Makrandgad
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Government of India
Maratha Confederacy (1656-1818)
United Kingdom
East India Company (1818-1857)
British Raj (1857-1947)
India (1947-)thepublicYes
| Makrandgad Fort | |
|---|---|
| Part of Sahyadri Hill Range | |
| Satara district, Maharashtra | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Hill fort |
| Owner | Government of India |
| Controlled by | Maratha Confederacy (1656-1818) United Kingdom
India (1947-) |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Ruins |
| Location | |
  Makrandgad Fort Shown within Maharashtra | |
| Coordinates | 17°50′57.6″N 73°36′12.2″E / 17.849333°N 73.603389°E |
| Height | 4054Ft. |
| Site history | |
| Materials | Stone |
Makrandgad Fort is a fort near Pratapgad Fort. It is located 156km from Pune, in Satara district, of Maharashtra. The fort is located in the midst of the famous Javli forest. The fort is accessible from the Hatlot and Ghonaspur village. The trek to this fort is an easy one day trek for visitors at Mahabaleshwar. The fort consists of two flattened humps with a ridge between them.[1]
This fort was constructed by King Shivaji in 1656 at the same time when Pratapgad was constructed. This fort was though of less importance as it did not command any trade routes or pass but, it was a link between Pratapgad and fort Vasota. It was surrendered by private negotiations to the British in 1818.
How to reach
The nearest town is Mahabaleshwar which is 37 km from Ghonsapur. The base village of the fort is Ghonaspur which is 27km from Pratapgad. There are good hotels in Mahabaleshwar. The trekking path starts from the hillock west of the Ghonsapur. The route is very safe and narrow. There is a dense forest on the trekking route. It takes about one hour to reach the col between the two humps. The right path goes Malikarjun temple and a water spring on the fort and the left path goes to another hump. The night stay on the fort cannot be made due to lack of potable water on the fort. The villagers from the local village make night stay and food arrangements at a reasonable cost. The other route is from the village Hatlot.