Torna - Swarajyache Toran



The great Torna fort also known as Prachandagad which is located in Pune district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. t is historically significant because it was the first fort captured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1646, at the age of 16. The hill has an elevation of 1,403 metres (4,603 ft) above sea level, making it the highest hillfort in the district. The name derives from Prachanda (Marathi for huge or massive) and gad (Marathi for fort).  



History: 
This fort is believed to have been constructed by the Shiva Panth in the 13th century. A Menghai Devi temple, also referred to as the Tornaji temple, is situated near the entrance of the fort.
 Malik Ahmed, a Bahamani ruler, captured this fort during the reign of Alauddin Khilji during the late 1470s.In 1646, Shivaji captured this fort at the age of sixteen thus making it one of the first forts that would become one of the forts of the Maratha empire. Shivaji Maharaj renamed the fort ' 'Prachandagad' ' as Torna and constructed several monuments and towers within it.

In the 18th century, the Mughal empire briefly gained control of this fort after the assassination of Shivaji's son Sambhaji raje. Aurangzeb, the then Mughal emperor, 
renamed this fort Futulgaib in recognition of the difficult defense the Mughals had to overcome to capture this fort. It was restored to the Maratha confederacy by the Treaty of Purandar.




Accessibility: 

Velhe is the base village for the Torna trek. 
By Road: Pune can be reached from Mumbai via Mumbai Highway in 3 hours (148 KM). From Pune city to the fort, it is a distance of 52 KM which is two hours distance to reach the fort.
By Rail: Nearest Railway station: Pune Railway station (52 KM)
By Air:  Nearest Airport: Pune Airport (52 KM)

Best time to visit: October to March 

Trek level: Medium 

Places to visit:  
The fort is massive and on a clear day Rajgad, Raigad, Sinhagad, Lingana forts can be easily seen from the fort. Approx to complete the tour of Fort. Places to visit on the fort-

1-Temple of Goddess Mengai
2-Temple of Goddess Toranjai 
3-Maal and Safeli bastions
4-Budhla Machi
5-Bini Darwaja
6- Kothi Darwaja
7- Hanuman Bastion
8- Konkan Darwaja
9-Zunjar Machi

The fort of Torna is well surrounded by mountains, lakes such as Gunjawani & Panshet, and some waterfalls too. Half of the road to this fort includes beautiful meadows, and the other half leads with unique rock-carved steps which are marvelous in structure. 


'जय शिवराय ' 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Durg Bhandar

Image
Durg Bhandar is located in Nakshi region near in Trimbakeshwar. It also known as Brahmagiri. The main highlight here is the deep rock cut steps which goes deep inside from Brahmagiri mountain.  In addition,  Brahmagiri  is the source of the Godavari River, which flows east and meets the Bay of Bengal. Durg Bhandar is shaped like a cubicle and is connected to the main mountain by a natural rock bridge. To go to Durg Bhandar, one must first travel to Brahmagiri, from whence the journey to   Durg Bhandar   begins from Shiv Jata Temple.  Climbing allows one to take in the beauty of the building as well as the history of the location. All ancient structures, carved idols, caverns, stairs, and temples may be seen while ascending. The course is simple and safe, with fences and refreshments offered along the way. The hike to Brahmagiri is magnificent and gorgeous, wit h two entrance gates that are finely carved, and a large Hanuman idol carved into the rock. History: This fort was built during
Read more

Durg Durgeshwar Raigad

Image
 We learn about history; we speak about history but are we witness of that history?   These forts are real witness about that great history. Raigad is one of the most important forts in the history of Marathas. Raigad is one of the most famous trekking destinations in Maharashtra. Trek to Raigad takes about 2 hours to reach the top of the fort. One can experience the splendid natural beauty of Raigad in the monsoon season. June to October is the best season to enjoy the eye-pleasing views of surrounding Sahyadri Mountain Range. In monsoon season, local people set food stalls in between the trekking route of Raigad. Overall, it is an exciting trek.  History:   Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj won this fort in 1656 in a battle with Chandrarao More, a feudal lord ruling a part of the Western Ghats. Due to the fort's massive size, steep slopes and easy communication with the mainland and the sea, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj chose this fort as his capital in 1662. Raigad fort has been witnes
Read more

Sudhagad

Image
The one and only fort which was considered before Raigad for eastablishing as the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja's Swarajya.   Sudhagad also known as Bhorapgad  Which is located in the Pali district of Maharashtra.  History:  It was captured in 1436 by the Bahamani Sultan. The Marathas took over and Renamed it form 'Bhorapgad' to 'Sudhagad' in 1657.  It was a large fort and was considered by Maharaj as the capital of the kingdom. But after survey Maharaja chose Raigad as capital because of its central location.  Accessibility:   Base village is Thakurwadi for Sudhagad fort.  By bus: Direct bus available to Pali (98 km) and Pali you can take a bus to Thakurwadi(base village). By train: Direct train Dadar – Khopoli then opt for bus. By road: Mumbai – Khopoli – Pali – Thakurwadi – Sudhagad fort. Best time to visit: Monsoon & Winter  Trek Level: Easy  Places to visit in the fort:  1. Lake  2. Taak Maak Point  3. Maha Darwaza 4. Bho
Read more