Samangad is a hill fort in Kolhapur District, Maharashtra. It is 2,600 feet (790 m) above sea level. The fort is situated on the oval-shaped top of the hill.
The fort was built by the Shilahar king Bhoj II, but it was later conquered by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1667. The fort was then rebuilt by Surnis Annaji Datto Prabhunikar, who was a big-shot in the eight minister council and in charge of the South sector. The fort changed hands multiple times between the Marathas and the Mughals, with battles and sieges making the rounds.
In 1844, the fort became the site of the first resistance against British rule, led by Munjappa Kadam and others. The Marathas fought fiercely, with 350 fort keepers, 10 canons, 100 riflemen, and 200 soldiers involved in the two battles. However, in the end, the British emerged victorious, destroying the fort with their canons.
Now, let’s get to the fun stuff – exploring the fort! To reach the fort plateau, you can take the Gadhinglaj route and pass through Bhadgaon and Chinchewadi villages. In Chinchewadi, you’ll find two big canons of foreign make and a Lord Hanuman temple. If you take the tar road to the left, you’ll find the entrance to the fort, which is completely devastated. The fort wall has been built on a chiseled rock face with bastions mounted on it.
As you explore the fort, you’ll come across many interesting spots, such as the Nishana bastion and a square-shaped well built of laterite stone. There’s also a roofed temple of Goddess Ambabai and adjacent platforms and dried water tanks. Moving ahead, you’ll come across an arch well with beautiful arches on its steps. This place was used to keep prisoners, and there are three such wells on the fort.
After visiting the arch well, take the backside of the temple path to reach the other edge of the fort. Here, you’ll see many pillars built of laterite stone, and their purpose is still unknown. Further down, you’ll come across a secret doorway, and as you proceed, the ridge becomes narrow, and you’ll reach a double fortified bastion. Opposite this bastion, you’ll see a small raised ground that the locals believe the Mughal army built to attack the bastion.
Finally, head back to the Lord Hanuman temple and check out the rock-cut caves opposite it. Inside, you’ll find a Lord Shiva temple with many arched porches. If you follow the tar road further, you’ll reach the shrine of Bhimshappa, where you can find potable water.
All in all, Samangad is a fascinating fort with a rich history and many interesting spots to explore. So pack your bags and get ready to experience history like never before!
In 1676, the fortifications were considerably improved by Shivaji, subsequent to which it was known as one of the “smallest yet strongest forts” of the great Marathas. In 1844, the Samangad garrison rebelled and took over the fort, shutting the gates. But it was stormed by the British Raj under a General Delamotte and retaken from the rebelling soldiers. The British Raj dismantled the fort and it has been in ruins ever since.
This fort is a tomb of famous warrior Shri Prataprao Gujar who fought against the Adil Shahi army of Bahalul Khan with only six soldiers. Stories are told by local from generation to generation.
The fort is surrounded by trees; it is developed by the government of Maharashtra as a tourist place. Also Maruti temple and Chaloba temple near fort is visited by devotees. A village near fort is Naukud, Hasursasgiri and Chinchewadi which is a rural area. Gun fire weapons at Naukud found and kept near Vithoba temple.
The other most important attraction over here is BHUI BHANGARA which means cracked land. It is actually temple of lord shiva under the crevices of rock and has got stairs to climb down. there are statues of many deities like DATTATRAY, SHANI and GANESHA. It has got long corridor there is belief among the natives here that there is a hidden tunnel from fort till here for escaping. Also the MARUTI temple near to this was built by SAMARTH RAMDAS SWAMI.The BHIMSHAPPA MATH is another prominent destination it is the shrine of local saint BHIMSHAPPA who attained nirvana here. A small village got its name BHIMSASGIRI from this saint which is later known to be HASURSASGIRI.
The spoken language around this fort is Marathi. People around this fort celebrate Samangad fair on the first Wednesday after Shivratri which is in February or March every year. During this time they perform lot of events including bullock cart race, horse cart race, bicycle race, entertainment during night time and much more.
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