Sinhgad

If you are planning for a day’s outing near Pune, you surely cannot miss Sinhgad. Sinhgad is one of the favourite places near Pune where you can undoubtedly spend your day and have a lot of fun!

Its just 25 kms away from Pune and a very famous picnic spot for puneits. Sinhgad, earlier known as Kondhana, has a long history. It’s a 17^th century fort but the monuments and signboards placed in the area will literally walk you back to that period and recreate the scenes of battle fought by Shivaji Maharaj’s brave lion-hearted warrior Tanaji Malusare. The fort was won but Tanaji Malusare died in the battle. There is a bunglow where Lokmanya Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi met in 1915. There is one more bunglow of famous Marathi poet Ga Di Ma (G.D. Madgulkar).

Places to visit:

Dev Take – Tank for sweet and cold water.

Rajaram Maharaj Samadhi – This monument was built in the memory of Shivaji Maharaj’s son Rajaram.

Pune Darwaja – From Pune via Atkarwadi trekkers can enter the fort through this entrance.

Kalyan Darwaja – The trekkers who come via Katraj, can use this entrance of the fort. In older days this was used for the communication between Sinhgad and Raigad.

Daru Kothar – When we come through Pune Darwaja, there is building to the right which was used for the storage of grain.

Kondhaneshwar – This is the ancient temple of Lord Shiva.

Statue of Tanaji – With a few minutes walk from Kondhaneshwar this admirable monument of warrior Tanaji Malusare can be seen. In his memory, one day is celebrated here every year.

There are few more attractions like zunjar Buruj, Tanaji Kada, Western point, Amrutashwar mandir, etc. none of them can be missed…

The tower of Doordarshan-Mumbai is also there on the fort. It provides reception to Pune region. The view of entire pune city looks magnificent from the fort.

Food lovers will have a different kind of treat here. Dahi-wati, buttermilk, kanda-bhaji are must to taste. And more to that Pithla-bhakri is the main attraction of tourists.

Getting there – Sinhgad can be accessed by ST buses. Regular buses available from sarasbaug bus stand and they drop you till the foothill. However a car or mostly bike should be preferred to feel the breezy drive and the beauty of landscape.

For trekkers, when you arrive at Donaje village, need to climb 2000 ft. to enter through Pune Darwaja. Shorter way is through Kalyan Darwaja – 1200 ft reached by taking bus to Kondhanpur from where the Kalyan village is 3 miles away.

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