Travelgiri Blog

You will find many ancient but picturesque medieval forts in the Satmala Range of mountains in Maharashtra. There is one pair of forts popularly known as Ankai and Tankai that stand out. These are two different forts, but are often considered together, because they are very close to each other. These forts rise up to several hundred feet from the neighboring landscape. The Ankai fort is located at a height of 961 meters above the sea level. It has spacious surroundings measuring 700 meters x 200 meters. It was big enough to hold a lot of garrison with their armaments to hold off the approaching enemies from down below.

Situated on top of a hill and sited around 48 kilometers from the city of Dhule in Maharashtra, the Bhamer fort is unique. All quarters inside the fort are built like caves and are located underground. Yes, the Bhamer fort is famous because it is underground.

Some old forts hold their own stories while some are considered monuments. The Agra Fort in Uttar Pradesh was captured by the Mughals in 1526 from whence the legendary koh-i-Noor diamond was seized. But others are as blank as meadows suitable only for the grazing cattle. Your first impression about the Kharda Fort, situated near Ahmednagar in Maharashtra may mimic such meadows.

Most military bastions carry tales of bravery and sacrifice. Vasota Fort, which is located on the western edge of the Satara District in Maharashtra, is one such. It is covered by dense forest with the still waters of the Koyna providing a backdrop. Years ago, how this fort was fiercely defended by a stunning Marathi girl Tai Telin, who was an escort of the fort’s keeper, is folklore today. Her bravery is a shining example for Marathi women even today.

The Suvarnadurg fort is located on a rocky island in the Arabian Sea on the west coast of the Indian peninsula, close to the Ratnagiri District of Maharashtra. The fort has witnessed many naval battles between the Marathas and the invading European colonists like the British, French, Dutch and the Portuguese. Kept mostly under the control of Kanhoji Angre, Shivaji’s naval commander, the fort remained under the command of the Peshwas till 1818. Captain William of the British army attacked the fort and captured the Suvarnadurg fort eventually.

In today’s standard, even a well fortified fort or fortress can hardly provide you with an iota of protection against enemy attack. But it was different in the earlier days, especially when the Maratha Admiral Kanhoji Angre built a fort during his regime in 1729 AD at the mouth of a convenient creek (Devgad Creek). This is where the Arabian Sea made inroads into the land. It was a bastion that gave him a real stronghold against overseas invaders. It was popularly called the Devgad Fort.

The Daulatabad Fort is located 11 kilometers from Aurangabad in Maharashtra. It is witness to many stories of defeat and victory. It sits tight on an isolated cone-shaped 190 meter-high hill, constituting three concentric lines of defensive walls that provided protection and support. However, the highest defensive reinforcement which the fort enjoyed consisted of a water-filled moat and a subterranean passage. The water filled moat prevented onslaught of the enemy directly on the fort ramparts. A raging fire kindled on the iron grating of the passage helped the inmates of the fort to benefit from a different kind of fire-power.

Those of you, who are interested in Maratha heritage and history, should definitely visit the Pratapgad Fort. It is truly incredible. This is a mountain fort that is located about half an hour from Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra. This fort was constructed by Shivaji Maharaj. There are actually two forts here. At the top of the hill you will find the upper fort, and below this on the east and south, there is a lower fort. This is the place where the famous “battle of Pratapgad” was fought between Afzal Khan and Shivaji. The Maratha forces won, even though they were outnumbered. Pratapgad Fort and the battle fought here holds special significance among historians, as this is the first important military victory over a major power.

It took almost took 22 years to build (1118 to 1140) the fort and it is able to defy the incessant lashing of sea waves till today. No wonder it remained invincible to naval onslaught by the English, Portuguese and many other pirates of the sea. Why, even the great Maratha warrior Shivaji who knew forts inside out failed to enter this floating fort. Of course, its strategic location and unique 12th century architecture have largely assisted in protecting the fort from elements and foes alike. On chemical analysis, it was found that the fort was structured by a mixture of sand, lead and gul.

The Udgir fort is different in some ways than many others in Maharashtra. Most of them are hill forts in the state that were built by the Marathas, and are located in different crags and corners of the Sahyadri range of mountains. But the Udgir fort is a land fort that is located in the Latur district of Maharashtra.