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