Lohgad Visapur
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Transcript of Lohgad Visapur
Elevation1030 m (3400 ft)910 m (3038 ft)
लोहगड आिण िवसापूरL h d Th I F t 910 m (3038 ft)
Location LonavlaLohgad – The Iron Fort
and Visapur
LohgadLohgad was one of the most important forts of Satwaahan Period, which takes us to 2000 to 2500 years
back. Bhaje & Bedse caves where used by Buddhist monks to stay. These caves are situated in the mountain of Visapur. Sage Lomesh had been meditating on Lohgad, and this is why the fort is called so. It had been
built with a primary intention to keep a watch on Nane Maval, Korbaarse Maval and Andhra Maval. After the downfall of Bahmani kingdom, the fort went into the hands of Nizamshahi in 1489.
Thereafter it remained with till 1630. When the brother of seventh Nizam named second Burhan ruled here (1590‐1594), he was imprisoned on this fort. In 1630, the fort went under the control of Adilshah. Shivaji
Maharaj captured it in 1648, two years after he captured Torna. Netaji Palkar was appointed to look after the fort and the surrounding region.
In 1665, Mirza raja Jaysingh invaded Purandar, and launched a major attack on the forts in Pune region. Villages nearby Lohgad became a victim of that. In March 1665, Kutubuddin attacked and looted the villages here. About 1500 soldiers came down from the fort, but could not sustain, and returned back. According to
the treaty of Purandar, the fort went into the hands of Aurangzeb. Shivaji Maharaj got it back in 1670.
Aurangzeb recaptured it in 1700. Shahu Maharaj gave the fort to Kanhoji Angre. In 1720 it was under the control of Balaji Vishwanath. Nana Phadnis renovated the first, second and the fourth entrance of the fort. Jaavji Bomble and later Dhondopant Nitsure ruled under Nana Phadnis. He shifted his entire treasury on this fort, which was kept in Laxmi Kothi. Nana Phadnis passed away in 1800. His wife came here in 1802. Bajirao‐II was an inefficient ruler, who was pro‐British. General Wellesley was the person who insisted Dhondopantto be loyal to Bajirao. But it did not last long, and Dhondopant Nitsure’s man attacked Bajirao. Wellesley
decided to capture the fort. In 1818 colonel Prother came here and captured Visapur. Lohgad came into his hands without firing a single bullet.
Lohgad
Visapur
Lohgad
Tung
PawanaLake
Tung
Tikona
Vinchu KataVinchu Kata
VisapurThe forts of Lohgad and Visapur have played an important role in guarding the ancient g p p y p g gtrade routes and being the savior of Bhaje and Bedse caves. Among them, Lohgad is related to many significant historical events. Much of it is known. Unlike that, much less is known about Visapur. In spite of being a very big fort, protected by a highly impregnable fortification and presence of a large plateau, less is written about it, or
much less records could have added to information about it.
L h d d Vi l i N M l Thi i d Ni h hi ftLohgad and Visapur lay in Nane Maval. This region came under Nizamshahi after dissolution of Bahmani rule. It went into the hands of Mughals in the treaty of Mahuli, between Shahajiraje and Mughals. Seeing that the Mughals were not able to keep a control over the region Shivaji Maharaj captured almost all the forts here till 1660control over the region, Shivaji Maharaj captured almost all the forts here till 1660.
However, he lost the fort again to Mughals in the treaty of Purandar in 1665. However Aurangzeb broke the treaty. In 1682, Shahbuddin, a Mughal Sardar invaded the region, and killed 60 Marathas in an anguish. However Marathas escaped to Visapur. They g p p y
were chased, but moved in time to the village of Kusapur. On 4th march 1818 Colonel Prother captured Visapur, and the next day Lohgad fell into his hands. The mountain of Visapur is significant, as Bhaje caves have been carved out in the same mountain. The destruction caused by Mughals and English is clearly evident from the injuries on the Bhaje caves. These beautiful caves could have been bombarded by cannon balls,
because much of their part has been broken.
Un spoilt
Un hurried
Un touched
Un confined
Un expected
Un conquered
Un paralleledUn paralleled
Un matched
Un stressed
Standing as silent sentinels to history are the 350‐odd forts of Maharashtra. Beaten by
Un stressed
Un limited
g y ythe sea waves, lashed at by the torrential Deccan rains, or scorched in the blazing sun,
stand imposing ramparts and crumbling walls , the last lingering memories of Maharashtra's martial times. Nowhere in the country would you encounter such a
profusion of forts. And such variety. Sited on an island, or guarding the seas or among the Sahyadri hills, whose zig‐zag walls and rounded bastions sit like a scepter and
crown amidst hills turned mauve.