Sinhgad ( सिंहगड, The Lion’s Fort ) is a fort located roughly 30 km southwest of the city of Pune. It is situated on a hill rising 800 metres above the surrounding countryside. Previously called Kondana ( कोंढाणा ), the fort has been the site of many important battles, most notably the Battle of Sinhgad in 1670. Its height above sea-level is 1350 metres. It has two gates – the Kalyan Darwaza in the south-east and the Pune Darwaza in the north-east.
One of the most famous battles for Sinhgad was fought to recapture the fort by Tanaji Malusare a general of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in March 1670. A steep cliff leading to the fort was scaled with the help of a monitar lizad ( ghorpad ). Thereafter, there ensued fierce battles between Tanaji and his men, and the Moghal killedar Udhaybhan Singh Rathod and his army. Tanaji lost his life, but his brother Suryaji took over and captured Kondana. The fort was one of the favourite forts of Jijabai ( mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ).
Upon hearing of Tanaji’s death (Tanaji was childhood friend of Shivaji Maharaj), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj expressed his remorse with the words:
“ गड आला पण सिंह गेला ” – “We gained the fort, but lost the lion”.
It was most difficult fort for the Bristish army to capture which took them 3 months the longest of all during the fall of Peshwas in 1818.
The fort has a memorial of Tanaji Malusare and also the tomb of Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj ( younger son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj )
There are temples of Kondhaneshwar, Amruteshwar and Hanuman on the fort.
The fort has excellent water supply in form or fresh water tanks Dev take being the most famous of them for it’s chilled water throughout the year. The other tanks being Ganesh, Ram, Mahar and Hatti take.
Given natural protection by the adjoining mountain ranges and the steep slopes, the fortifications and the bastions were built only at necessary places. The fort covers about 80 acres of area being one of the largest and strongest forts of the Maratha empire.
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