Fort Vajragad

किल्ले वज्रगड

Fort Type: Hill Fort

Fort Height: 4400 ft (approx) from min-sea level

Base Village: Narayanpur

Time to reach from base village: 1 to 1.5 hours (via Purandar)

Grade: Easy

Fort Description:

Today, the Fort Vajragad has nothing to offer except few basic ROCK-CLIMBING learning skills. The fort is very close to the Fort Purandar. Fort Vajragad is also known as "Rudramal". When Mughals, under the leadership of Mirzaraje Jaysingh, attacked the kingdom of Chatrapati Shijavji Maharaj, their army surrounded the Purandar fort alongwith the Fort Vajragad. It was the Fort Vajragad which fell to Dilekhan's army and thus making it more easier for the Mughals to launch severe attack on Purandar fort. The location of both these forts i.e. Fort Purandar and Fort Vajragad is such that, if anyone of these fort fell to enemy's hand, the other fort will fell automatically.After the Treaty of Purandar, Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj handed 23 forts to Mughals. Vajragad was one of them. The main entrance i.e. Maha Darwaja of this fort is still in good condition and shows the strength of the fort.
How to reach Vajragad from Purandar?

When you enter Purandar via Bini-darwaja, proceed towards the statue of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. One pathway will go towards your left hand side when you are facing the statue. Take that pathway and proceed on the same. The fort Vajragad is at your right side. The pathway do not have directions/signs to take turn towards the fort. You have to take a right turn which slightly shows a minor incline and from the bushes you have to find out the way to the main door. From the Statue of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, it will take around 30-45 mins to reach to the main door of Vajragad(if you are not lost).

How to reach?

Own Vehicle:

1. From Pune Satara Road via Katraj GhatYou can visit this fort by taking Pune Satara road. Take a left turn at KETKAVLE. Again take the road going towards the left side where the right side road will take you to the Balaji Temple. This road will take you to Narayanpur. At Narayanpur, you visit the Shri Gurudev Datta Temple and the Mahadeo temple. This Mahadeo temple was built in Yadava's dynasty.Keep going ahead of Narayanpur, you will find a road going towards your right. Take this road and this road will take you directly to the foothills of the fort.

2. From Dive GhatYou can visit this fort by taking the Dive Ghat route as well. After crossing the Dive Ghat, you will come in the SASWAD village. After crossing the ST Stand in Saswad, you will find a road going towards your right hand side. This road will take you to Narayanpur. Before Narayanpur, you will find a signboard indicating road towards Purandar. This road is at your left hand side. This is the same road decsribed above.
Via Pune

S.T. bus to Saswad from Pune takes us to the foothills of Purandar fort. Pune-Narayanpur bus is also available to reach up to the base village, Narayanpur.Via SaswadS.T. bus to Bhor from Saswad will drop you at the bus-stop of 'Purandar Ghat matha' in Narayanpur village. A road on the left side along the two houses situated on mountain ahead leads to Bini Darwaja of Purandar which can be reached approximately in 45 minutes.

Food and drinking water facilty:
Food and drinking water is not available on the fort. Either you carry your own or get it from the Purandar Fort.
Accomodation:
Accomodation is not available on Vajragad.

Kille Malhargad

किल्ले मल्हारगड

Type: Hill Forts

District: Pune

Height: 3100 Ft.

Time to reach-
From Sonori Village - 45 mins
From Zendewadi - 1 hour

Grade: Easy

Fort Description

This was the last fort that Maratha's built and also supposed to be the last built fort in Maharashtra. This fort was built by a Peshwa Sardar called "Panse". Panse was cheif-in-charge of TOF-KHANA of Peshwa. Thorle Madhavrao has visited this fort. Panse also has a palace in the village Sonori. This village is at the foothills of this fort. There is a saying that a Tunnel from this palace which takes us to the Fort. But I have not seen any evidance of this yet. It may exists though. As we all know that a tunnel exists in Pune's Shaniwarwada that opens on Parwati.

This fort is also known as SONORI FORT as the Sonori village is the base village of this fort.
The main aim of building this fort was to keep a check on Dive Ghat.

There is also a saying about why the name is MALHAR-GAD. When Panse started the construction of this fort, the workers said they see blood coming out of the soil. So to stop this, Panse prayed the GOD MALHAR also known as KHANDOBA of Jejuri. Jejuri is near by this fort.

Jejuri is a holy place where KHANDOBA is worshiped. Khandoba is an incarnation of Lord Shiva.
And Panse said that if the blood stopes, he will name the fort after Khandoba. After his prayer the blood stopped and Panse named the fort as MALHAR-GAD.

Must See
This fort is very small fort and can be completely seen in around 45 minutes. The walls of this fort are not as huge as we are used to see when we visit Rajgad, Torna and Raigad!!!

After entering through the door on eastern side and then taking left, we can see some partial leftovers of the fort. A dry well can also be seen. As you go further, you can see a pond.

The water in the pond is not drinkable. Yet another well is located at the top of the fort on the way to a bastion, which is also dry. There are two entrances near this bastion. One below it is blocked and one on the right side is open. The road, which comes from Zendewadi base village, meets at this door.

You can see two temples one temple which is larger than the other is of Lord Mahadev and the smaller is of Lord Malhar.

You can see palace of Panse in Sonori village. The palace has got 6 bastions and temple of Lord Ganesha and temple of Lord Laxmi-Nayaran.

How to reach?

There are two ways to reach to fort Malhargad
1. From Sonori
This village is situated at a distance of 6 k.m. from Sasvad. Daily three buses depart for Sonori from Sasvad. Malhargad can be seen from this village. One can climb up the fort along the ridge of the hill, and moving along the side of the Tower, we reach at the entrance door of the fort.

2. From Zendewadi
There is an off-shoot route to Zendewadi village, after Dive ghat along the Pune-Sasvad route. The Zendewadi village is at a. distance of about 2 k.m. from this off-shoot. Plantation of Zendu can be seen. After passing this village we have to reach a cleft, upto which Malhargad is not visible. A well fortified Malhargad can be reached from this cleft in half-an-hours time.

Drinking water and accommodation

Only 5-6 people can just be accommodated in the temple of Lord Mahadeva on the citadel. Also one can reside in the local schools at Sonori or Zendewadi.But one has to carry ample water and food with him/her.