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| Sudhagad Fort | |
|---|---|
| Part of Lonavala Hill Range | |
| Raigad district,Maharashtra | |
 Sudhagad fort | |
  Sudhagad Fort | |
| Coordinates | 18°32′19.8″N73°19′13.3″E / 18.538833°N 73.320361°E /18.538833; 73.320361 |
| Type | Hill fort |
| Height | 590 m (1935ft) |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Government of India |
| Controlled by | Ahmadnagar(1521–1594) Portugal(1594) Maratha Confederacy (1739–1818) United Kingdom
 India (1947–) |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Ruins |
| Site history | |
| In use | Capital fort |
| Materials | Stone |
Sudhagad / Bhorapgad is ahill fort situated inMaharashtra,India. It lies about 53 kilometres (33 mi) west ofPune, 26 kilometres (16 mi) south ofLonavla and 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) east ofPali inRaigad District. The summit is 620 metres (2,030 ft) above sea level.[1] The entire area around the fort is declared a Sudhagadwildlife sanctuary.
The origin of this fort is said to date back to the 2nd century B.C.,[2][unreliable source?] the same age as theThanale Caves and Khadsamble caves nearby. It was then called Bhorapgad[3] (after its presiding deity, Bhoraidevi). In 1436, it was captured by theBahamani Sultan. In 1657, the Marathas took over and renamed it "Sudhagad"(the sweet one). It was a large fort and Sudhagad was considered byChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as the capital of his kingdom. He surveyed it, but instead choseRaigad because of its central location.[citation needed]
In the regime of thePeshwas, the ‘Pantsachivas’ of Bhor[4] became the custodians of this fort. After the annexation of princely states in 1950 the fort became patron less. As a result, the fort is in a state of ruins, even though it escaped the wrath of the British.
The first fort has several ruins of two temples dedicated toLord Shiva. However, the temple of Bhoraidevi (its patron goddess) is well maintained temple.[4] On the large plateau at the summit,[5] there are two lakes, a house, a big granary, some tombs, a shrine (Vrindavan) and numerous other ruins, scattered around the fort area. There are three main gates the largest of which is called the Maha Darwaja.[4] From the top, other forts likeSarasgad,Korigad,Ghangad, Taila-Baila are clearly visible.
Sudhagad is a popular trekking destination as it is one of the better preserved forts in Maharashtra. It takes about 1–2 hours to reach the top of the fort. The trekking route from village Thakurwadi is most popular and regularly used. There are no water cisterns on the way. The night halt at the fort in any season can be made at Pantsachiv wada and Bhorai mata Mandir. There are two water ponds on the fort.[1][4] On the slopes of the fort there are trees ofpandhri[what language is this?] which are used to make a popular walking stick.[4]
18°32′N73°19′E / 18.54°N 73.32°E /18.54; 73.32
