Vajragad

Most visitors see both the Vajragad and the Purandar fort together. Most people tend to favor the Purandar fort as it is the larger of the two. However both of them have seen a lot of history, they have gone through many upheavals. The forts figure frequently in the rising of the legendary Maratha leader Shivaji against the Bijapur kingdom and the Mughals. These forts, tucked high in the Western Ghat at 4,472 feet offered immense power to young Shivaji in his heydays.

During the reign of Bahadur Shah of Ahmednagar in 1596, the sultanate granted the rights for Poona and Supa to Maloji Bhosale, grandfather of Shivaji. The hill forts of Purandar and Vajragad were included in it. Shivaji, a bare lad of 19 managed to take control of the fort by maneuvering his military prowess in 1646. But his achievements were short lived as it was soon besieged by the army of Aurangzeb, under the able command of Mirja Raja Jai Singh. Finding it difficult to stomach defeat, Shivaji went for a truce, as a result of which, a vast number of forts, along with Purandar and Vajragad went under Aurangzeb’s control. Shivaji was made a Jagirdar or glorified tenant. Shivaji revolted soon enough. But that is another story.

If you are interested in Indian history, particularly Maratha history, then you should certainly visit the Vajragad fort. But you should see both these forts together. You can do so on any weekend. They are close to each other. There isn’t too much to see inside if you compare with some other forts of India. But you can still see the remnants of a glorious past.

How to reach: Saswad was traditionally the base village from where most people began their ascent to the Vajragad and the Purandar forts. However over the years, the city of Pune has grown so much that the village is now on the outskirts today. There are buses that can take you there. If you are driving then you should park your vehicle ay the parking lot here.