An ode to the kings

The sheer size of the fort itself is overwhelming. The fact that at the base the fort is a full 40 kms in circumference itself goes to show why it had such a huge place of importance in Maratha history.

The sheer size of the fort itself is overwhelming. The fact that at the base the fort is a full 40 kms in circumference itself goes to show why it had such a huge place of importance in Maratha history. Almost impossible to lay siege to,the fort that was erstwhile known as Murumdev would come to be known as the capital of the Maratha empire for more than 25 years before it was shifted to Raigad. What is unique about it other than the sheer size is the fact that it is one of the few hill forts in the state that is easily connected to a host of other forts in the immediate vicinity thereby making it a tough target for the enemies to attack and a formidable place for the king to conduct his business from.

Abhishek Satpute,a localite who also has been working as a tourist guide in the area for trekkers and tourers says,The fort itself is a complex mix of four distinct parts that comprise of the three Machees (sub plateaus) and the small fort. It also has a list of Darwajas (doors) that range from the Pali Darwaja which forms the main gate to the fort to the Chor Darwaja and Alu Darwaja. In the olden days it ensured that there was enough connectivity for the king and the neighbourhood forts and now in the modern days it provides an ideal hotspot for trekkers to travel along these roads and ridges to explore the fort and the surrounding forts.

Build on the Murum Dev Hill,the fort was fortified after Shivaji’s initial conquest of Torna,where the treasury that was found was used to strengthen it. Historian Mahesh Tendulkar says,The fort has the distinction of being the only fort in Maharashtra that boasts of three Machees namely the Padmavati Machee,the Sanjeevani Machee and the Suvela Machee. In fact it was also the only fort where Shivaji spend the longest time of his reign. He also says that the fact that worked in favour of the fort being his capital was that it was located on prime land. Besides the fort also was connected so well that any enemy coming to lay siege would literally struggle to come up the ramparts of the fort. With its ingenuous engineering,there were trenches and double curtain walls (chilkhathi) for fortifying the Machees. All this made it a formidable defence structure.

All this however has not come without its own fair price. Kartik Mehra,an avid trekker who recently had gone for a trek to the fort points out that the broken walls are a sad reminder of the neglect that most forts in the state are subject to. The summit-a flat expanse of land on which the fort stood was once surrounded by mighty walls that have now broken down into small bulwarks. In addition to this the general condition of the fort is sad with most of it having fallen to ruins,sheer neglect and public apathy.

Tendulkar however does mention that the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) is working towards the restoration of the fort and also building an office on the fort which will also work towards the upkeep and maintainence of the fort. But honestly I think we need more social awareness. It is not the best of sights to see educated people dirty and deface the premises. People need to learn and be aware of the rich heritage of the fort and the history associated behind it, he says.

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