Shivneri Fort

Shivneri Fort Latest News

The cultural affairs minister recently directed the authorities to conduct an “objective assessment” of unauthorised constructions and other structures, including graves and dargahs, in and around Shivneri Fort and take appropriate action.

About Shivneri Fort

• It is a very old and important hill fort located near the town of Junnar in the Pune district of Maharashtra.
• This fort is famous because it is the birthplace of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.  

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Shivneri Fort History

• The Shivneri Fort was built during the time of Satavahanas.  
• After the Satavahanas, the Shivneri Fort was occupied by the Shilaharas and the Yadavas.  
• This fort was very important for protecting an old trading route. This route connected the region of Desh to the port city of Kalyan. 
• In the 15th century, it came under the Bahmani Sultanate. Later, in the 16th century, it was taken over by the Ahmadnagar Sultanate.
• In 1595, a Maratha chief named Maloji Bhosale was honored by the Ahmadnagar Sultan, Bahadur Nizam Shah. 
  • Maloji Bhosale was the grandfather of Shivaji Maharaj. 
  • The Sultan gave him control of Shivneri and Chakan forts.
• Shivaji Maharaj was born at Shivneri Fort on February 19, 1630. Some records suggest he was born in 1627. He spent his early childhood years growing up within the fort’s walls. 
• An English traveler named Fraze visited the fort in 1673. He wrote that the fort was very strong and could not be easily defeated. 

Shivneri Fort Features

• It is a triangular-shaped hill fort and has its entrance from the southwest side of the hill. 
• The fort stretches for about 1 kilometer (1 mile). It has seven winding gates that are very well protected. All around the fort, there are strong mud walls. 
• Inside the fort, you can find several important buildings. These include a prayer hall, a tomb, and a mosque. 
• At the very center of the fort, there is a water pond called ‘Badami Talav‘. To the south of this pond, you can see statues of Jijabai and a young Shivaji.  
•  In the fort there are two water springs, called Ganges and Yamuna, which have water throughout the year. 
• About 2 kilometers away from Shivneri Fort, there are ancient Buddhist rock-cut caves. These are known as Lenyadri caves.

News: HT