Shivneri |
FortHeight : 3500 ft. |
Type : Hill forts |
Fort Range : Naneghat |
District : Pune |
Grade : Medium |
Junnar means “Jirna Nagar”, one of the oldest cities of ancient India. The Shaka dynasty ruled here. Gautamiputra Satkarni, who was a Satvaahan king, defeated the Shakas to establish his rule. The era of Satvaahan is the most glorious one, as many artistic works were carried out during their rule. Junnar became their capital city. This was the golden era of our culture. Here more than 100 caves were carved out in the mountains surrounding Junnar. The mountain on which fortification was constructed, is well protected by steep scarps, and is the most suitable for constructing caves. Here 64 caves were carved, and eight inscriptions are found here. It was named Shivneri. After Satvaahans, the fort went into the hands of Yadavas, and then to the Bahmani Kings. The Bahmanis put a hindrance to the trade between north and southern India. After the death of Malik-ul-Tujar, Malik Ahmed, the son of first Nizam Malik Hasan, claimed himself to be the ruler and established Nizamshahi.
Jadhavrao (father of Jijamata) accompanied Jijamata to Shivneri with a cavalry of 500. Shivaji Maharaj was born in 1630 when Shahaji Maharaj was in a distress.
Shivaji Maharaj left this fort in 1632 and it went into the hands of Mughals in 1637. In 1650 the local fishermen refuted against them. The folks lost to the rulers and were assassinated cruelly on the fort. In 1678 the Marathas raided Junnar, but attempt to capture Shivneri was futile. Shahu Maharaj brought the fort under his control forty years later. Later it was under the control of Peshwas.
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Fascinating Spots : |
The fort has a significant shape, like an arrowhead, pointing towards the north. Someone has described this as an arrow pointing towards the tyrant Moguls of north, threatening about Shivaji Maharaj. It is surrounded by about 7-8 forts in the region, and was built to guard the city of Junnar and the ancient route of Naneghat. From the top of the fort we can have a view of Lenyadri, a famous pilgrimage and the Giant Meteoric Radio Telescopes of Narayangaon. |
1)Shiv Janmasthan: : |
This is the place on the fort where the birth of Shivaji Maharaj took place. This place is named as Shiv Mandir. Ahead of Shiv Mandir there is a huge water tank. |
2) Kadelot point : |
This is the place where prisoners were punished by throwing them down the fort. This point is on the northern end of the fort. |
3)Shiv Kunj : |
Shiv Kunj is a monument constructed by the state government, in honor of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Inside Shiv Kunj there is an idol of Bal Shivaji and Jijabai made of “Panchdhatu” (An alloy of 5 metals.) |
4) Kamani Masjid : |
In front of Shiv Kunj on can see this Kamani Masjid. It might have been named Kamani because the top of this structure is like bow that is called as Kaman in Hindi. On the east-facing wall there is an inscription in Urdu. |
5) Ganga Jamuna : |
These are the water cisterns behind the Shiv Kunj. Water in these cisterns is potable. On whole of Shivneri there are more than 10 water tanks. |
6) Koli Chauthara : |
This monument is built in the place where Mughals killed thousands of Koli soldiers in the year 1650. |
7) Ambarkhana : |
Every fort needs to have a warehouse for its storage of grains and food products. Ambarkhana is the place where huge amount of grain can be stored. The caretakers here keep this place very clean. When descending/ascending through the way near Ambarkhana all the seven doors of the fort can be visited. These doors help us to imagine the strength this fort would have given to its defender. The sequence of these doors is as follows
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Ways To Reach : |
To reach on fort Shivneri first we have to reach Junnar. Distance between Junnar Bus stand and Shivneri is 2 km by road. |
Ways to reach Junnar : |