Sudhagad is a hill fort

Hill fort

A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...

 situated in Maharashtra

Maharashtra

Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...

, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. It lies about 53 kilometres (32.9 mi) west of Pune

Pune

Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...

, 26 kilometres (16.2 mi) south of Lonavla and 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) east of Pali

Pali, Raigad

See Pali for other usesPali is a census town in Raigad District in the Indian state of Maharashtra.-Geography:Pali is located at . It has an average elevation of 207 metres .-Trekking:...

 in Raigad District

Raigad district

Raigad District , also known as Raigarh District, is a district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is located in the Konkan region. The district was renamed after Raigad, the fort which was the former capital of the Maratha leader Shivaji, and is located in the interior regions of the district,...

. The summit is 620 metres (2,034.1 ft) above sea level.

History

The origin of this fort is said to date back to the 2nd century B.C the same age as the Thanale and Khadsamble caves nearby. It was then called Bhrorapgad (after its presiding deity, Bhoraidevi). In 1436, it was captured by the Bahamani Sultan. In 1657, the Marathas took over and renamed it "Sudhagad"(the sweet one). It was a large fort and Sudhagad was considered by Shivaji as the capital of his kingdom. He surveyed it, but instead chose Raigad because of its central location.

In the regime of the Peshwas, the ‘Pantsachivas’ of Bhor became the custodians of this fort. After the annexation of princely states in 1950 the fort became patron less. As a result, the fort is in a state of ruins, even though it escaped the wrath of the British.

Major Features

The first fort has several ruins of two temples dedicated to Shiva

Shiva

Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...

. However, the temple of Bhoraidevi(its patron goddess) is well maintained temple. On the large plateua at the summit, there are two lakes, a house, a big granary, some tombs, a shrine (Vrindavan) and numerous other ruins, scattered around the fort area. There are three main gates the largest of which is called the Maha Darwaja. From the top, other forts like Sarasgad

Sarasgad

Sarasgad is a village situated near Pali in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Pali lies along the Lonavala-Khopoli road and is 110 kilometres from Pune....

, Korigad

Korigad

Korigad is a fort located about 20 km away from Lonavla in Pune district, Maharashtra, India. Its date of construction is not known but likely predates 1500. It is about 929 m above sea level...

, Dhangad, Taila-Baila are clearly visible.

Current use

Sudhagad is a popular trekking destination as it is one of the better preserved forts in Maharashtra. On the slopes of the fort there are trees of pandhri which are used to make a popular walking stick.