Journalism of Courage
Torna,the first fort captured by Shivaji at the age of 16,still retains its old world grandeur
There are monuments that have been scattered all over history,and some that have been the founding stones for historic events that have re-modeled the course that empires and civilisations have taken. The historic Torna fort,better known by its local name ‘Prachandagad’,is one such fort that has been the corner-stone for the Maratha empire. It was the first fort ever captured by Shivaji,at the young age of 16,and it sowed the seed of the Maratha empire.
The fort which has a temple dedicated to Menghai Devi,was originally built around the 13th century and acquired the reputation of a tough fort. The fort was captured by the Mughals in the 18th century,with them having to undergo numerous difficulties to achieve the same. Abhishek Sutar,another localite who is studying Maratha history,says,A very interesting aspect about forts in Maharashtra is that they were built in such a way that one could stay there comfortably as they could not be captured easily. A primary reason for the same is that the Maratha soldiers were swift-footed and used light weaponry. The forts were built to suit their minimum means. The armies that attempted to capture the forts were usually slow moving with heavy and cumbersome artillery. These things never worked in their favour and that is why capturing the fort was one of the wiser decisions made by Shivaji. It gives a rough idea of his foresight and his military acumen.
Surprisingly even though it is a hot spot for tourists and trekkers,the fort stands in a good state. Torna is one of the few forts that has been spared the horrors of having been disfigured. Some people have defaced the fort bastions or walls,but on the whole it has retained its the richness of its history, says Nimhan.
