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On the
way to Mumbai from Pune, you come across
the Rajmachi point, where there is a
garden. This place is known as Rajmachi
point because opposite this is the historic
Rajmachi Fort. Rajmachi Fort can be
approach only on foot. It is surrounded
by deep valleys on three sides and a
thick forest on one side. There are
three ways to reach there:
(1)
Lonavala through Tungarli village and
Dam. There is a small right turn here
which is to be avoided and take a left
turn to reach the fort.
(2)
On the railway route, get down at thakurwadi
station, cross a place called Palas
Dari and reach Rajmachi
(3)
from Karjat town one can straight away
reach Rajmachi. This fort is very old,
it probably belongs to yadav period
because there are two small fort attached
to it viz.
(a) Shrivardhan (b) Manoranjan .
Yadava's
use to name their forts in this manner,
the ancient Buddhist caves show that
these forts are ancient. Rajmachi fort
is 10 kms away from Lonavala and one
can travel through thick forests and
Deep valleys on the way.
The
fort east of Rajmachi is known as Shrivardhan
fort. Between Shrivardhan and Manoranjan,
there is an old temple of Shri Bhairavnath.
There are watchmen posts at the entrance
of the Shrivardhan fort.
The entrance is semicircular in shape
so that it is not easy to locate. A
little further there is cave belonging
to Buddha period. Remaining part of
construction is however in Maratha style.
This can be made out from Ganesha on
the door.
There are two huge water tanks on this
fort. Both have water all year round.
One of them is near the caves and the
other one near the fort. At one end
there are residences of the people staying
on the fort and on the other end for
the guards.
Lohagad, Visapur, Tungi, Korigad, Nagfani
etc. Can be seen from here
Manoranjan
can be approached from the road behind Bhairavnath
temple. The entrance is in a state of ruin
and the watchmen houses and ammunition depots
on the fort can only be seen. There is square
lake of water, which is filled with clean
water all year round.
A straight rock divides this lake into two
parts and the person knowing this place can
walk through it. Khandala railway station
can be seen from here. Besides the fort at
Pali, Karnala, Matheran, Nagfani etc. can
also be seen.
This
fort is located to the east of Lohagad fort
and it has a huge plateau surrounding it.
The fort is famous for its protective walls
with intricate designs. These walls and designs
have remained in good shapes even after facing
centuries of torrential rains.
The fort guard's residence in the forest at
the center is in ruins. On the right hand
side one can still see the gun turret. This
turret is made of copper. Unfortunately, it
is missing today. There is a pass of 1 - 15
furlongs between Visapur and Lohagad forts.
This semicircular pass can be seen from the
railway bridge at Lonavala Station. According
to a legend, a brave woman is supposed to
have crossed this valley on a rope.
This
fort belongs to Shivaji's period and is 10
kms from Lonavala. It was used for keeping
prisoners in the year 1564. Shivaji Maharaj
won this fort in 1670 in the year 1751, Gaikwad
and Dabhade family were incarcerated in this
fort. First Delhi gate - the entrance of the
Lohagad fort is a spectacular sight. There
are three gates one after the other.
The third gate especially is very exquisite.
On entering this third gate one reaches the
guard's post. There is provision to position
guns here. This gate is constructed in such
a way that the gunfire from gates above would
reach the enemy at the first gate. There is
a huge cave outside the fort. This cave would
be used for storing grains during the rainy
season.
There is a tomb here as well as a Shivlinga.
Next to that there is a tank of water with
sweet taste. On the fort there is one more
place where water would be stored for use.
This is suppose to have been built Nanasaheb
Phadnis. There is a plaque but the writing
cannot be read any more.
The peculiar design on the walls of the fort
is known as Vindhukata (fangs of a scorpion).
It is said that Shivaji Maharaj had kept the
treasures he looted from Surat in this fort
for some period of time.
A rock piercing the horizon can be seen to
the south of Lohagad, this is Tunga Fort.
Pavana Dam surrounds it. This fort can be
approach by the motor boat for Pavana Dam.
It is a stiff fort to climb. It is a narrow
fort with slippery roads for climbing.
There is a temple of Mahadeo on the fort.
During Shivaji's period, this fort was use
for keeping a watch on the other forts.
