Vishalgad
Elevation : 1130 mtr.
Venue : Kolhapur District, Maharashtra
Nearest village : Vishalgad, Kolhapur
Dongarrang : Sahyadri
Vishalgad fort is at 76 km northwest of Kolhapur. situated at a distance. Vishalgad citadel stands at the border of Sahyadri mountain variety and Konkan and at the hill setting apart Mango Ghat and Anuskura Ghat.
Vishalgad is a massive fort because the call indicates . This citadel , that's separated from the principle range of the Sahyadri, has a herbal guard . This historical citadel changed into built to protect and defend the ghats connecting Anuskura Ghat and Mango Ghat, the ports of Konkan and the marketplace of Kolhapur.
Witnessing many essential historical events and gaining the status of a capital, the prevailing condition of this fortress is stressful . Hindu and Muslim devotees touring Malik Rehan's Dargah have ravaged the location . it's far simplest while those devotees realize that their ancestors shed blood and sacrificed on the occasion to maintain this fort . For history and castle fanatics , however , it is sincerely a satisfaction to look the complete fortress . history around 1190, King Bhoj II moved his capital from Kolhapur to Panhala.
He then built numerous forts to protect the ferry. one of them became a citadel , Kishagila. (Kishigila - Bhojgad - Khilgila - Khelana aka Vishalgad). Later this fort surpassed into the palms of Yadavs. After the fall of the Yadavas, Bahamani electricity emerged in the south. इ.स. In 1453, Bahamani fashionable Malik Utuzar landed in Konkan to capture the citadel . He captured Prachitgarh of Shirkas and made it a circumstance for conversion of Shirkas. however the Shirkis put the alternative situation on Malik Utujar that first make Shankarrao greater , my enemy and toy fortress , a Muslim first, then I will become a Muslim and serve the Sultan. Shirke did now not forestall there, however promised to look forward to the toy castle .
Forgetting this amisha, Malik determined to follow Shirk's recommendation and at the start a few southern and Negro squaddies refused to go into the mountain / wooded area . Taking the relaxation of the military , Malik entered the Sahyadri. As promised, the Shirkis led the navy in a huge and suitable way for the first at the 0.33 day, but , the Shirkis led them into the dense forest . The Sahyadri's route suffocated the Muslim soldiers who had misplaced their lives in the plains. The Shirkis brought the military to a place in which there had been excessive mountains on all 3 facets and a creek at the fourth facet . there has been no way to get out of there, and there has been no strength in the military to wait for that tough go back once more . in addition , Malik fell sick and began bleeding. therefore , he could not even supply orders to the military . In this sort of state of affairs , even as the army become sleeping soundly, the Shirkis tied up with toy peacocks and army . All the people , which include Malik Uttujar, have been killed inside the massacre that befell at that time . The certain description of this incident given via Ferista should be study from the start .
In 1469, the Bahamani sultan sent Babkire and his fashionable Malik Rehan to seize the toy castle . in spite of six attempts , he could not seize the fort . within the 7th try , he was capable of seize the citadel after 9 months of trying . there is a Dargah named after Malik Rehan in this fort . The above point out is observed in lots of Persian inscriptions. After this, the fort became underneath the rule of thumb of Bahamani Adilshahi for about 5200 years. On twenty eighth November 1659, Shivaji Maharaj took Panhala. at the same time he conquered the toy fort and named it 'Vishalgad'. On March 3 , 1660, Siddi Johar laid siege to Panhala. at the identical time, Jaswantrao Dalvi and Suryarao Surve of Sringarpur had been besieging Vishalgad. On his manner out of the siege of Panhala and on his manner to Vishalgad, Maharaj broke the siege and reached Vishalgad effectively . in advance , Bajiprabhu with three hundred decided on Mavals in Pavankhindi captured Siddi's navy and sacrificed his existence . it's far mentioned that Shivaraya spent 5000 hons for the strengthening of Vishalgad. Sambhaji Maharaj did many new constructions on Vishalgad. In 1686, Sambhaji Maharaj despatched poets to quell the Shirk rebellion , but turned into defeated and took refuge in Vishalgad.
In 1689, at the same time as Sambhaji Maharaj became on his way from Vishalgad to Raigad, Tulapuri changed into captured at Sangameshwar and he became brutally killed. After that, inside the time of Rajaram Maharaj, Vishalgad became the principle middle of the Maratha movement . Vishalgad changed into made the capital of the Ramchandrapant Amatyas and became the capital. After the demise of Rajaram Maharaj in 1701, his 1/3 spouse Ambikabai went to Vishalgad. In December 1701, Aurangzeb himself came to Vishalgad with a massive navy . however Parshuram Pant Pratinidhi, the citadel keeper of Vishalgad, fought for the fortress for 6 months and on June 6, 1702, he took possession of the citadel and gave it to Aurangzeb for Rs. He changed the call of Vishalgad to 'Sarvaralna'.
On his way lower back to Panhala after conquering Vishalgad, Aurangzeb's army was attacked by using Sahyadri. by the time they reached Panhala after 37 days, the Mughal army had suffered enormous losses. His characters were written by using Mughal historians.
In 1707, Tararani recaptured Vishalgad. Later Vishalgad got here underneath the manipulate of Karveerkar. He surpassed it over to the high Minister. In 1844, Vishalgad become conquered by means of the British and the systems on it had been demolished. Sightseeing within the past , one needed to descend from this valley to Vishalgad. but now an iron bridge has been built over the valley. achieving the bottom of Vishalgad from this bridge, two elements can be visible . look forward to the rocky staircase in front , and the decrease staircase at the right . You have to move up the stairs and go down the stairs . that is , you can see all the places on the fortress . After hiking the ladder, one steps down the left hand facet of the Dargah. This road splits into two . the new steps on the proper cause Bhagwanteshwar Temple / Rajwada / Takmak Tok. at the left hand facet , the antique pavement (stone) route results in Amruteshwar Temple / Bajiprabhu's Samadhi. We reach the Amruteshwar temple in five minutes after taking the path on the left. The water falling from the cliff in front of the temple is blocked by using a dam. there is an idol of Panchanana inside the temple. cross similarly down from the temple to the abyss. there is a fashion in this vicinity . There are tombs of Bajiprabhu Deshpande and Fulaji Deshpande within the open past this movement . Seeing this Samadhi, one should see the Hanuman Temple at the hill at the right side . After seeing the temple, you ought to come to the region in which two roads ruin at the Dargah again . There are 3 temples in this location namely Bhagwanteshwar temple, Vitthal temple and newly constructed Ganapati temple. there may be a rectangular water properly in the front of the temple. Mr. Hardikar seems after the temple. Their house is next to the temple.
Later, Shivaji Maharaj He conquered this castle in 1659 and named it Vishalgad. This castle is a witness to an unprecedented feat within the glorious records of the Marathas. The call of this fortress have become immortal due to the escape of Shivaji kings from the siege of Panhalgad laid by using Adilshahi Sardar Siddi Johar. And for this, the castle were given its call because of the specific prowess of Veeratna Bajiprabhu Deshpande, who took only three hundred Mavals and held an army of hundreds in the gajapur gorge for more than eight hours. Later, after the loss of life of Shivaji Raja, Sambhaji Raja spent numerous time on Vishalgad. He paid special attention to the restore and reconstruction of the castle .
The top Minister of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj of Kolhapur is a resident of Vishalgad and he changed into the Jahagirdar of Vishalgad. He then moved to Malkapur.
There can be masses of small and huge eateries and hotels around the Malik Rehan Dargah at the fortress where vegetarian or non-vegetarian food can be available as in step with the choice of the tourists .
Photos of Vishalgad fort :
