Panhala Fort

Anyone who has ever suffered through a history lesson in Maharashtra during their schooldays will remember the Panhala Fort being mentioned in connection with Shivaji Maharaj. It involved Adil Shah II of Bijapur, Siddi Jauhar, Baji Prabhu Deshpande and a daring escape by Shivaji under the cover of darkness. Baji Prabhu lost his life in the ensuing battle of Pavan Khind (as it is called) and a statue to commemorate his deeds dominates the main courtyard of Panhala.

The fort itself is lost in the hill station town, with structures and buildings standing alongside a few hotels, houses and shops.

It's not very far from Kolhapur, and makes a very nice weekend getaway. If you're the driving kind, and don't mind sitting in a car for a good eight hours, you can drive down from Mumbai. That's what we did, and it was a beautiful drive.

The views from the fort are amazing. Natch, as forts were built in locations where you could see the countryside around for miles. You can hire a guide, or just wander around the structures and buildings yourself. If you'd like to see things like the route by which Shivaji escaped, and learn more about the history of the place, a guide is a good idea. But  you don't necessarily need one.

The fort is decently well preserved, considering that this is India, and our government will spend crores on a statue of Shivaji but not one penny on preserving or restoring the places he actually lived in. (Rant over. Sorry, but it's a pet peeve of mine.)

In some places, you can still see the carvings and designs made by the stone masons of long ago.

Possibly the best kept buildings are the granaries. You can climb up to the roof, as well as wander around inside. This pic was taken from an aperture in the roof. You really get a sense of how vast the space is, and how much food and grain must have been stored there once upon a time. No wonder Shivaji was able to hold out against Siddi Jauhar for as long as he did!

In your wanderings, beware of the narrow stairways that lead both up and down. Considering the size of the passages and the height of the roofs in most places, people in the seventeenth century were a lot thinner and a lot shorter than us.

There are some places that are off limits. I'm not surprised, given that the fort is so old. Plenty of passages must end in cave-ins. And also, India being what it is, you're probably at risk of robbery or worse, if you go wandering around dark passages and rooms deep in the fort.

As long as you stick to what is recommended, you'll be fine. The fort is impressive. The commanding views across the countryside even more so. And as it's located on a pass in the Sahyadris, the weather is usually pleasant. If you get a bit bored with all the history, Kolhapur, with its famous Kolhapuri chappals, is a short drive away. (Although be prepared to bargain when it comes to the shoes!)

Happy wandering!

Till next time,

MumbaiGirl.

IG: @maryannecp