Sinhgad or Kondhana (सिंहगड / कोंढाणा)

पुणे दरवाजा (Pune Darwaja)

The ornament of Pune city  - Sinhgad - has now turned into a famous one day picnic spot in the vicinity of Pune city. This fort is in limelight since last 5 centuries for one or other reason and this limelight is yet spreading. Sinhgad is a good trek for beginners as well as a nice spot of picnic for non-trekkers.

The fort can be reached by vehicle which takes you to the doorstep of Sinhgad. This is Pune Darwaja. There are also two traditional routes for trekkers - one from Pune side staring at Khadakwasla and one from Kalyan village at opposite side.

1. Start from Swargate ST stand of Pune. Get a private vehicle or PMT bus to Khadakwasla / Sinhgad

2. You can also go by vehicle up to Pune Darwaja. This is famous for bike trips to Sinhgad.

3. The trek route of Sinhgad is quite easy, passing through stony path and takes you directly to Pune Darwaja.

4. The route from Kalyan village is easier and takes you to Kalyan Darwaja of Sinhgad - the official huge entrance opening to the Rajgad side. Trekkers get down by this route and walk towards Rajgad during "Sinhgad-Rajgad-Torna" trek.

History of Fort Sinhgad

1. Fort Kondhana (किल्ले कोंढाणा) - Kondhana fort existed for about 900 years to watch cluster of villages around Kalyan village (District Pune). But the fort came into limelight after it was assigned to Subhedar Dadoji Konddev - teacher of King Shivaji. Shivaji's mother Jijabai came in Pune to mold Shivaji's childhood and Sinhgad was like a daily ritual for Shivaji.

2. Shivaji and Sinhgad - This was one of the initial forts that formed Shivaji's independent kingdom called 'swarajya' (स्वराज्य). Along with Rajgad, Torna, Purandar, this fort also played equally important role in guarding borders of that initial small kingdom. (around 1640)

3. मुघल सरदार मिर्झा राजे जयसिंग - Sinhgad was surrendered to Mogul Lord Mirza Raje Jaysingh as part of treaty to surrender 23 forts of swarajya not to destroy the villages and people here.

4. गड आला पण सिंह गेला - "Gad Aala pan Sinh Gela" (Lion like fort was won but the true lion is lost) - To win the fort back, Tanaji Malusare (तानाजी मालुसरे) climbed the fort with his soldiers and fought a brutal war up on the fort. Both he and the mughal subhedar Udaybhan (उदयभानु) died in the war. When the message of victory was conveyed to Shivaji, he said  "Gad Aala pan Sinh Gela" (The fort was won but lion was lost). Note that the fort name was Sinhgad where 'sinh' in Marathi means lion. He meant they won one lion but lost another. (04-02-1670)

5. औरंगजेब - After Shivaji's death, Martha Kingdom was passing through a unstable stage where forts were being lost slowly against Mogul emperor Aurangzeb. In 1693, Lakhamaji Balkavde again won the fort back and then Maratha Kingdom never lose the fort.

6. Rajaram Maharaj (राजाराम महाराज) - Shivaji's second son - died on this fort on 03-03-1700. He though fought against mogul rulers till death was unfortunately young when died.

7. Peshwa Rule (पेशवाईतील सिंहगड) (1710 to 1818) - Sinhgad was private fort of Peshwa - prime ministers of Maratha Kingdom. During Peshwa rule, Pune was the capital of the huge spread Maratha Kingdom and obviously this nearest fort Sinhgad was of extreme importance. The fort was used for official storage, safety measure, private space of Peshwe of Pune. When Nizam of Hydarabad invaded Pune, all official documents were moved to Sinhgad.

Fort Kondhana or Sinhgad

View of Khadakwasla Dam from Sinhgad fort

किल्ले सिंहगड व TV मनोरा (Fort Sinhgad and TV tower)

Devtake (देवटाके)
One of the sweetest water reservoirs of Maharashtra

1. View of Sinhgad - On reaching Sinhgad, first you will see is the parking place on a huge plateau  before entering the fort. From here you will see two huge TV towers - a peculiar mark of Sinhgad now a days.

2. Pune Darwaja (पुणे दरवाजा) - On entering the fort through Pune Darwaja, don't forget to read the marble board behind the Pune Darwaja, telling about Tanaji Malusre and Rajaram Maharaj

3. Food Cottages - Now you will reach a cluster of cottages where you can get excellent food and curd. Sinhgad is specially famous for three things -
   
   [1] Curd and Onion Bhaji (दही व कांदा भजी)
   [2] Water from devtake (900 yesrs old water tank on Sinhgad) (देवटाक्याचे पाणी)
   [3] Pithale Bhakri (पिठले भाकरी) -  a traditional Maratha food of soldiers.

4. Devtake (देवटाके) - Devtake means water tank of God. Taste of its water is considered to be the naturally sweetest and purest in Maharashtra. The water is cool like from refrigerator and has been properly maintained for purity.

5. After you stomach is full with food and divinely cool water, now it is time to stroll around the fort. From the cottages you must have watched the huge main door of Sinhgad at the other end. Now start walking towards there. On left had side are the two peaks of Rajgad and Torna.

6. Kalyan Darwaja (कल्याण दरवाजा) - This is Official entrance of Sinhgad fort, through which an elephant can also enter. The entrance is hidden as usual but the specialty of this door is a huge 50 feet unusually tall bastion. The steps from the door take you down to Kalyan village from where you can reach Rajgad. The bastions here are worth photography.

कल्याण दरवाजा (Kalyan Darwaja)
Main entrance of the fort

कल्याण दरवाजाजवळील भव्य बुरुज
(Huge bastion near Kalyan Darwaja)

7. Tanaji Malusare Memorial (तानाजी मालुसरे स्मारक) - Now come back to the Devtake and take a left turn to go towards Khadakwasla. On the way lies Tanaji Malusare Memorial who fought and sacrificed to in the fort. Refer to "Gad Aala pan Sinh Gela" section of History of Sinhgad above.

8. Tanaji Kadaa (तानाजी कडा) - Now walk over to the edge and you will see huge fortification on the way to  Tanaji Kadaa. Tanaji Kadaa is the place from where Tanaji Malusare and his men had climbed the fort with the help of rope and a huge pet lizard - called as 'Ghorpad' in Marathi - to hold and tie the rope. 

तानाजी मालुसरे स्मारक (Tanaji Malusare Memorial)
 

Fortification on the way to Tanaji Kadaa (तानाजी कडा)

सिंहगडावरून दिसणारे राजगड व तोरणा किल्ले
Rajgad and Torna forts as seen from Sinhgad

From Swargate ST stand

PMT buses and private transport available to Sinhgad and Khadakwasla on regular frequency.

Time to climb	2 and 1/2 hours to climb to Pune Darwaja. 1.5 hours to Kalyan Darwaja form Kalyan village.
Food	Available on the fort.
Drinkable Water	Available on the fort.
Shelter	Private places available on fort, but prior permission needs to be taken.

Fort Rajgad - Huge fort built by Shivaji and served as capital of Martha Kingdom for more than 30 years. Famous for its architecture, history and trekking. Trekkers also do Sinhgad to Rajgad treks. Rajgad can be easily spotted from Sinhgad.

Fort Torna - First fort conquered by Shivaji. Highest peak in Pune district. Called as Prachandgad. Prachand means huge. Torna can also be easily spotted from Sinhgad. Sinhgad - Rajgad - Torna - Raigad is a famous long duration trek.

Pune city - Historic city and education, cultural, lingual capital of Maharashtra. Numorous tourists spots like Shnaiwar Wada (Palace of Peshwe rulers), Parvati (Ganesh temple hill), Kelkar Museum, Peshwe park, Saras baug and many more.