Sinhagarh Fort in Pune – A Sight To Behold!

An easy 45-minute ride from Pune, the 17th-century Sinhagarh Fort is a must visit for history-lovers and trekkers alike. There are regular buses to the foot of the hill. From there you can either hire a jeep to take you up to the fort or trek up for and hour and a half. We’d recommend the latter.

Leaving the city, you can also stop at the Khadakvasla Lake, sip chai and eat corn cobs and masala mangoes from roadside stalls and stop to take photos or to just breathe the fresh air. There are stone masonry works along the tree-lined roads. You can find stone turrets, too, on the way.

Now, the history of the fort. It belonged to the Mughals, and was called Kondhana in their times. Maratha warrior Shivaji had had an eye on this strategic fort for quite some time, when Tanaji Malusare, a general in his army, expressed a wish to capture it. Yashwanti, Shivaji’s pet monitor lizard was sent up the fort’s wall, at midnight. And as they have a dreadful grip it allowed the soldiers to climb the wall using a rope tied to its back.

But Tanaji died before the complete capture of the fort, and Shivaji named it after him. Shivaji’s words were: “the fort has come but the lion (Sinha) has gone.” And thus naming it Sinhagarh Fort. Near the fort is a manmade water tank Dev Taka, that used to meet the water needs of the fort’s residents for many centuries.

An interesting thing about this tourist highlight is the presence of several shacks nearby that sell genuine Maharashtrian food. You can relish bhakris (local jowar rotis), kanda bhajjis (onion fritters) and bhaingan bharit (spicy aubergine paste) at these ‘homemade’ food stalls.