Pratapgad Fort

Pratapgad is situated in Satara district Maharashtra, India and is 25 km from Mahabaleshwar. The Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj commissioned Moropant Trimbak Pingle his prime minister to undertake the construction of this fort in order to defend the banks of the Nira and the Koyna rivers and to defend the Par pass.

This fort was initially recognized as the Bhorpya hill until Shivaji Maharaj completely reconstructed in 1656, which was later recognized as ‘PRATAPGAD’. This fort has got significant historic importance due to the the famous temple of “Bhavani Mata” constructed by Shivaji Maharaj and the event of Assassination of Afzal Khan on it.

The Pratapgad fort can be divided into the lower fort and upper fort.

The upper fort is constructed upon the crest of the hill. It is roughly square, and about 180m long on each side. It has several permanent buildings, including a temple to the god Mahadev which is located at the northwest of the fort, and is surrounded by sheer cliffs with drops of up to 250m.

The lower fort is around 320m long and 110m wide. It is located at the southeast of the fort and is defended by towers and bastions upto ten to twelve meters in height.

In 1661 Shivaji Maharaj was unable to visit the temple of the goddess Bhavani at Tuljapur. He decided to dedicate a temple to the goddess at this fort itself. This temple is on the eastern side of the lower fort. The hall has been rebuilt since the original construction, and consists of wooden pillars about 50′ long, 30′ broad and 12′ high. The shrine is made of stone, and contains a clothed black stone image of the goddess. The roof of the temple is flat inside, but covered in lead covering put up by the Satara Raja Pratapsinha (1818–1839). A small spire or shikhar covers the shrine.

A dargah of Afzal Khan is located a short while away from the fort to the south-east.

The splendor of the fort has been maintained since the visit of Shivaji Maharaj and Afzal Khan to this fort. During this visit, Afzal Khan was impressed by Shivaji Maharaj’s personality and this time he extended his hand of friendship and attacked Shivaji Maharaj. Maharaj was not injured as he was wearing armor. In response to this, Shivaji Maharaj with the help of Waghnakh (वाघनखांच्या) killed the Afzal Khan.

How to visit

One can take ST from Pune to Poladpur at night & then stay at Poladpur ST stand for the first ST to WADA (Base village). Its around 7am. When you reach at Wada village you can hire a 4 wheeler to the base of the Pratapgad Fort.

Distance

  • Mahabaleshwar to Pratapgad Fort Distance – 21 KM.
  • Pune to Pratapgad Fort Distance – 139 KM.
  • Satara to Pratapgad Fort Distance – 75 KM

Trekking

There is an alternate fantastic trekking road surrounded by greenery for that you have to ask villagers 1st.(its bit hidden). But if you first go by main road by walking then you can see a arrow on the road showing the exact path & after that you can see old rock stairs. From this rout you can go walking in around 1/2 hrs to the top of the fort. This was the old rout of Mawlas in ancient time.

Pratapgad Fort Map

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Pratapgad Fort Images

Pratapgad Fort Hotels

Pratapgad Fort is a popular tourist destination in Maharashtra, India. There are several hotels and accommodations available near the fort for tourists to stay. Here are some options:

Hotel Lake View: This hotel is located in Mahabaleshwar, which is around 30 km from Pratapgad Fort. It offers comfortable rooms with beautiful views of the surrounding lake and hills.

Citrus Chambers Mahabaleshwar: This hotel is also located in Mahabaleshwar and is around 30 km from Pratapgad Fort. It offers well-furnished rooms, a swimming pool, and a restaurant.

Hotel Panorama: This hotel is located in Wai, which is around 20 km from Pratapgad Fort. It offers comfortable rooms with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

Hotel Valley Nest: This hotel is located in Panchgani, which is around 40 km from Pratapgad Fort. It offers comfortable rooms with beautiful views of the surrounding valleys and hills.

Hotel Shivsagar Palace: This hotel is located in Satara, which is around 25 km from Pratapgad Fort. It offers comfortable rooms, a swimming pool, and a restaurant.

These are just a few options and there are many more hotels and accommodations available in the nearby areas. It’s always a good idea to check reviews and ratings before booking any hotel.