Purandar and Vajragad (पुरंदर व वज्रगड)

Purandar Balekilla (Kedar Machi,
Kedareshwar Mountain and rajgadi mountain)

Bini Darwaja (Entrance to Purandar Machi)

The trek really good. The trek is divided into four parts

1. Purandar Machi (the middle of the fort mountain) – this has vehicle route as well as normal trek route. This Machi has army training camps, bungalows and a large lake. From here one route goes to Purandar fort’s Balekilla and one to Vajragad fort.

2. Balekilla of Purandar – this citadel is very high and probably unique in shape.

3. Kedareshwar Temple mountain is the highest peak in surrounding region giving a vast and astonishing view

4. Vajragad fort which is equally high as Balekilla of Purandar

1. Narayanpur can be reached from Saswad by ST bus (every 1 hour) or by rickshaw. You can easily get a rickshaw from here to Narayanpeth village, which is base of Purandar. (1.5 km)

2. Start climbing the fort by trek route. Bini darwaja can be seen at the left side easily.

3. Please follow the following order to see the fort.

4. Bini darwaja (Purandar Machi) - Balekilla (Purandar) – Delhi darwaja – Kedareshwar – Kedar darwaja – Raajgadi mountain – khanda kadaa – Back to Purandar Machi – Rajale Talav – Shivaji Statue – Vajragad fort - Back to Purandar Machi – Purandareshwar Temple – Bini Darwaja – Murarbaji statue – Bini Darwaja – get down from the fort.

5. Please refer to map of Purandar for details.

Kedareshwar temple (highest point on Purandar)

Veer Murarbaji Deshpande

Purandar fort

1. Purandar was one of the favorite forts of Shivaji. Every stone of Purandar speaks some history. 1000-1200 years old temples, Shivaji’s first war after he started creating a new kingdom, Murarbaji’s war with Mirza raje Jai singh and Diler Khan of Mughal Empire, Sambhaji’s (Shivaji’s son) birth place, Private fort of Peshwe, Peshwa Sawai Madhavrao’s birth place, British and Indian Army training Camps, NCC Camps… Purandar has been a centre of army movements for centuries till 1985.

2. Kedareshwar is the highest peak. You will get appalled to see the area under control from this mountain. Rajgad, Torna, Sinhgad, Pune, Saswad, Karha plateau can be seen from here. This controls Pune-Satara way to protect Pune region. The temple of kedareshwar is worth a stay. It has pyramidal roof. There are very huge celebrations made at this temple once in a year on Mahashivratri.

3. Khanda Kadaa – steep vertical edge of Purandar citadel. You can get great view of Vajragad from here.

4. Delhi darwaja – tactfully hidden and excellent in architecture.

5. Purandareshwar Temple – 1000 years old Hemadpant style temple built in stone

6. There are many tanks and ponds on the fort. The most prominent and largest of it is Rajale talav. Near to Rajale Talav there is Shivaji Maharaj statue.

7. Murarbaji Statue – an inspiring statue with two swords in his hands. Murabaji fought against Mughal Lord Diler Khan till death. Diler Khan offered him to come to his side and get honor and wealth but muarabaji remained loyal to Shivaji Maharaj. To Diler Khan’s surprise, the army of remaining 600 people on the fort further kept on fighting with him and did not retreat. The loss of Murarbaji was serious and Shivaji decided to make some deal with Mirza raje Jai singh and Diler Khan and submitted Purandar to Mughal Empire along with 22 other forts (for a while of course)

8. Peshwa’s fort - Purandar was private fort of Peshwa – Prime Ministers of Maratha Kingdom (1710-1818). This was birthplace of youngest Peshwa – Sawai Madhavrao. Also birthplace of Shivaji’s son – Sambhaji. You can visit remains of Peshwa palace here.

9. Army Camps – Peshwa, British and Indian army had their own training camps on this fort. There are many army bungalows – all in good condition. But very few of them are worth a stay. There is an old British church near Bini Darwaja, which is no more in use.

10. NIGHT STAY – Kedareshwar temple, Purandareshwar Temple, Army bunglows, base village ‘Narayan Peth’, or Narayanpur.

11. You need 3-4 hours to view the fort completely. The fort is vast and one needs to walk a lot to see the whole fort.

1. Vajragad is also an interesting fort with large rocks here and there.
2. In monsoon this is full of flowerbeds of purple colored terda flowers and other flowers of yellow, pink and red color.
3. The fort has double door. Just 2-3 feet distance between the two. The purpose behind this is unknown.
4. The Machi (arm) of Vajragad has a small temple and a pond (not drinkable).
5. You can see the whole fort in 30 to 45 minutes.

Vajragad fort
as seen from Khanda kadaa of Purandar
(Army camps and Rajale talav on Purandar Machi are also seen)

Get down by the same route (by Bini darwaja). Route by Kedar darwaja is not in frequent use for treks.

From Saswad (सासवड) ST stand to Narayanpur and back

Every one-hour bus. 6 seaters are also available. (Rs. 7 to Narayanpur and Rs. 10 to Narayan Peth from Saswad)

Saswad city

1. Purandare Wada - Saswad was long time Peshwa residence before Bajirao Peshwe moved to Pune at about 1719 or so. After that it was given to Sardar Purandare for control. The centre of the city has 3-4 huge palatial “wada”, (buildings with wide protecting walls) built by Purandare. The largest of them is Purandare Wada - really monstrous with 3 story walls for protection and thousands of holes in it for firing through guns. The entrance door is larger than even Shaniwar-wada.

2. The backside of this wada has equally large Bhairavnath temple with ample amount of open space inside. The temple is really large and worth a visit.

3. Sopandev Temple – Sopandev was brother of Saint Dyaneshwar (1200AD). The temple is also worth a visit. This huge and beautiful memorial of Sopandev, on the banks of the Karhe river, is said to be a great crowd puller in Saswad.

Malhargad, Narayanpur and other spectacular spots around Saswad

1. Malhargad and panes palace of Sonori (small one day trek of a small but excellent hill fort built by Peshwa admiral Panse.) refer to Malhargad page for details.

2. Balaji temple of Ketkavle – exact replica of Tirupati

3. Datta Mandir in Narayanpur - pilgrimage

4. 1000 years old Hemadpant style stone carved temple of Narayaneshwar in Narayanpur, also said to have three Yadav-era sculptures that are very pretty.

5. Nature beauty of Dive-ghat on Pune Saswad road and Mastani talav in dive ghat. Bajiro Peshwa and Mastani used to come here.

Time to climb	1 hour by trek route and 2 hour by vehicle route (on foot) to Bini Darwaja. 45 minutes from there to Kedareshwar via Balekilla. 45 minutes to Vajragad from Bini darwaja.
Food	Available in Narayanpur city.
Drinkable Water	Available in plenty at water ponds on Balekilla and Purandar machi.
Shelter	Night stay can be made in Narayanpur, army bungalows or Purandareshwar temple.