Pratapgad Fort

Pratapgad Fort Latest News

A memorial of ‘Veer’ Jivaji Mahale will be constructed on the foothills of Pratapgad Fort, and Rs 1 crore has been sanctioned by the Maharashtra Government for the first phase of the project recently.

About Pratapgad Fort

• Pratapgad, also known as Pratapgarh, is a large hill fort located in the Satara district of Maharashtra. 
• The fort lies at an altitude of 1080 m and is built on a spur that overlooks the road between the villages of Par and Kinesvar. 

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Pratapgad Fort History

• Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj had commissioned Moropant Pingle, his prime minister, to commence the construction of this fort to defend Nira and the Koyna River banks and also to guard the Par pass.  
• The construction of the fortress was completed in the year 1656. 
• The fort stands as the witness of the historic Battle of Pratapgarh between Shivaji and Afzal Khan, the commander of the Bijapur Sultanate, on 10th November 1659. 
• The Battle of Pratapgad marked the rise of Shivaji Maharaj as a powerful and independent ruler in the Deccan region. 
• It also marked the decline of the Bijapur Sultanate, which eventually fell to the Mughals in 1686.  
• After the Battle of Pratapgad, the Afzal Tower was constructed outside the fort as a lookout for enemies. 
• It is said that Afzal Khan’s head is buried under the Afzal tower which is also known as Afzal Buruj. Afzal Khan’s tomb is situated to the northwest of Afzal Buruj. 
• In 1818, the Maratha forces had to surrender the Pratapgad Fort after losing the third Anglo-Maratha War. 

Pratapgad Fort Features

• The fort is divided into two parts, the lower fort and the upper fort. 
• The upper fort was built upon the crest of the hill. 
• It is roughly square, 180 m long on each side. The upper fort comprises several buildings, including a Mahadev Temple. 
• The lower fort situated at the southeast end of the fort is defended by tall towers and strongholds, which are 10-12 m high. 
• The lower fort is around 320 m long and 110 m wide. 
• It houses Bhavani Temple on the eastern side.  It is believed that Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja was blessed with a shining sword at this temple. 
• A 17-foot-tall bronze figure of Shivaji was erected and unveiled by Jawaharlal Nehru on 30th November 1957 to commemorate and pay homage to Shivaji Maharaj.

News: TP