Sinhagad

2021-08-09T08:41:24Z

103.100.80.62: /* History */

{{short description|Hill Fort in Maharashtra, India}}
{{for|the film|Sinhagad (film)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox military structure
| name = Sinhagad Fort
| location = [[Pune District]], [[Maharashtra]], India
| image = File:Sinhagad Fort in maharastra.jpeg
| caption = Sinhagad Fort
| pushpin_map =India Maharashtra#India
| pushpin_mapsize =300
| pushpin_map_caption =Shown within [[Maharashtra]]
| coordinates = {{coord|18|21|56.39|N|73|45|18.97|E|type:mountain_region:IN_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| height = 1312m(4304ft)
| type = Hill Fort
| owner =
*[[Adil Shahi dynasty]] (1649-56)
*[[Maratha]] (1647-49; 1656-65; 1670-74)
*{{flag|Maratha Empire}} (1674-89; 1693-1703; 1706-1818)
*{{flagicon image|Alam of the Mughal Empire.svg}} [[Mughal Empire]] (1665-70; 1689-93; 1703-06)
*{{flagicon image|Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg}} [[British East India Company]] (1818-1858)
*{{flag|British Empire}} (1858-1947)
*{{flag|India}} (1947–present)
}}
'''Sinhagad''' is a hill fortress located at around 35 km southwest of the city of [[Pune]], [[India]]. Some of the information available at this fort suggests that the fort could have been built 2000 years ago. The caves and the carvings in the Kaundinyeshwar temple stand as proofs for the same.

Previously known as ''Kondhana'', the fort had been the site of many battles, most notably the [[Battle of Sinhagad]] in 1670.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Majumdar|first=Ramesh Chandra|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c8IKAQAAIAAJ|title=The Delhi Sultanate|date=1967|publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan|isbn=|location=|pages=69|language=en}}</ref> Perched on an isolated cliff of the Bhuleswar range in the [[Sahyadri]] Mountains, the fort is situated on a hill about 760 metres above ground and 1,312 metres above mean sea level.{{cn|date=June 2016}}

The Sinhagad (''Lion's Fort'') was strategically built to provide natural protection due to its very steep slopes. The walls and bastions were constructed only at key places. There are two gates to enter the fort, the Kalyan Darwaza and Pune Darwaza, positioned at the southeast and northeast ends.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/MTDC/HTML/MaharashtraTourism/TouristDelight/Forts/Forts.aspx?strpage=KondanasinhagarhFort.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080108045950/http://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/MTDC/HTML/MaharashtraTourism/TouristDelight/Forts/Forts.aspx?strpage=KondanasinhagarhFort.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 January 2008|title=Sinhagad Fort|access-date=18 May 2012}}</ref> The fort was also strategically located at the centre of a string of other [[Maratha Empire]] forts such as [[Rajgad Fort]], [[Purandar Fort]] and [[Torna Fort]].

==History==

[[Image:Sinhgad entrance.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The entrance to Sinhagad]]

The Sinhagad Fort was initially known as "Kondhana" after the sage [[Kaundinya]]. The Kaundinyeshwar temple coupled with the caves and carvings indicates that the fort had probably been built around two thousand years ago. It was seized by [[Muhammad bin Tughlaq]] from the [[Koli People|Koli]] king Nag Naik in 1328 AD.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=goJ7vpAgV0sC&q=nag+naik|title=Nagpur University Journal: humanities|date=1973|publisher=Nagpur University|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XUBR8W0LbSAC&q=nag+naik&pg=PA441|title=Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency ..., Volume 18, Part 3|last=State)|first=Bombay (India|date=1885|publisher=Government Central Press|language=en}}</ref>

[[Image:View from Sinhagad Pune Darwaja.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Sinhagad: View from the "Pune Darwaja"]]

[[Shahaji Bhosale]], as the commander of [[Ibrahim Adil Shah II]], was entrusted with the control of the Pune region. His son [[Shivaji]], refused to accept the [[Adilshahi]] and initiated the task of setting up Swarajya. [[Shivaji]] gained control of Kondana in 1647 by convincing Siddi Amber, the Adilshahi Sardar who controlled the fort, that he, the son of Shahaji Bhosale, could manage the fort's defenses optimally. [[Bapuji Mudgal Deshpande]] played a key role in this activity. Adil Shah jailed Siddi Amber for this treasonous act and schemed to get it back. He imprisoned Shahaji Bhosale for a concocted crime and informed Shivaji. In 1649, Adil Shah traded the fort for Shahaji's release. Shivaji recaptured it in 1656 again with the help of [[Bapuji Mudgal Deshpande]] who convinced the Fort commander by giving land in the newly created [[Khed Shivapur]] village and peacefully gained control of the fort.

This fort saw attacks by Mughals in 1662, 1663, and 1665. In 1664, [[Shaista Khan]], a Mughal general, tried to bribe the people of the fort to hand it over to him but was unsuccessful.

Through the [[Treaty of Purandar (1665)|Treaty of Purandar]], the fort passed into the hands of the Mughal army chief Mirza Raja [[Jai Singh I]] in the year 1665.

In 1670, Shivaji reconquered the fort for the third time through his Subedar, [[Tanaji Malusare]] in [[Battle of Sinhagad]], and the fort came and stayed under the Maratha rule till 1689 A.D.

After the death of [[Sambhaji]], the Mughals regained control of the fort. The Marathas headed by "Sardar Balkawade", recaptured it in 1693. [[Rajaram I]] took asylum in this fort during a Mogul raid on Satara but died in the Sinhagad Fort on 3 March 1700 A.D.

In 1703, [[Aurangzeb]] conquered the fort. In 1706, it once again went into the hands of the Maratha's. Panaji Shivdev of [[Sangola]], Visaji Chafer, and the Pant Pratinidhis played a key role in this battle. The fort remained under Maratha's rule till the year 1818, after which the British conquered it.

===Battle of Sinhagad===
{{Main|Battle of Sinhagad}}

[[File:019XZZ000000123U00013000(SVC2).jpg|thumb|right|A watercolor painting of Pune dating back to the late Peshwa era by British artist, [[Henry Salt (Egyptologist)|Henry Salt]]. The picture clearly depicts the towering Sinhagad Fort in the background]]
One of the most famous battles on Sinhgad was fought by [[Tanaji Malusare]], general of [[Shivaji]] of the Maratha Empire in order to recapture the fort on March 1670<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gordon|first1=Stewart|title=The Marathas 1600-1818|date=1993|publisher=Cambridge University|location=New York|isbn=9780521268837|page=70|edition=1. publ.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iHK-BhVXOU4C&q=malusare&pg=PR9}}</ref>

[[File:Sinhagad Panorama.jpg|right|thumb|View from Sinhagad]]

A steep cliff leading to the fort was scaled in the dead of the night with the help of a tamed [[Bengal monitor|monitor lizard]] named "Yashwant", colloquially known as a Ghorpad. Thereafter, A fierce battle ensued between Tanaji and his men versus the Mughal army headed by Udaybhan Singh Rathod, a Rajput Sardar who had control of the fort. Tanaji Malusare lost his life, but his brother Suryaji took over and captured the Kondana fort, now known as Sinhagad.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindubooks.org/sudheer_birodkar/hindu_history/landmaratha.html|title=Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the National Revival under the Marathas|author=Sudheer Birodkar|publisher=hindubooks.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000930070043/http://www.hindubooks.org/sudheer_birodkar/hindu_history/landmaratha.html|archive-date=30 September 2000}}</ref>

There is an anecdote that upon hearing of Tanaji's death, Shivaji expressed his remorse with the words, "''Gad ala, pan Sinha gela''" - "''The Fort is conquered, but the Lion was lost''".

According to some, the name Sinhagad predates this event. A bust of Tanaji Malusare was established on the fort in memory of his contribution to the battle.<ref name=Verma>{{cite book|title=Forts of India|last=Verma|first=Amrit|publisher=The Director, Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India|pages=83–86|location=New Delhi|isbn=81-230-1002-8}}</ref>

==Culture and Tourism==
[[File:Subedar Tanaji Malusare Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A memorial commemorating [[Tanaji Malusare]] atop the Sinhgad Fort. Despite being vastly outnumbered against the Mughal Army, this brave Maratha Sardar led his forces to a decisive victory in the [[Battle of Sinhagad|Battle of Sinhgad]] (1670 CE)]]
The Fort is a popular weekend destination for many residents of Pune, including trekking enthusiasts with access to the top of the fort from the base of the Sinhagad village.<ref>{{cite news |last1=D'costa |first1=Melissa |title=Why Sinhagad fort is a popular site with trekkers and picnickers |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/why-sinhagad-fort-is-a-popular-site-with-trekkers-and-picnickers/articleshow/73171672.cms |access-date=12 September 2020 |work=The Times of India |date=10 January 2020 |language=en}}</ref> The trek involves a one-way walk of 2.7 km (1.6 miles) over which the walker gains about 600 m (1950 feet) in elevation.

Parts of the once extensive fortification are in ruins. The fort houses a memorial to Tanaji as well as the tomb of Rajaram I. Visitors can see the military stables, a brewery and a temple of the goddess [[Kali]] (goddess) along with a Hanuman statue to the right side of the temple, as well as the historic gates. The original commemorative memorial of Tanaji Malusare has been unearthed by the restoration workers at Sinhagad Fort in Feb 2019. The stone structure was found buried under cement, concrete, and layers of oil paint and is believed to be around 350 years old.<ref name="memorial of Tanaji Malusare">{{cite news |title=A warrior's memorial comes to light |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a-warriors-memorial-comes-to-light/article26262366.ece |access-date=14 February 2019 |agency=thehindu |work=The Hindu}}</ref>

Sinhagad Fort has played a vital role in India's freedom struggle. [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak|Bal Gandagdhar Tilak]] also known as 'The Father of Indian Unrest', used the fort as a summer retreat. It is here where [[Mahatma Gandhi]] after his return from South Africa had a historic meeting with Tilak. The bungalow has his bust at the entrance.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/2003/10/19/stories/2003101901171800.htm|title=The tale of a once-glorious fort|access-date=5 February 2019|date=19 October 2003|last1=Ramakrishnan|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|first1=T.}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Training exercises are carried out at the fort by cadets from the [[National Defence Academy (India)|National Defence Academy]] at [[Khadakwasla]]. Cadets from the academy are regularly sent on hikes and run from NDA to Sinhagad in full battle gear.

The fort also houses a television tower for broadcasting local TV signals. Currently, Non-Vegetarian food, Partying including alcoholic beverages and smoking is banned on the fort.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pravasivishwa.com/locations/show_english/65 |title=Archived copy |access-date=3 September 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20151205045818/http://www.pravasivishwa.com/locations/show_english/65 |archive-date=5 December 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Ban-on-partying-on-Sinhagad-fort/articleshow/1062749.cms|publisher=The Times of India|date=25 March 2015|title=Ban on partying on Sinhagad fort|work=TNN|access-date=4 July 2015}}</ref>

Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited ([[Pune_Mahanagar_Parivahan_Mahamandal_Limited|PMPML]]) runs a bus service (bus number 50) from Shaniwar Wada to the Sinhagad foothills (Sinhagad Payatha).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pmpml.org/regular-service/|title=PMPML Regular Service|website=pmpml.org|access-date=20 August 2019}}</ref> The climbing route from either side of the fort can be covered in an hour. Shared taxi services to the base as well as the top of the fort are also available.
[[File:Sinhgad-Tanaji_Malusare.jpg|thumb|Sinhgad-Tanaji Malusare]]

==References==
{{reflist|3}}

==See also==
* [[List of forts in Maharashtra]]
* [[Sinhagad Express]]

{{commons category}}
{{Forts in Maharashtra}}
{{Forts in India}}
{{MarathaEmpire}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sinhagad}}
[[Category: Buildings and structures of the Maratha Empire]]
[[Category: Tourist attractions in Pune]]
[[Category: Forts in Pune district]]

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Sinhagad