Sinhagad

Sindhudurg(Marathi सिंधुदुर्ग) is a fortress which occupies an islet in the Arabian Sea, just of the coast of Maharashtra in western India. The fortress lies on the shore of Malvan town of Sindhudurg District in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, south of Mumbai..

History

Sindhudurg (Sindhu = sea, Durg = fort) was built by the great Maratha warrior leader Shivaji in 1664. Shivaji selected the strategic rocky island location, 'Kurte' for the fort himself, to counter foreign forces, and to keep the nearby Siddis of Murud-Janjira in check. Shivaji himself was one of the 6000 skilled construction workers on this massive maritime fort project.

Tanaji Malusare - Shivaji's trusted and one of the brave generals fought a battle here all alone with the Mughal army. He fell dead while fighting in this place. On hearing of his death Shivaji said, "we won the fort but we lost the lion" ( "Gad Ala Pan Sinha Gela" ), and so after his death Shivaji renamed this Kondana fort as "Sinhagad ". Sinhagad means fort of the Lion i.e. it was named so because Tanaji fought like a lion.

It is a popular picnic spot. Panshet, Varasgaon and Khadakwasla dams and Torna fort can be seen from here. Plenty of buses are available to go to this place. Sinhagad can be viewed from any part of the city - this is because of the Doordarshan Tower which has been erected on it. To reach Sinhagad one goes via the Khadakvasla dam. There is a village called Kalyan. So from the Kalyan entrance or after crossing from the Katraj tunnel then climbing a few hills and then after walking 13 kms when you reach Sinhagad it gives you a tracking experience.
Besides these there are bungalows of Lokmanya Tilak and G.D. Madgulkar. There is a tank called the Dev Taki in which you get sweet water to drink.