Journalism of Courage
It is interesting to note how certain historic destinations have played a changing role as the winds of change continue to blow over the sands of time. While a lot of such monuments fall prey to the vagaries of time there are a few that constantly keep re-adapting and reinventing themselves to ensure that they fit into the roles bestowed upon them to the best of their abilities. The fort of Hadsar is one such fort that has over the ages seen changes,that have seen it transform from a residential fort,to a military fort to a fort that acts as a watch tower to the entrance to the famed Naneghat pass.
Hadsar fort along with the neighbourhood forts of Chavand Shivneri and Jidhan acted as the guardian forts during the days of the Maratha Empire. Of course the fort since then has been instrumental in also guarding the entry towards Shivneri when Shivaji was staying at Shivneri. It acted as a watch tower for both people leaving and entering Junnar, says Varsha Bhosekar,a local school teacher,who has studied Maratha history. Interestingly Hadsar in many ways is a classic representation of the forts of the Maratha times- built on a plateau located on the hill,using the natural hill face to build the fort ramparts and fortifications.Hadsar is one of the forts that defines the Maratha architectural style and also engineering techniques. The fort can be approached from the western side the eastern front and from a gully that leads from the nearby fort of Chavand.
Documentary evidences of the fort show evidences that it did exchange hands in 1637 from the Marathas to the Mughals. However the systematic destruction of the main features of the fort occurred after the British conquered the forts here in 1818. The entrance gates of the fort,the twin doors in a tunnel-like entrance,steps carved out of the rock and the Gomukhiâ construction of the entrance are worth studying and are classic examples of architecture from the medieval ages, says Bhosekar. Of course while a lot can be said about the fort,its history and the subsequent changes that it has undergone,one could just spare the lesson and instead just experience the same in person on the fort. That probably is the beauty of forts like these that have such characteristic architectural styles that makes one marvel about the extent of innovation in those times.
