Amazing Monsoon Trekking at Rajgad Fort, Pune, Maharashtra

Rajgad Fort is one of the grand forts of the Sahaydris and lies at an altitude of 1400 m (4, 600 feet). Formerly known as Murumdev, Rajgad Fort was the capital of the Maratha Empire during the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for 25 years, before moving the capital to Raigad Fort. The Rajgad Fort was built with the treasure found on the adjacent Torna Fort. This was one of the favourite forts of Shivaji Maharaj and he stayed the most in this fort. Many historical events took place in this fort, such as the birth of Shivaji’s son, Rajaram Chhatrapati, his queen, Saibai’s death and Afzal Khan’s head is buried in the fort.

The fort is of great historic significance. Rajgad was home to Shivaji for over 25 years till he became Chhatrapati. Post coronation he shifted his capital to Raigad. The fort has witnessed lots of historic events, including the birth of Shivaji’s son Rajaram, the death of Shivaji’s Queen Saibai, the return of Shivaji from Agra, the burial of Afzal Khan’s head in the Maha darwaja walls of Balekilla, the strict words of Sonopant Dabir to Shivaji, and the Khandoji Khopade episode. Rajgad Fort is an iconic place located near pune. The place is historic and attracts many tourists to it. This fort can be considered as a Holy place as it was first capital of Hindavi Swarajya, established by Chhatrapati Shivaji Mahataj. Trek to this fort via Gunjavane & Chor darwaja is bit difficult, but will test your mental and physical ability.

The fort is divided into four parts, Padmavati Machi, Suvela Machi, Sanjeevani Machi, and Balekilla (small fort). The fort is an example of splendid design and construction. The diameter of the fort at the base is 40 km making it difficult for anybody to lay siege to it.

Sanjeevani Machi:

The three layer fortification of Sanjeevani Machi is simply a marvel and is located on the southwest end. This extends approximately for 2.5 km along with many cisterns. The lower layers of the fort were separated by fortified bastion along with gate in order to defend independently. There is also an underground escape route which leads directly to the outermost fortification.

Suvela Machi:

Suvela Machi, located on the eastern part of Rajgad fort, is a narrow strip that leads to a fortified end. Before the fortifications, there is a Hanuman temple and towards the right of the hanuman temple is Nedh. Nedh is a giant hole on the rock face about 3 m in diameter carved by years of erosion.

Padmavati Machi:

This part of Rajgad Fort was a military base as well as a residential area. The Padmavati Machi has a Lake, Padmavati Temple, Pali Darwaja, Chor Dwaraja, Gunjawane Darwaja, Diwankhana, Daru Kothar, Rajwada, and Ghod Tale. Besides these there is also a Samadhi of Saibai, Shivaji’s first wife.

Balekilla:

This site is one of the highest parts in the Fort Rajgad that includes caves, water cisterns and palaces. The entrance door of the Balekilla is called as Maha Dwaraja. From here, one can easily view the whole fort. Rajgad is amongst the most popular trekking destinations near Pune, Maharashtra. There are several trekking routes to reach the Fort. Trek to Padmavati Machi via Chor Darwaja is the most popular route and the trek starts from Gunjawane village. From Gunjawane the 4.5 km trek is a little bit tough and it takes almost 3 1/2 hours to reach Padmavati Machi. One needs to navigate a steep rocky incline to reach Chor Darwaza.

The trek via Pali Darwaza is a simple climb and it starts from Pali village. The 3.5 km trek from Pali should take approximately 2 hours to reach the fort. There is another route called Bhor route which starts from Bhutonde. From Bhutonde village, a 3 -4 hours trek will take visitors to Alu Darwaja of Rajgad. This route is not popular as other two routes. It is always recommended that visitors should carry their own drinking water and food.

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Aundh is a prosperous commune in Maharashtra, India. It is positions in the North West of Pune. The most prominent attractions in Aundh are the Yamai Devi Temple and Shri Bhavani Museum. Yamai Devi Temple is a primordial shrine erected on a crest. Shri Bhagwanrao Pantapratinidhi the final sovereign of Aundh recognized the Shri Bhavani museum which houses more than 8000 imperial relics in its anthology.

History of Aundh

The past dates back to 16^th century. Aundh was home to the Pant Pratinidhi as a fraction of his property. It was under the family of the Pant Pratinidhi for almost two and a half centuries. In the year 1713, Aundh was the witness of an encounter stuck between Krishnarav Khatavkar and the Moghuls. In the year 1848, due to the destruction of the Satara Gadi, Aundh came under the jurisdiction of Srinivasa Rao, a member of the then legislative council. Later in the year 1947 the state got amalgamated.

Tourist Attractions in Aundh

Yamai Devi temple

Yamai Devi temple is positioned at the peak of the town of Aundh. It is believed she was entitled as “Ye Mai” which represents “Come Mother” in English language. To reach this temple one has walk on the steps which will lead you to the crest of the hill. One can also find a narrow road through which one could reach by car. The temple is a holy shrine to the numerous Marathi families and houses a 2 meters elevated deity made out of black stone.

Shri Bhavani museum

In the year 1983 Bhawanrao Pantpratinidhi the sovereign of Aundh built Shri Bhavani museum. It is situated 44 km distance from Satara. The museum houses the paintings of all the chief educational institutions that were built during the era amid 15^th and 19^th century. It is seat to the legendary stone shaped structure of ‘Mother and Child’ by Henry Moore. The museum chiefly depicts the lifetime achievements of Bhawanrao. It has four segments that are absolutely dedicated to the western paintings.

Bund garden

Bund garden is located just 11 km away from Aundh city and has lush green natural vegetation at large. It lies on the fertile banks of rivulets Mutha and Mula. It was mainly built for water harvesting.

Katraj Snake Park

Katraj Snake Park is situating at a distance of 13 km from the Aundh city. It houses the rarest of the reptile species. The most prominent is the Brown Palm Civet which attracts tourists here.

The Aga Khan Palace

The Aga Khan Palace is positioned at 13 km from the Aundh city. It holds significant prominence due to its link with Indian Independence movement. It is believed that the British detained many significant freedom fighters as hostages in this palace.

Other Interesting Places in and around Aundh

• David Synagogue
• Raj Dinakar Kelkar Museum
• Shinde’s Chhatri
• Vishram Bagh Waada
• Parvati Hill Temples
• Panshet Water Park
• Osho Ashram

Best season to visit Aundh

The best season to visit Aundh is October to February. The summers are very hot. The winters have moderately cold weather and it is the best period favored by the visitors. During the monsoon there is heavy downpour at Aundh.

Accessibility to Aundh

By Road: Aundh is well connected to places in and around Pune via roads. Numerous private and public buses serve Aundh.

By Rail: The nearest railhead is at Pune just 10 km away from the Aundh city. which connects the city to both the northern and southern parts of the country

By Air: The nearest airport is at Lohagaon area in Pune. It is just 15.2 km away from Aundh and has directs flights from major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Goa.

Accommodation in Aundh

It is the best tourist and pilgrimage center in Maharashtra. It has many hotels, resorts, guest house, home stay and lodges that provide essential amenities at affordable prices. The rates may differ from hotel to hotel and most of them offer advanced booking and reservations for safe and comfortable stay of the visitors. List of hotels located in Aundh are:

• Seasons Apartment Hotel
• Shree Nanda Excellency Hotel
• Aundh Retreat
• Pichola Hotel
• Compact Homes
• Gokhale Recreational Resorts
• Hotel Sheetal Palace
• Neeta Bhavsar
• Greenpark Hotel
• Pancard Clubs
• Residence Twenty
• Shree Nanda Excellency
• Elite Autumn Suits
• Rekha Bhaskar Hotel
• Hotel White Rock
• Unicorn Hospitality Services
• Hotel Bhairavee

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Lonavala is located on the Indian subcontinent in the district of Pune in Maharashtra state. Khandala is at a distance of 3 km from Lonavala. The geographical coordinates puts the place Lonavala at 16.008⁰ N and 73.687⁰  E, and Khandala at 18.05918⁰ N and 74.012629⁰ E. Lonavala is 622 meters and Khandala is 559 meters above sea level. During the summer season the temperature ranges from 22⁰ C to 40⁰ C and in winter season the temperature ranges from 12⁰ C to 33⁰ C at Lonavala as well as Khandala.

The most favorable time to spend vacation in Lonavala and Khandala is from October to March month.

History of Lonavala and Khandala

During the pre-colonial times, the Yadava clan ruled these two places. Later the Mughals invaded the two places and overthrew the then Yadava ruler, and took control of the two places. The Marathas and Peshwa rulers lead a massive expedition to root out the Mughals in the state. Various forts were constructed, during the reign of these two great rulers, in and around the place. In the year 1870, these two areas were designated as hill stations by Lord Elphinstone, the governor of Mumbai in those days.

People & Culture at Lonavala and Khandala

Lonavala and Khandala have huge influence of the Maratha culture ever since the Marathas ruled this region.  Over time, Lonavala and Khandala have seen a rise in the population with people from different parts of the country settling in Lonavala and Khandala thereby providing a rich and diverse culture. The local language of Lonavala and Khandala is Marathi. But nowadays one can expect to come across people speaking languages like the south Indian, north Indian, Gujarati, and Bengali.

People from all religion such as Christians, Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs reside in and around Lonavala and Khandala.

Many festivals are celebrated in a grand way across Lonavala and Khandala with Ganesh Chathurthi, Holi, Krishna Astami and Diwali being the most important.

Food and Shopping at Lonavala and Khandala

All types of lip smacking food ranging from south Indian or north Indian or international, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian are available in Lonavala and Khandala.

Some of the names of shopping complex close to Lonavala and Khandala are

• Up Hill Mall
• Shubham Complex
• Kunal Icon Shopping Complex
• The Arcade Shopping Center
• Amit Complex
• Ashirwad Complex

Tourist Places in and near Lonavala and Khandala

There are plenty of Beaches, Forts and Religious places with amazing landscapes of interest in and around Lonavala and Khandala. Some of them are listed below:

• Tungarli Lake

This lake is a man-made water resource with a dam created in the year 1930 during the colonial times. This lake provides water to the locals in the area and is also used for cultivation of various crops.

• Visapur Fort

This fort was created during the colonial times. It provides a birds view of nearby places such as downhill plains, Purandar, Tikona Fort, Sinhagad and Tung.

• Lohagad Fort

The fort was created in 1563 and was used as a prison. The great Maratha ruler, Shivaji, conquered it in 1669 and used it to store his Kingdoms wealth.

• Bhaja Caves

These caves date back to 200 B.C, created by nuns of the Buddhist religion. There are 22 rock cut caves.

• Ryewood Park

Created during colonial times, the park was named after the founder by the name ‘Rye’. Varieties of trees and other exotic flower plants are present in this garden with a Shiva temple within the garden.

Few other must see places in Lonavala and Khandala include:

• Karla and Bhaja Caves
• Reversing Station
• Shivaji Park
• Rajmachi Fort
• Monkey Hill
• Valvan dam
• Shooting Point
• Bushy Dam
• Lonavala Lake
• Bedsa Caves
• Amrutanjan Point
• Celebrity Wax
• Shivlinga
• Shingroba Temple
• Bhushi Lake
• Rajmachi Park
• Korigad Fort
• Shrivardhan Fort
• Lohagad Darshan
• Sakur Plateau
• Tunga Fort
• Kune Waterfalls
• Tigers Leap
• Manoranjan Fort
• Pavana Lake
• Lion’s Point
• Duke’s Nose

Means of Commutation to Lonavala and Khandala

Lonavala and Khandala are well connected with the rest of the places in India through roadways, railways and airway. The distance of Lonavala and Khandala by road from cities within Maharashtra and other cities in neighboring states are mentioned below

• Pune is located at a distance of 64 km from Lonavala and 68 km from Khandala.

• Mumbai is located at a distance of 88 km from Lonavala and 83 km from Khandala.

• Ahmedabad is located at a distance of 657 km from Lonavala and 604 km from Khandala.

• Hyderabad is located at a distance of 657 km from Lonavala and 627 km from Khandala.

• Nagpur is located at a distance of 896 km from Lonavala and 895 km from Khandala.

There are plenty of buses both, Private and Government run, available from neighboring states to reach Lonavala and Khandala.

Auto rickshaws, taxis and buses are also the modes of transport available within the town.

Lonavala railway station is located within the vicinity of the Lonavala town. This station is located at a distance of 11 km from Khandala. Trains from Pune and Mumbai pass through this station.

The closest airport is situated in Pune which is located at a distance of 64 km from Lonavala town and 66 km from Khandala. Chatrapati Shivaji International airport is located at a distance of 101 km from Lonavala and 83 km from Khandala.

Accommodation Options at Lonavala and Khandala

There are plenty of hotels in and around Lonavala and Khandala. Some of the names of these hotels are mentioned below

• Cosset-A Boutique Hotel
• The Lagoona Resort
• Sahil Sarovar Portico
• Sai Moreshwar Resort
• Sunny Retreat
• Govinda Resort
• Retreat Heritage Lonavala
• Citrus Resort
• Hotel Chandralok
• Avion Holiday Resort
• Hotel Sai Niwas
• Lions Den Hotel
• Hotel Metropole
• Orchard Resort
• Resort Silver Hill

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About Baramati

Baramati is an important city, located in the Pune district of Maharashtra state in the Indian continent. The geographical coordinates to this place are 18.15⁰ N and 74.58⁰ E. The temperatures during the summer season ranges from 32⁰ C to 40⁰ C and in winter the temperature ranges from 20⁰ C to 33⁰ C. In winter temperatures can fall as low as 8⁰ C during the night. Baramati is located at 538 meters above sea level.

History of Baramati

Being a famous historical place in the history of Maharashtra state it is located near the Karha river. In ancient times, Baramati was ruled by Yadavas of Devgiri. The collapse of Yadavas rule in Baramati, became an opportunity to the Bahamas of Gulbarga whole ruled this place.

In the year 1603, Baramati was ruled the Marathas under the kingship of Malojiraje Bhosale. In 1745, Babuji Naik was given charge by the then Maratha king. He took great interest in the administration of the place and the place grew and prospered under his authority. Few religious temples were constructed during his time in Baramati.

People & Culture in Baramati

Baramati has a rich and diverse culture with people from all religion, caste and sect residing in and around the place. Marathi, Hindi and English are the languages well known by the people in Baramati with Marathi being the local language.

Agriculture is a major occupation of the people residing in and around Baramati. Cattle rearing is another occupation taken up by the local people. Wheat, sugarcane and grapes are cultivated in the region of Baramati. Many industries relating to agro products has been established in and around Baramati. There are also textiles located on the outskirts of Baramati. Baramati is also known for the presence of Wine industry. The region has also seen the establishment of few software companies.

Many festivals are celebrated with prompt and grandeur. Some of the festivals are Ganesh Chathurti, Diwali, etc.

Food and Shopping Baramati

Baramati offers a wide range of Multi – cuisine, vegetarian and non- vegetarian. The local vegetarian food consists of Bhakari, Pithla, Thecha, dal, papad, pickle and sweet.

There are many shopping centers displaying beautifully colored cotton clothes with reasonable prices. There are also shops in Baramati selling other artifacts such as jewelry, metal and wooden carvings.

Tourist Places in Baramati

There are few religious places with wonderful architects of interest and museums displaying ancient artifacts in and near Baramati. Some of them are mentioned below

• Vidya Pratishthan Museum
• Shri Siddeshwar Mandir
• Ganesh Mandir
• Shri Kashvishweshwar Temple
• Shree Moreshwar Temple
• Sharada Nagari

Shri Siddeshwar Mandir and Shri Kashvishweshwar temple in the Baramati town is 400 years old. One of the old mansions build by the then administrator of Maratha era has a huge Nandi idol and is open throughout the day. This idol has become one of the major attraction of Baramati attracting thousands of tourists. The town also attracts tourists interested in ancient architectures. Baramati has an airstrip wherein flying enthusiast can taking up flying lessons.

Means of Commutation to Baramati

Baramati is well connected to other parts of India via roadways, railways and airways.

Inter city transportation is facilitated by buses and taxis.

The distance of various routes connecting Baramati to other cities in Maharashtra and cities in neighboring states are mentioned below

• Pune is located at a distance of 100 km
• Mumbai is located at a distance of 255 km
• Hyderabad is located at a distance of 510 km
• Bangalore is located at a distance of 799 km
• Panchgani is located at a distance of 120km

Baramati is also connected via airways to the rest of the world. The distance of some of the airports to Baramati are provided below.

• Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai is located at a distance of 259 km.
• Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport in Nagpur is located at a distance of 695 km.
• Pune Airport in Pune is located at a distance of 111 km.

Baramati Railway Station has trains connecting Baramati  to places such as Pune and Mumbai.

Accommodation Options at Baramati

There are plenty of hotels and resorts with beautiful interior and amazing decors. Some of the hotels and resorts provide free breakfast and internet services. The names of few of these hotels and resorts are mentioned below

• City Inn
• Hotel Sunland
• Hotel Neelam Palace
• Hotel Sudit Executive
• Hotel Suranjan Palace
• Hotel Madhuban Cottage
• Krishna Sagar Residency
• Pratibha Hotel
• Krushiraj Hotel
• Hotel Surya
• Hotel Abhishek
• Hotel Amardeep
• Morgaon Bhaktniwas
• Maheshwari Bhakta Niwas

Datta Hotel

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