Sinhagad
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Sinhagad or Sinhgad (Marathi: सिंहगड) meaning Lion Fort, is a fort located near the city of Pune, India, situated on a hill rising 800 metres above the surrounding countryside.
[edit] History
Previously called Kondhana, the fort's location has been strategically important since at least the 14th century and has been the site of many important battles. One of the more famous battles was the recapturing of the fort by Tanaji Malusare, a general for Shivaji, in March of 1670 in what has been called the Battle of Sinhagad. It was after this battle that the Kondhana fort was renamed Sinhagad after Tanaji, whose nickname was 'the lion' (Sinha). Having spearheaded the attack and fighting valiantly Tanaji's life was lost in capturing this important fort.
More recently, during the 20th century, Lokmanya Tilak, the Indian freedom fighter, built a bungalow atop the fort and Gandhiji is said to have asked for water from it whenever he was imprisoned in the nearby town of Pune.
[edit] Present Day
The once extensive fortification is now in ruins, but visitors can still get a sense as to how the fort may have appeared as an active military outpost. It is a popular weekend destination for many residents of Pune. The site also houses a memorial to Tanaji as well as the tomb of Rajaram, Shivaji's younger son, who also died here.
The fort is also part of training at National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, the cradle of military leadership in India. Cadets from all three wings, the army, navy and air force, are regularly sent on a hike (or more often a run) from NDA to Sinhagad in full battle gear to build endurance, stamina, determination, and team spirit.
The Sinhagad hike is also handed out as a punishment to NDA cadets who step out of line occasionally. Graduated military Commissioned Officers later proudly tell stories of how many times they climbed Sinhagad.
[edit] References
- Tanaji Malusare used Shivaji's famous pet ghorpad named "Yeshwanti" with a rope tied around its waist for climbing the walls of the Sinhagad fort from its steepest and least guarded side in the dead of a moonless night during the Battle of Sinhagad
- Tanaji and the brave Mavalas numbering 300, scaled the vertical cliff using ropes tied to a Ghorpad
- “The Conquest of Kondana” / subsequently named Sinhagad Fort in honour of Shivaji’s General Tanaji who lost his life there in the Battle of Sinhagad. Tanaji had climbed the fort wall from its steepest side with the help of a roap tied around a pet Common Indian Monitor Lizard (Gorpad in Marathi)
