Pawangad Fort was built by the legendary Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1673 and it has rich history.
Legend has it that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj awarded 5000 Hones to army officers Hiroji Frajad and Arjoji Yadav for completing the construction of the fort with perfection. But unfortunately, later in 1844, the British army invaded and destroyed the fort along with its twin, Panhala. And guess what? They didn’t leave a single entrance standing! Talk about a complete demolition job.
Despite its historic significance, Pawangad is often ignored by travelers, except for a few lovebirds who want to escape from the chaos of the city.
But once you do find your way here, you’ll be amazed by the chief defense of the fort – a twenty-foot-high sharpened rock, which was made even more lethal with artificial sharpening. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s a fourteen-foot-high parapet wall made of Kolhapur black stone to keep the enemies at bay.
But the most interesting thing about this fort is the well of purified butter, which was used as a medicine for injuries during wars. Butter as medicine?
And let’s not forget about the fort’s brush with the British. In 1844, the protestors captured Colonel Ovans and imprisoned him in Panhala. But the British force, led by General Delamotte, wasn’t having any of it. They destroyed the walls of Panhala and captured the fort, and to add insult to injury, they also destroyed the two main entrances of Pawangad. Ouch!
So, there you have it, folks – the fascinating history of Pawangad Fort. It might be abandoned, but it’s definitely not forgotten.
In 1827, under Shahoji I (1821–1837), Pavangad and its neighboring fort Panhala were given over to the British Raj. In 1844, during the minority of Shivaji IV (1837–1860), Panhala and Pavangad were taken by rebels who seized Colonel Ovans, the Resident of Satara, when he was on tour and imprisoned him in Panhala. A British force under General Delamotte was sent against the rebels and on 1 December 1844 breached Panhala fort walls, took it by storm. Shortly thereafter in 1844, the two main entrances of Pawangad were pulled down and the fort was dismantled. The fort though deserted has a good water supply.
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