1.
Raigad Fort
–
Raigad is a hill fort situated in the Mahad, Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. The fort, which rises 820 metres above sea level, is located in the Sahyadri mountain range, there are approximately 1737 steps leading to the fort, though today Raigad Ropeway, an aerial tramway, exists to reach the top of the fort in 10 minutes. The fort was looted and destroyed by the British after its capture in 1818, Shivaji maharaj had seized the fort in 1656, then the fort of Rairi, from Chandrarrao More, a feudatory of the Sultan of Bijapur. Shivaji renovated and expanded the fort of Rairi and renamed it Raigad and it became the capital of Shivajis kingdom. Pachad and Raigadwadi villages are located at the base of the Raigad and these two were very important villages during the Maratha rule. Actual climb on the top of Raigad starts from Pachad, in Maratha rule 10000 cavalry was always kept as a standby in Pachad village. After capturing Rairi from Chandrarao More, Shivaji also built another fort Lingana which is around 2 miles away from Raigad, where he used to keep prisoners. Its ruins today consist of the quarters, six chambers. The main palace was constructed using wood, of only the bases of pillars remain. The area is now fenced off, the fort also has ruins of the market, and it has such structure that one can shop even while riding on a horse. Maha Darwaja having two very huge bastion on both sides of the door which are approximately 65–70 feet height, the top of the fort is 600 ft higher from the location of this door. Fort was having only once access route which goes through this Maha Darwaja, khubladha Buruj, Nane Darwaja, Hatti Talav, Gangasagar are the famous attractions of the fort. A memorial to Jijabai, Shivajis mother, can be seen at base village of Pachad The fort has a famous wall called Hirakani Buruj constructed over a huge cliff. Its story is that a woman by the name of Hirakani from a nearby village Walsure at the foothills of Raigad had come to sell milk to the living in the fort. She was inside the fort when the gates were locked by sunset, the love for her infant son back at her village gave her the courage to climb down the cliff in the dark. She repeated the feat in front of King Shivaji, and was rewarded for it, in appreciation of her courage, Shivaji arranged for a wall built at this location. Even today we can see it standing, the kings public court has a replica of the original throne that faces the main doorway called the Nagarkhana Darwaja. This enclosure had been designed to aid hearing from the doorway to the throne
2.
Pune district
–
Pune is situated in Maharashtra state of India. Pune city is the district headquarters, in the most recent census on 2011, the total population of the district was 9,426,959, making it the fourth most populous district in India. Urban population comprises 58. 08% of the total population, the current population of Pune urban agglomerate is over 5 million. The territory was formed into a district or sarkar, with sub-divisions called paragana. From such records as are available it appears that the collection was mostly farmed amongst the important chieftains who were henchmen of the Nizamshahi. Ahmednagar king had to bear the brunt of a attack from the Mughal armies which converged on the capital in 1595. Amongst the chieftains so favoured was Maloji Bhosale, who was made a Rana in 1595, Maloji Bhosale was also given charge of the forts of Shivneri and Chakan, which have played a very important part in the early political history of the Pune territory. Even before his coming into the title of Raja, Maloji had several watans as patil for a number of villages, Maloji had married Dipabai, sister of Jagpalrao Naik Nimbalkar, the deshmukh of Phaltan. In the year 1600, Ahmednagar was captured by the Mughals, thus, at the commencement of the seventeenth century, the suzerainty over the possessions of the Ahmednagar kingdom, including the Pune territory, passed to the Mughals. Malik Ambar, the minister of Nizam Shah, raised Murtaza II to the Nizamshahi throne with its temporary headquarters at Junnar. By the time Malik Ambar died in 1626, the system of the Pune area had been put on a sound. He, therefore, in 1629 broke with Nizam Shah and retired to Pune. But with a view perhaps to securing his own jagirs which would be endangered, he offered his allegiance to the Mughals, who besides confirming his jagirs conferred on him the command of 5,000 horses. In fact, in 1632 Shahaji forsook the Mughals and accepted the friendship of the Adilshahi rulers of Bijapur, after this success of the Mughals, the Ahmednagar kingdom ceased to exist, its territory being divided between the Adil Shah of Bijapur and the Mughals. In this scheme of division Pune fell to Bijapur, Shahaji for some time refused to surrender Junnar, which was the very seat of the foundation of the Nizamshahi dynasty. But this he had ultimately to surrender, Shahaji, however, seems to have enjoyed sufficient importance with the hostile powers to be called upon even in defeat to play an important part in the administration of the new regime. It was in this connection that when Shahaji went on his Karnatak expeditions that he left had passed under the control of Bijapur, the Fasli year was also officially introduced at this time. In so far as Shivaji had any official residence in Pune this was the place which he inhabited, Dadaji died in 1647, and Shivaji almost naturally took charge of all the responsibility that devolved on him as deputy of his father
3.
Maharashtra
–
Four Maharashtra is a state in the western region of India and is Indias second-most populous state and third-largest state by area. It is the wealthiest Indian state and it is also the worlds second-most populous sub-national entity. It has over 112 million inhabitants and its capital, Mumbai, has a population of approximately 18 million, Nagpur is Maharashtras second capital as well as its winter capital. Maharashtras business opportunities along with its potential to offer a standard of living attract migrants from all over India. Ancient and medieval Maharashtra included the empires of the Satavahana dynasty, Rashtrakuta dynasty, Western Chalukyas, Mughals, the major rivers of the state are Godavari, and Krishna. The Narmada and Tapti Rivers flow near the border between Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, Maharashtra is the second most urbanised state in India. The state has several popular Hindu places of pilgrimage including Pandharpur, Dehu and Alandi, other places that attract pilgrims from other parts of India and beyond include Hazur Sahib Gurudwara at Nanded, Sai Baba shrine at Shirdi and Dikshabhumi at Nagpur. Maharashtra is the wealthiest and one of the most developed states in India, as of 2011, the state had a per capita income of ₹1.0035 lakh, more than the national average of ₹0.73 lakh. Its GDP per capita crossed the ₹1.20 lakh threshold for the first time in 2013, however, as of 2014, the GDP per capita reduced to ₹1.03 lakh Agriculture and industries are the largest parts of the states economy. Major industries include chemical products, electrical and non-electrical machinery, textiles, petroleum, Jai Maharashtra The modern Marathi language developed from the Maharashtri Prakrit, and the word Mahratta is found in the Jain Maharashtri literature. The terms Maharashtra, Maharashtri, Marathi and Maratha may have derived from the same root, however, their exact etymology is uncertain. But the Marathas as a people do not seem to be mentioned before the thirteenth or fourteenth century, the most widely accepted theory among the linguistic scholars is that the words Maratha and Maharashtra ultimately derived from a combination of Maha and rashtrika. The word rashtrika is a Sanskritized form of Ratta, the name of a tribe or dynasty of petty chiefs ruling in the Deccan region. Another theory is that the term is derived from Maha and ratha / rathi, an alternative theory states that the term derives from the word Maha and Rashtra. However, this theory has not found acceptance among scholars who believe it to be the Sanskritised interpretation of later writers. Maharashtra was ruled by the Maurya Empire in the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE, around 230 BCE Maharashtra came under the rule of the Satavahana dynasty for 400 years. The greatest ruler of the Satavahana Dynasty was Gautamiputra Satakarni, in 90 CE Vedishri, son of the Satavahana king Satakarni, the Lord of Dakshinapatha, wielder of the unchecked wheel of Sovereignty, made Junnar, thirty miles north of Pune, the capital of his kingdom. The state was ruled by Western Satraps, Gupta Empire, Gurjara-Pratihara, Vakataka, Kadambas, Chalukya Empire, Rashtrakuta Dynasty, and Western Chalukya before finally
4.
India
–
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and it is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast. It shares land borders with Pakistan to the west, China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the northeast, in the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Indias Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a border with Thailand. The Indian subcontinent was home to the urban Indus Valley Civilisation of the 3rd millennium BCE, in the following millennium, the oldest scriptures associated with Hinduism began to be composed. Social stratification, based on caste, emerged in the first millennium BCE, early political consolidations took place under the Maurya and Gupta empires, the later peninsular Middle Kingdoms influenced cultures as far as southeast Asia. In the medieval era, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam arrived, much of the north fell to the Delhi sultanate, the south was united under the Vijayanagara Empire. The economy expanded in the 17th century in the Mughal empire, in the mid-18th century, the subcontinent came under British East India Company rule, and in the mid-19th under British crown rule. A nationalist movement emerged in the late 19th century, which later, under Mahatma Gandhi, was noted for nonviolent resistance, in 2015, the Indian economy was the worlds seventh largest by nominal GDP and third largest by purchasing power parity. Following market-based economic reforms in 1991, India became one of the major economies and is considered a newly industrialised country. However, it continues to face the challenges of poverty, corruption, malnutrition, a nuclear weapons state and regional power, it has the third largest standing army in the world and ranks sixth in military expenditure among nations. India is a constitutional republic governed under a parliamentary system. It is a pluralistic, multilingual and multi-ethnic society and is home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats. The name India is derived from Indus, which originates from the Old Persian word Hindu, the latter term stems from the Sanskrit word Sindhu, which was the historical local appellation for the Indus River. The ancient Greeks referred to the Indians as Indoi, which translates as The people of the Indus, the geographical term Bharat, which is recognised by the Constitution of India as an official name for the country, is used by many Indian languages in its variations. Scholars believe it to be named after the Vedic tribe of Bharatas in the second millennium B. C. E and it is also traditionally associated with the rule of the legendary emperor Bharata. Gaṇarājya is the Sanskrit/Hindi term for republic dating back to the ancient times, hindustan is a Persian name for India dating back to the 3rd century B. C. E. It was introduced into India by the Mughals and widely used since then and its meaning varied, referring to a region that encompassed northern India and Pakistan or India in its entirety
5.
Adil Shahi dynasty
–
Bijapur had been a province of the Bahmani Sultanate, before its political decline in the last quarter of the 15th century and eventual break-up in 1518. The Bijapur Sultanate was absorbed into the Mughal Empire on 12 September 1686, the founder of the dynasty, Yusuf Adil Shah, was appointed Bahmani governor of the province, before creating a de facto independent Bijapur state. Yusuf and his son, Ismail, generally used the title Adil Khan, Khan, meaning Chief in Mongolian and adopted in Persian, conferred a lower status than Shah, indicating royal rank. Only with the rule of Yusufs grandson, Ibrahim Adil Shah I, the Bijapur Sultanates borders changed considerably throughout its history. Its northern boundary remained relatively stable, straddling contemporary Southern Maharashtra, the Sultanate expanded southward, first with the conquest of the Raichur Doab following the defeat of the Vijayanagar Empire at the Battle of Talikota in 1565. Later campaigns, notably during the reign of Mohammed Adil Shah, extended Bijapurs formal borders, Bijapur was bounded on the West by the Portuguese state of Goa and on the East by the Sultanate of Golconda, ruled by the Qutb Shahi dynasty. The former Bahmani provincial capital of Bijapur remained the capital of the Sultanate throughout its existence, Bijapur was caught up in the instability and conflict resulting from the collapse of the Bahmani Empire. Bijapur eventually conquered the neighbouring Sultanate of Bidar in 1619, the Portuguese Empire exerted pressure on the major Adil Shahi port of Goa, until it was conquered during the reign of Ibrahim II. The Sultanate was thereafter relatively stable, although it was damaged by the revolt of Shivaji, Shivaji founded an independent Maratha Kingdom which went on to become the Maratha Empire, one of largest empires in India, just before the British conquered India. The greatest threat to Bijapurs security was, from the late 16th century, although it may be the case that the Mughals destroyed the Adilshahi it was Shivajis revolt which weakened the Adilshahi control. Various agreements and treaties imposed Mughal suzerainty on the Adil Shahs, by stages, the demands of their Mughal overlords sapped the Adil Shahs of their wealth until the Mughal conquest of Bijapur in 1686. The founder of the dynasty, Yusuf Adil Shah, may have been a Georgian slave who was purchased by Mahmud Gawan from Iran, yet, Salma Ahmed Farooqui, states, Yusuf was a son of the Ottoman Sultan Murad II. According to the historian Mir Rafi-uddin Ibrahim-i Shirazi, or Rafi, Yusufs full name was Sultan Yusuf Adil Shah Savah or Sawahi, the son of Mahmud Beg of Sawa in Iran. Rafis history of the Adil Shahi dynasty was written at the request of Ibrahim Adil Shah II, Rafi-uddin later became the governor of Bijapur for about 15 years. Yusufs bravery and personality raised him rapidly in Sultans favour, resulting in his appointment as the Governor of Bijapur and he built the Citadel or Arkilla and the Faroukh Mahal. Yusuf was a man of culture and he invited poets and artisans from Persia, Turkey and Rome to his court. Hes well known as a ruler who took advantage of the decline of the Bahmani power to himself as an independent sultan at Bijapur in 1498. He married Punji, the sister of a Maratha warrior, when Yusuf died in 1510, his son Ismail was still a boy
6.
Maratha Empire
–
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian power that existed from 1674 to 1818 and ruled over much of the Indian sub-continent. The Marathas are credited to an extent for ending the Mughal rule in India. The Marathas are Hindu warrior group from the western Deccan Plateau that rose to prominence by establishing a Hindavi Swarajya, known for their mobility, the Marathas were able to consolidate their territory during the Mughal–Maratha Wars and later controlled a large part of India. Chhattrapati Shahu, grandson of Shivaji, was released by Mughals after the death of Emperor Aurangzeb, following a brief struggle with his aunt Tarabai, Shahu became ruler and appointed Balaji Vishwanath and later, his descendants, as the peshwas or prime ministers of the empire. Balaji and his descendants played a key role in expansion of Maratha rule, the empire at its peak stretched from Tamil Nadu in the south to Peshawar in the north, and Bengal and Andaman Islands in the east. In 1761, the Maratha Army lost the Third Battle of Panipat to Ahmad Shah Abdali of the Afghan Durrani Empire which halted their imperial expansion into Afghanistan, ten years after Panipat, the young Peshwa Madhavrao Is Maratha Resurrection reinstated Maratha authority over North India. In a bid to manage the large empire, Madhavrao I gave semi-autonomy to the strongest of the knights. They became known as the Gaekwads of Baroda, the Holkars of Indore and Malwa, the Scindias of Gwalior and Ujjain, the Bhonsales of the Nagpur and the Puars of Dhar and Dewas. In 1775, the East India Company intervened in a Peshwa family succession struggle in Pune, the Marathas remained the preeminent power in India until their defeat in the Second and Third Anglo-Maratha Wars which left the East India Company in control of most of India. A large portion of the Maratha empire was coastline, which had secured by the potent Maratha Navy under commanders such as Kanhoji Angre. He was very successful at keeping foreign naval ships, particularly of the Portuguese and British, securing the coastal areas and building land-based fortifications were crucial aspects of the Marathas defensive strategy and regional military history. The Maratha Empire is also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, the historian Barbara Ramusack says that the former is a designation preferred by Indian nationalists, while the latter was that used by British historians. Maratha power was fragmented among several discrete fragments, although at present, the word Maratha refers to a particular caste of warriors and peasants, in the past the word has been used to describe Marathi people, including Marathas themselves. Shivaji was a Maratha aristocrat of the Bhosle clan who is considered to be the founder of the Maratha empire. Shivaji led a resistance to free the Maratha people from the Sultanate of Bijapur and he created an independent Maratha kingdom with Raigad as its capital and successfully fought against the Mughals to defend his kingdom. He was crowned as Chhatrapati of the new Maratha kingdom in 1674, the state Shivaji founded was a Maratha kingdom comprising about 4. 1% of the subcontinent, but spread over large tracts. At the time of his death is was dotted with about 300 forts, about 40,000 cavalry,50,000 foot soldiers and naval establishments all over the west coast. Over time, the kingdom would increase in size and heterogeneity, Shivaji had two sons, Sambhaji and Rajaram
7.
United Kingdom
–
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country in western Europe. Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign state—the Republic of Ireland. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland, with an area of 242,500 square kilometres, the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe. It is also the 21st-most populous country, with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants, together, this makes it the fourth-most densely populated country in the European Union. The United Kingdom is a monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance. The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned since 6 February 1952, other major urban areas in the United Kingdom include the regions of Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester. The United Kingdom consists of four countries—England, Scotland, Wales, the last three have devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in their capitals, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, respectively. The relationships among the countries of the UK have changed over time, Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in 1707 in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain, which merged in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922, leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, there are fourteen British Overseas Territories. These are the remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in the 1920s, British influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies. The United Kingdom is a country and has the worlds fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP. The UK is considered to have an economy and is categorised as very high in the Human Development Index. It was the worlds first industrialised country and the worlds foremost power during the 19th, the UK remains a great power with considerable economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence internationally. It is a nuclear weapons state and its military expenditure ranks fourth or fifth in the world. The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946 and it has been a leading member state of the EU and its predecessor, the European Economic Community, since 1973. However, on 23 June 2016, a referendum on the UKs membership of the EU resulted in a decision to leave. The Acts of Union 1800 united the Kingdom of Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved self-government
8.
East India Company
–
The company also ruled the beginnings of the British Empire in India. The company received a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth I on 31 December 1600, wealthy merchants and aristocrats owned the Companys shares. Initially the government owned no shares and had only indirect control, during its first century of operation the focus of the Company was trade, not the building of an empire in India. The company eventually came to rule large areas of India with its own armies, exercising military power. Despite frequent government intervention, the company had recurring problems with its finances, the official government machinery of British India had assumed its governmental functions and absorbed its armies. Soon after the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, London merchants presented a petition to Queen Elizabeth I for permission to sail to the Indian Ocean, one of them, Edward Bonventure, then sailed around Cape Comorin to the Malay Peninsula and returned to England in 1594. In 1596, three ships sailed east, however, these were all lost at sea. Two days later, on 24 September, the Adventurers reconvened and resolved to apply to the Queen for support of the project, the Adventurers convened again a year later. For a period of fifteen years the charter awarded the newly formed company a monopoly on trade with all countries east of the Cape of Good Hope and west of the Straits of Magellan. Anybody who traded in breach of the charter without a licence from the Company was liable to forfeiture of their ships and cargo, the governance of the company was in the hands of one governor and 24 directors or committees, who made up the Court of Directors. They, in turn, reported to the Court of Proprietors, ten committees reported to the Court of Directors. According to tradition, business was transacted at the Nags Head Inn, opposite St Botolphs church in Bishopsgate. Sir James Lancaster commanded the first East India Company voyage in 1601, in March 1604 Sir Henry Middleton commanded the second voyage. Early in 1608 Alexander Sharpeigh was appointed captain of the Companys Ascension, thereafter two ships, Ascension and Union sailed from Woolwich on 14 March 1607–8. Initially, the company struggled in the trade because of the competition from the already well-established Dutch East India Company. The company opened a factory in Bantam on the first voyage, the factory in Bantam was closed in 1683. During this time belonging to the company arriving in India docked at Surat. In the next two years, the company established its first factory in south India in the town of Machilipatnam on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal
9.
British Raj
–
The British Raj was the rule by the British Crown in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947. The rule is also called Crown rule in India, or direct rule in India, the resulting political union was also called the Indian Empire and after 1876 issued passports under that name. It lasted until 1947, when the British Indian Empire was partitioned into two sovereign states, the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The British Raj extended over almost all present-day India, Pakistan and this area is very diverse, containing the Himalayan mountains, fertile floodplains, the Indo-Gangetic Plain, a long coastline, tropical dry forests, arid uplands, and the Thar desert. In addition, at times, it included Aden, Lower Burma, Upper Burma, British Somaliland. Burma was separated from India and directly administered by the British Crown from 1937 until its independence in 1948, among other countries in the region, Ceylon was ceded to Britain in 1802 under the Treaty of Amiens. Ceylon was part of Madras Presidency between 1793 and 1798, the kingdoms of Nepal and Bhutan, having fought wars with the British, subsequently signed treaties with them and were recognised by the British as independent states. The Kingdom of Sikkim was established as a state after the Anglo-Sikkimese Treaty of 1861, however. The Maldive Islands were a British protectorate from 1887 to 1965, India during the British Raj was made up of two types of territory, British India and the Native States. In general, the term British India had been used to also to the regions under the rule of the British East India Company in India from 1600 to 1858. The term has also used to refer to the British in India. The terms Indian Empire and Empire of India were not used in legislation, the monarch was known as Empress or Emperor of India and the term was often used in Queen Victorias Queens Speeches and Prorogation Speeches. The passports issued by the British Indian government had the words Indian Empire on the cover, in addition, an order of knighthood, the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, was set up in 1878. At the turn of the 20th century, British India consisted of eight provinces that were administered either by a Governor or a Lieutenant-Governor, during the partition of Bengal the new provinces of Assam and East Bengal were created as a Lieutenant-Governorship. In 1911, East Bengal was reunited with Bengal, and the new provinces in the east became, Assam, Bengal, Bihar, there were 565 princely states when India and Pakistan became independent from Britain in August 1947. The princely states did not form a part of British India, the larger ones had treaties with Britain that specified which rights the princes had, in the smaller ones the princes had few rights. Within the princely states external affairs, defence and most communications were under British control, the British also exercised a general influence over the states internal politics, in part through the granting or withholding of recognition of individual rulers. Although there were nearly 600 princely states, the majority were very small
10.
Pune
–
Pune is the second largest city in the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ninth most populous city in the country. In the 18th century, Pune was the centre of the Indian subcontinent. Considered to be the capital of Maharashtra, Pune is known as Oxford of the East due to the presence of several well-known educational institutions in the city. The city has emerged as an educational hub in recent decades. Since the 1950s and 1960s, Pune has had a traditional old-economic base as most of the old industries continue to grow, a few college in the Europe have also actively engaged in Student-exchange programs with several colleges in Pune. Pune is also one of the fastest growing cities in the Asia-Pacific region, the ‘Mercer 2015 Quality of Living rankings’ evaluated local living conditions in more than 440 cities around the world where Pune ranked at 145, second in India after Hyderabad. It also highlights Pune among evolving business centres and emerging nine cities around the world with citation Hosts IT, the oldest reference to the place is found inscribed on a Rashtrakuta Dynasty copper plate dated AD937, which refers to the town as Punya-Vishaya meaning Sacred News. By the 13th century, it had come to be known as Punawadi, copper plates dated 858 AD and 868 AD show that by the 8th century an agricultural settlement known as Punnaka existed where Pune is today. The plates indicate that this region was ruled by the Rashtrakuta dynasty, the Pataleshwar rock-cut temple complex was built during this era. Pune was part of the territory ruled by Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri from the 9th century to 1327, in 1595, Maloji Raje Bhosale was granted the jagirdari of Pune by the Ahmadnagar Sultanate. Pune was ruled by the Ahmadnagar Sultanate until it was annexed by the Mughals in the 17th century, Pune was part of the Jagir granted to Maloji Bhosale in 1599 for his services to the Nizamshahi of Ahmadnagar. His grandson, Shivaji, the founder of Maratha Empire, was born in Shivneri fort not far from Pune, Shivaji was brought up by his mother in Pune. Pune changed hands several times between the Mughals and the Marathas in the period between 1660 and 1705 and he stabilised the revenue collection and administrative systems of areas around Pune and in neighbouring area of the Maval region. In addition, he developed methods to manage disputes and to enforce law. Construction on the Lal Mahal began in 1631 AD, the Lal Mahal was completed in 1640 AD. Jijabai is said to have commissioned the building of the Kasba Ganapati temple, the Ganesha idol consecrated at this temple has been regarded as the presiding deity of the city. Shivaji encouraged the development of dams in the Parvati and Kondhwa regions of Pune for agricultural purposes, Pune and its surrounding villages were the major recruitment areas for Shivajis army between 1645 AD and 1680 AD. Between 1660 AD and 1670 AD the town was captured by Mughal General Shahista Khan, Shivaji often used Pune as his transit base during his major campaigns such as Varhad-Karanja, AhemadaNagar District, Karnataka, and Jalna
11.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
–
Shivaji Bhonsle, also known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian warrior king and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out an enclave from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the Maratha Empire, in 1674, he was formally crowned as the Chhatrapati of his realm at Raigad. Shivaji established a competent and progressive civil rule with the help of a disciplined military and he revived ancient Hindu political traditions and court conventions and promoted the usage of Marathi and Sanskrit, rather than Persian, in court and administration. Particularly in Maharashtra, debates over his history and role have engendered great passion and sometimes even violence as disparate groups have sought to characterise him and his legacy. Shivaji was born in the hill-fort of Shivneri, near the city of Junnar in Pune district on 6 April 1627 or 19 February 1630, per legend, his mother named him Shivaji in honour of the goddess Shivai, to whom she had prayed for a healthy child. Shivaji was named after this local deity, Shivajis father Shahaji Bhonsle was a Maratha general who served the Deccan Sultanates. His mother was Jijabai, the daughter of Lakhujirao Jadhav of Sindkhed, at the time of Shivajis birth, the power in Deccan was shared by three Islamic sultanates, Bijapur, Ahmednagar, and Golconda. Shahaji often changed his loyalty between the Nizamshahi of Ahmadnagar, the Adilshah of Bijapur and the Mughals, but always kept his jagir at Pune, Shivaji was extremely devoted to his mother Jijabai, who was deeply religious. This religious environment had a impact on Shivaji, and he carefully studied the two great Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, these were to influence his lifelong defence of Hindu values. Throughout his life he was interested in religious teachings, and regularly sought the company of Hindu. Shahaji, meanwhile had married a wife, Tuka Bai from the Mohite family. He left Shivaji and Jijabai in Pune in the care of his jagir administrator, Dadoji has been credited with overseeing education and training of young Shivaji. Shivaji as a boy was an outdoorsman and, though he received little formal education and most likely could neither read nor write. Shivaji drew his earliest trusted comrades and a number of his soldiers from the Maval region, including Yesaji Kank, Suryaji Kakade, Baji Pasalkar, Baji Prabhu Deshpande. However, Shivajis association with the Maval comrades and his independent spirit did not sit well with Dadoji who complained to Shahaji to no avail in making him compliant. At the age of 12, Shivaji was taken to Bangalore where he, his elder brother Sambhaji and he married Saibai from the prominent Nimbalkar family in 1640. Around 1645–46, the teenage Shivaji first expressed his concept for Hindavi Swarajya, in 1645, the 15-year-old Shivaji bribed or persuaded the Bijapuri commander of the Torna Fort, Inayat Khan, to hand over the possession of the fort to him. Firangoji Narsala, who held the Chakan fort professed his loyalty to Shivaji, on 25 July 1648, Shahaji was imprisoned by Baji Ghorpade under the orders of Mohammed Adil Shah, in a bid to contain Shivaji
12.
Sahyadris
–
Western Ghats மேற்கு தொடர்ச்சி மலை is a mountain range that runs parallel to the western coast of the Indian peninsula, located entirely in India. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the eight hottest hot-spots of biological diversity in the world and it is sometimes called the Great Escarpment of India. The range runs north to south along the edge of the Deccan Plateau. These hills cover 160,000 km2 and form the catchment area for complex riverine drainage systems that drain almost 40% of India, the Western Ghats block southwest monsoon winds from reaching the Deccan Plateau. The average elevation is around 1,200 m, at least 325 globally threatened species occur in the Western Ghats. The Western Ghats are the mountainous faulted and eroded edge of the Deccan Plateau, geologic evidence indicates that they were formed during the break-up of the supercontinent of Gondwana some 150 million years ago. Geophysical evidence indicates that the west coast of India came into being somewhere around 100 to 80 mya after it broke away from Madagascar, after the break-up, the western coast of India would have appeared as an abrupt cliff some 1,000 m in elevation. Basalt is the predominant rock found in the reaching a thickness of 3 km. Other rock types found are charnockites, granite gneiss, khondalites, leptynites, metamorphic gneisses with detached occurrences of limestone, iron ore. Residual laterite and bauxite ores are found in the southern hills. The Western Ghats extend from the Satpura Range in the north and it traverses south past the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala. Major gaps in the range are the Goa Gap, between the Maharashtra and Karnataka sections, and the Palghat Gap on the Tamil Nadu and Kerala border between the Nilgiri Hills and the Anaimalai Hills. The mountains intercept the rain-bearing westerly monsoon winds, and are consequently an area of high rainfall, particularly on their western side. The northern portion of the coastal plain between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea is known as the Konkan, the central portion is called Kanara. The foothill region east of the Ghats in Maharashtra is known as Desh, the range is known as Sahyadri in Maharashtra and Karnataka. The Western Ghats meets the Eastern Ghats at Nilgiris in northwestern Tamil Nadu, Nilgiris connects Biligiriranga Hills in southeastern Karnataka with the Shevaroys and Tirumala hills. In the southern part of the range is Anamudi, the highest peak in Western Ghats, following is a list of some of the highest peaks of the Western Ghats, The Western Ghats form one of the four watersheds of India, feeding the perennial rivers of India. The major river systems originating in the Western Ghats include Godavari, Kaveri, Krishna, Thamiraparani, majority of streams draining the Western Ghats join these rivers and carry large volume of water during the monsoon months
13.
Rajaram I
–
Rajaram Raje Bhosale was the younger son of Maratha ruler Shivaji, and half-brother of Sambhaji. He took over the Maratha Empire as its third Chhatrapati after his brothers death at the hands of the Mughal emperor and he had a very short reign, during which he was engaged in a struggle with the Mughals. After the death of Sambhaji, Rajaram was crowned at Raigad on 12 March 1689, details of this escape are known from the incomplete poetical biography of Rajaram, the Rajaramacharita written by his Rajpurohit, Keshav Pandit, in Sanskrit. Aurangzeb deputed Ghazi-ud-din Firoze Jung against the Marathas in the Deccan and he laid siege to it in September,1690. After three failed attempts, it was captured after seven years on 8 January 1698. Rajaram, however, escaped and fled first to Vellore and later to Vishalgarh, Rajaram occupied the fort at Jinji from 11 Nov.1689, but left before it fell in 1698, setting up his court at fort Satara. Rajaram died of disease in 1700 at Sinhagad near Pune in Maharashtra leaving behind widows. One of Rajarams widow, Tarabai proclaimed her son, Shivaji II as the Chhatrapati. However, the release of Shahu, after Aurangzebs death led to a conflict between Tarabai and Shahu with the latter becoming the winner and occupant of the throne. Tarabai established a seat at Kolhapur and installed her son as the rival chhtrapati. She was shortly deposed by the Rajasbai, the widow of Rajaram. Rajasbai installed the son of Rajaram called Sambhaji II on the Kolhapur throne. The Kolhapur line has continued to this day through natural succession, Chhatrapati Maratha Empire Bhosale family ancestry Khando Ballal List of people involved in the Maratha Empire Bhat family Imperial Gazetteer of India, v.2, p.440
14.
Agra
–
Agra is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is 378 kilometres west of the capital, Lucknow,206 kilometres south of the national capital New Delhi and 125 kilometres north of Gwalior. Agra is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh, Agra is a major tourist destination because of its many splendid Mughal-era buildings, most notably the Tāj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpūr Sikrī, all three of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Agra falls within the Braj cultural region, the city was first mentioned in the epic Mahābhārata, where it was called Agrevaṇa. Legend ascribes the founding of the city to Raja Badal Singh, however, the 11th century Persian poet Masūd Sad Salmān writes of a desperate assault on the fortress of Agra, then held by the Shāhī King Jayapala, by Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni. It was mentioned for the first time in 1080 AD when a Ghaznavide force captured it, Sultan Sikandar Lodī was the first to move his capital from Delhi to Agra in 1506. He governed the country from here and Agra assumed the importance of the second capital. He died in 1517 and his son, Ibrāhīm Lodī, remained in there for nine more years and several palaces, wells. Finally being defeated at the Battle of Panipat in 1526, between 1540 and 1556, Afghans, beginning with Sher Shah Suri ruled the area. It achieved fame as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1556 to 1658, Agra features a semiarid climate that borders on a humid subtropical climate. The city features mild winters, hot and dry summers and a monsoon season, however the monsoons, though substantial in Agra, are not quite as heavy as the monsoon in other parts of India. This is a factor in Agra featuring a semiarid climate as opposed to a humid subtropical climate. As of 2011 India census, Agra city has a population of 1,585,704, the urban agglomeration of Agra has a population of 1,760,285. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%, Agra city has an average literacy rate of 73. 11%, lower than the national average of 74%. Literacy rate of males is considerably higher than that of women, the sex ratio in the city was 875 females per thousand males while child sex ratio stood at 857. Agra district literacy rate is 62. 56%, Agra is dominated by Yadavs and Jats. According to the 2011 census, Agra district has a population of 4,380,793 and this gives it a ranking of 41st in India. The district has a density of 1,084 inhabitants per square kilometre
15.
Afzal Khan (general)
–
Afzal Khan was a medieval Indian commander who served the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur, and fought against Shivaji. He was killed at a meeting with Shivaji, and his army was defeated in the Battle of Pratapgad and his name is also transliterated as Afzul Khan in the historical records. Afzal Khan was a court figure during the reign of Ali Adil Shah II of the Bijapur Sultanate. His steadfast skills and commanding ability led to his popularity and emergence in the ranks of hierarchy, according to legend he was awarded a famous sword known as the Adili, the sword was studded with diamonds. Afzal Khan was also given a popular elephant Howdah named Dhal-Gaj and he headed a personal force of 10,000 soldiers. When the Marathas led by Shivaji challenged the Adilshahi supremacy, Afzal Khan volunteered to the task of defeating the Marathas, according to a Bijapuri legend, he sought a Sufi Pirs blessings before setting out on every military campaign. On such a visit before the campaign against Shivaji, the elderly Pir prophesied that it would be Afzal Khans last campaign. In 1659, Afzal Khan led an army of about 10,000 elite troops and pursued Shivaji persistently, inflicting numerous casualties, which forced Shivajis forces to take refuge in the hill forts. In a bid to force Shivaji to come out in open, he detoured to desecrate Hindu sacred places, including Pandharpur, such behavior was unprecedented for the Bijapuri forces, and alienated the local deshmukhs. He also captured Tuljapur, where his Adilshahi forces razed the statue of the Hindu Goddess Bhavani, Afzal Khans initial plan was to invade Pune, Shivajis original residence. Shivaji knew that he would not be able to defeat Afzal Khan in the plains, and moved to Pratapgad Fort, Shivajis army excelled in this type of terrain, which made the Adilshahi armys cannons, muskets, elephants, horses and camels ineffective. At the same time, Shivaji had limited stores inside the fort, Afzal Khan also attempted to garner support from local militarily independent landlords, who nominally acknowledged the suzerainty of the Adil Shahi. The powerful nobleman Kanhoji Jedhe, who was the most respected deshmukh of the area, the deshmukh of Bhor, Khandoji Khopde, an enemy of Kanhoji, became a supporter of Afzal Khan. Afzal Khan felt that the battle would cause massive casualties to both sides and eventually lead to a deadly stalemate. He, therefore, sent out emissaries to Shivaji, to him down the fort. Shivajis council also urged him to peace with Afzal Khan to avoid unnecessary losses. The two leaders, therefore, agreed to meet for negotiations, in 1639, Afzal Khan had murdered Raja Kasturi Ranga after inviting him for a meeting where he could safely make a submission. Therefore, Shivaji was wary of Afzal Khans real intentions, when Afzal Khan sent his envoy Krishnaji Bhaskar Kulkarni to Shivaji, Shivaji solemnly appealed to him as a Hindu priest to tell him if Afzal Khan was making any treacherous plans
16.
Shivaji
–
Shivaji Bhonsle, also known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian warrior king and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out an enclave from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the Maratha Empire, in 1674, he was formally crowned as the Chhatrapati of his realm at Raigad. Shivaji established a competent and progressive civil rule with the help of a disciplined military and he revived ancient Hindu political traditions and court conventions and promoted the usage of Marathi and Sanskrit, rather than Persian, in court and administration. Particularly in Maharashtra, debates over his history and role have engendered great passion and sometimes even violence as disparate groups have sought to characterise him and his legacy. Shivaji was born in the hill-fort of Shivneri, near the city of Junnar in Pune district on 6 April 1627 or 19 February 1630, per legend, his mother named him Shivaji in honour of the goddess Shivai, to whom she had prayed for a healthy child. Shivaji was named after this local deity, Shivajis father Shahaji Bhonsle was a Maratha general who served the Deccan Sultanates. His mother was Jijabai, the daughter of Lakhujirao Jadhav of Sindkhed, at the time of Shivajis birth, the power in Deccan was shared by three Islamic sultanates, Bijapur, Ahmednagar, and Golconda. Shahaji often changed his loyalty between the Nizamshahi of Ahmadnagar, the Adilshah of Bijapur and the Mughals, but always kept his jagir at Pune, Shivaji was extremely devoted to his mother Jijabai, who was deeply religious. This religious environment had a impact on Shivaji, and he carefully studied the two great Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, these were to influence his lifelong defence of Hindu values. Throughout his life he was interested in religious teachings, and regularly sought the company of Hindu. Shahaji, meanwhile had married a wife, Tuka Bai from the Mohite family. He left Shivaji and Jijabai in Pune in the care of his jagir administrator, Dadoji has been credited with overseeing education and training of young Shivaji. Shivaji as a boy was an outdoorsman and, though he received little formal education and most likely could neither read nor write. Shivaji drew his earliest trusted comrades and a number of his soldiers from the Maval region, including Yesaji Kank, Suryaji Kakade, Baji Pasalkar, Baji Prabhu Deshpande. However, Shivajis association with the Maval comrades and his independent spirit did not sit well with Dadoji who complained to Shahaji to no avail in making him compliant. At the age of 12, Shivaji was taken to Bangalore where he, his elder brother Sambhaji and he married Saibai from the prominent Nimbalkar family in 1640. Around 1645–46, the teenage Shivaji first expressed his concept for Hindavi Swarajya, in 1645, the 15-year-old Shivaji bribed or persuaded the Bijapuri commander of the Torna Fort, Inayat Khan, to hand over the possession of the fort to him. Firangoji Narsala, who held the Chakan fort professed his loyalty to Shivaji, on 25 July 1648, Shahaji was imprisoned by Baji Ghorpade under the orders of Mohammed Adil Shah, in a bid to contain Shivaji
17.
Jai Singh I
–
Mirza Raja Jai Singh was a senior general of the Mughal Empire and a ruler of the kingdom of Amber. His father was Raja Maha Singh who ruled 1614-1621 who died at Battle of Ajmer and his daughter was married to Prince Muzzam the eldest son of Aurangzeb. At the age of 10, Jai Singh I became the Raja of Amber and his military career spans the full reign of Shah Jahan and the first half of Aurangzebs reign. Jai Singhs first step in his rise to greatness took place on the accession of Shah Jahan, taking advantage of this change of sovereigns, Jai Singhs commander in the Deccan, Khan Jahan Lodi rebelled along with his Afghan followers. But the Rajput prince brought away his own army to the north, for these valuable services Jai Singh was made a commander of 4000. In 1636 Shah Jahan organized a campaign against the southern sultanates in which Jai Singh played a leading part—later this same army was sent to campaign against the Gond kingdoms. For his part in these successful ventures Jai Singh was promoted to the rank of commander of 5000, by defeating the Meo robber tribes in the north of Amber, Jai Singh further increased the size of his ancestral kingdom. In 1641 he subdued the rebellion of Raja Jagat Singh Pathania of the hill-state of Mau-Paithan, in 1638 the fort of Kandahar was surrendered by its Safavid Persian commander, Ali Mardan Khan, to Shah Jahan. The emperors son Shuja, accompanied by Jai Singh, was sent to take delivery of this important fort, to overawe the Persian Shah from interfering in this task, Shah Jahan assembled a 50,000 strong army in Kabul. On this occasion Jai Singh received the title of Mirza Raja from Shah Jahan. In 1647 Mirza Raja Jai Singh joined in Shah Jahans invasion of Balkh and this insane project thus ended in financial failure. In 1649 another blow knocked down Mughal prestige—Kandahar was recovered by Shah Abbas II, a third grand attempt was made in 1653 under the command of Shah Jahans oldest and favorite son Dara Shikoh, a deadly rival of Aurangzeb, and again Jai Singh was sent with this army. Dara was particularly harsh on officers that had part in the earlier campaigns under Aurangzeb. But when his own campaign ended with the result, the Mughals finally gave up all attempts to recover Kandahar. Dara continued his hostility towards Jai Singh on return to Agra, no promotions or awards were given to the veteran general for skillfully covering the armys retreat. Instead Jaswant Singh of the rival Rathor clan was made commander of 6000, in 1657 Shah Jahan fell seriously ill, to the extent that he was incapacitated. Daras three younger brothers made preparations to seize the throne, Shah Shuja in Bengal and Murad in Gujarat crowned themselves emperors, but the clever Aurangzeb merely declared his intention of rescuing his father for the sake of Islam. In the face of these dangers, Dara Shikoh now remembered Jai Singh—the Rajput chief was made commander of 6000 and sent east along with Daras son Sulaiman
18.
Jagir
–
A Jagir, also spelled as Jageer, was a type of feudal land grant in South Asia at the foundation of its Jagirdar system. The tenants were considered to be in the servitude of the jagirdar, there were two forms of jagir, one being conditional and the other unconditional. The conditional jagir required the family to maintain troops and provide their service to the state when asked. The land grant was called iqta, usually for a lifetime. The jagirdar system was introduced by the Delhi Sultanate, and continued during the Mughal Empire, in the Mughal times, the jagirdar collected taxes which paid his salary and rest to the Mughal treasury, while the administration and military authority was given to a separate Mughal appointee. After the collapse of Mughal Empire, the system of jagirs was retained by Rajput and Sikh kingdoms, Jagir is a Persian word, and means holding land. A jagir was technically a feudal estate, as the grant reverted to the state upon the jagirdars death. However, in practice, jagirs became hereditary to the male heir of the jagirdar. The jagirdar did not act alone, but appointed administrative layers for revenue collection and these positions, according to Shakti Kak, were called patwari, tahsildar, amil, fotedar, munsif, qanungo, chaudhri, dewan and others. This feudal system of ownership is referred to as the jagirdar system. The system was introduced by the Sultans of Delhi from 13th century onwards, was adopted by the Mughal Empire. Some Hindu jagirdars were converted into Muslim vassal states under Mughal imperial sway, most princely states of India during the colonial British Raj era were jagirdars such as Morhampur Jagir. Shortly following independence from the British Crown in 1947, the system was abolished by the Indian government in 1951. Desmukh Feudalism in Pakistan Feudalism Istamuradar Kulkarni Mankari Mansabdar Saranjamdar Sardar Zamindar Zaildar Arni estate
19.
Peshwa
–
A Peshwa was the equivalent of a modern Prime Minister in the Maratha Empire. Originally, the Peshwas served as subordinates to the Chhatrapati, but later, they became the de facto leaders of the Marathas, and the Chatrapati was reduced to a nominal ruler. During the last years of the Maratha Empire, the Peshwas themselves were reduced to titular leaders, and remained under the authority of the Maratha nobles, all the Peshwas during the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji and Chhatrapati Sambhaji belonged to Deshastha Brahmin family. The first Peshwa was Moropant Pingle, who was appointed as the head of the Ashta Pradhan by Chhatrapati Shivaji, the initial Peshwas were all ministers who served as the chief executives to the king. The later Peshwas held the highest administrative office and also controlled the Maratha confederacy, under the Chitpavan Brahmin Bhat family, the Peshwas became the de facto hereditary administrators of the Confederacy. The Peshwas office was most powerful under Baji Rao I, under Peshwa administration and with the support of several key generals and diplomats, the Maratha Empire reached its zenith, ruling most of the Indian subcontinent. However, after the Peshwa Raghunathrao allied with the British, the Peshwas power declined substantially, later on many provinces were controlled and administered either by the Maratha nobles such as Daulat Rao Sindhia, or by the East India Company. During this period, the Maratha confederacy came to its end through its formal annexation into the British Empire in 1818, clever Deshasthas were happy with the downfall as they were kept away from power by talented Chitpavans for a long time. The word Peshwa is from Persian پیشوا pēshwā, meaning foremost, after the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1674, he appointed Moropant Trimbak Pingle as the first Peshwa. Shivaji Maharaj renamed this designation as Pantpradhan in 1674 but this term is commonly used. The first Peshwa was Moropant Trimbak Pingale who served the monarch and his son, Nilopant Pingale, was appointed Peshwa by the second Chhatrapati Sambhaji after Moropants s death in 1683. The second Peshwa, Ramchandra Amatya, received royal status from Chhatrapati Rajaram as Hukumatpanha from 1689 to 1699 and he was a sound administrator who rose from the level of a local Kulkarni to the ranks of Ashta Pradhan due to guidance and support from Shivaji. Amatya is a Sanskrit term denoting counselor, guide, supervisor or overseer of both personal and governmental affairs and he recaptured many forts from the Mughals between 1690 and 1694, some in person, as well as personally conducting guerilla war techniques. When Chhatrapati Rajaram fled to Jinji in 1689, before leaving from Maharashtra, Ramchandra Pant managed the entire state under many challenges such as the Mughal influx, the betrayal of Vatandars, and scarcity of food. With his help, Sachiv kept the Maratha State on an economic footing. Pant got tremendous military help from Santaji Ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav, in 1698, he happily stepped down from the post of Hukumatpanha and Rajaram offered this post to his wife Tarabai. Tarabai gave an important position to Pant in the administration of Maratha State and he wrote a book called Adnyapatra मराठी, आज्ञापत्र which explained different techniques of war, maintenance of forts and administration etc. The concepts in Adnyapatra and the wisdom and leadership of ] greatly helped the Maratha empire in building the foundation of state, as he was more loyal to Tarabai than Shahu, he was sidelined after the arrival of Chhatrapati Shahu
20.
Pratapgad
–
Pratapgad literally Valour Fort is a large fort located in Satara district, in the Western Indian state of Maharashtra. Significant as the site of the Battle of Pratapgad, the fort is now a popular tourist destination, Pratapgad fort is located 15 kilometres from Poladpur and 23 kilometres west of Mahabaleshwar, a popular hill station in the area. The fort stands 1,080 metres above sea level and is built on a spur which overlooks the road between the villages of Par and Kinesvar, the Battle of Pratapgarh between Shivaji and Afzal Khan was fought below the rampants of this fort on November 10,1659. This was the first major test of the kingdoms army. Pratapgad continued to be involved in regional politics, sakharam Bapu, a well-known minister of Pune, was confined by his rival Nana Phadnis in Pratapgad in 1778. He was later moved from fort to fort until he died at Raigad. In 1796, Nana Phadnis, while escaping from the intrigues of Daulatrao Shinde and his minister Baloba, in 1818, as part of the Third Anglo-Maratha War, Pratapgad surrendered by private negotiation. This was a loss to the Maratha forces, as Pratapgad was an important stronghold, had a large garrison. A guest house and a park were built inside the fort in 1960. The fort is owned by Uday Raje Bhosale, the heir to the former Satara princely state. The fort can be divided into the fort and upper fort. The upper fort was built upon the crest of the hill and it is roughly square, 180m long on each side. It has several permanent buildings, including a temple to the god Mahadev and it is located at the northwest of the fort, and is surrounded by sheer cliffs with drops of up to 250m. The lower fort is around 320m long and 110m wide and it is located at the southeast of the fort, and is defended by towers and bastions ten to twelve metres high. The Afzal tower extends out from the proper and defends the approach to the fort. It is said to have been constructed after the Battle of Pratapgad, in 1661, Shivaji Maharaj was unable to visit the temple of the goddess Bhavani at Tuljapur. He decided to dedicate a temple to the goddess at this fort itself and this temple is on the eastern side of the lower fort. The hall has been rebuilt since the construction, and consists of wooden pillars about 50 long,30 broad and 12 high
21.
Bhavani
–
Bhavani is an avtar of the Hindu Goddess Parvati. She is a form of Durga who is worshiped in Maharashtra. Bhavani translates to giver of life, meaning the power of nature or the source of creative energy and she is considered to be a mother who provides to her devotees and also plays the role of dispensing justice by killing demon Asuras. Bhavani was the patron deity of the Maratha King Shivaji, in whose veneration he dedicated his sword. Lot of Marathi folk stories rejoice her, shivajis mother was said to be a great devotee of Bhavani. The town of Tuljapur in Maharashtra is the location of the annual Tulja Bhavani fair during Navaratri, the temple contains a granite Ill icon of the goddess, one metre in height, with eight arms holding weapons and the head of the slain demon Mahishasura. The Tulja Bhavani temple in Tuljapur in the Osmanabad District of Maharashtra is considered one of the 51 Shakti Pithas and this temple was built close to the 12th century CE. Another Tulja Bhavani temple was constructed between 1537 and 1540 CE in Chittorgarh, located at coordinates 18. 011386°N76. 125641°E /18.011386,76.125641, sri Bhavani Amman is also worshipped in the state of Tamil Nadu. Other Shakti temples in the Maharashtra state are those at Ambejogai, the goddess Bhavani is held in great reverence throughout Maharashtra. She is considered to be an embodiment of ugra or ferocity, as well as a Karunaswaroopini, a number of castes, sub-castes, and families from Maharashtra consider her their family deity or Kuladevata. The Bhavani temple in Tuljapur is located on a known as Yamunachala. The temple entrance is elevated and visitors ascend a flight of steps to reach the shrine, historic records speak of the existence of this temple from as early as the 12th century CE. Bhavani is worshipped in the form of an image,3 feet tall, with eight arms that hold weapons and bear the head of the slain demon. Legend says that a demon by the name of Matanga wreaked havoc upon the devas and humans, upon his advice, they turned to the Mother Goddess Shakti. She took the form of the destroyer and, empowered by the other Saptamaataas, vanquished the demon, legend also describes how Bhavani vanquished another demon who had taken the form of a wild buffalo, Mahishasura. Later, she is said to have taken abode on the Yamunachala hill, Bhavani is said to have come here to save Anubhuti from the demon known as Kukur. In a battle with the goddess, Kukur took the form of a buffalo, Bhavani cut his head, at that time, she penetrated her trident in his chest. Hence, she is in form of Mahishasura Mardhini Durga, four worship services are offered at the temple each day
22.
Jijabai
–
Jijabai Shahaji Bhosale, sometimes referred to as Rajmata Jijabai or even simply Jijai, was the mother of Shivaji, founder of Maratha Empire. Jijabai was born on 12 January 1598 as the daughter of Lakhojirao Jadhav of Deulgaon near Sindkhed in present-day Buldhana district of Maharashtra State. The wedding was held in Sindkhed on 5 Nov 1605, when Jijabai was eight years old, her husband was hardly twelve years old, as per custom, Jijabai remained with her parents for several years before joining her husband. Jijabais father-in-law, Maloji Bhonsle, had begun his career as a shilledar serving under the command of her father and this difference in background and status meant that Jijabais father had not been very happy to give his daughter in marriage to Shahaji, son of Maloji Bhonsle. He had wanted that his daughter should be given in marriage to a higher house. Jijabai bore Shahaji as many as eight children, six daughters, all the daughters died in infancy and only the two sons, Sambhaji and Shivaji, reached adulthood. By this time, Shahaji had achieved a status and importance as a commander. She was also younger than him, and Shahaji could patronize. He found acceptance and comfort in his wife and developed a close rapport with her. Within a few years, Shahaji separated his household, granting his estates located near Pune to Shivaji. Jijabai and her younger son Shivaji then moved to these estates near Pune, while her elder son Sambhaji remained with Shahaji because he was the elder son, Shahaji remained in Karnataka with his second wife Tukabai, her growing family and Sambhaji, his eldest son. Jijamata died on 17 June 1676 and she wholeheartedly supported her husbands cause. Shahaji had tried to establish a state on the ruins of the erstwhile Nizamshahi sultanate, however, he was defeated by the combined forces of Mughals and Adilshahi. Later, Shahaji became a sardar in Adilshahs army and he settled in Karnataka and got married again. As per the treaty, he was forced to move south, in order to continue the struggle, he deputed her as queen regent. The elder son Sambhaji remained with his father, Shivaji left Bangalore along with his mother, a council of ministers and chosen military commanders. When they arrived in Pune, it was full of jungles and she renovated the Kasaba Ganapati temple. A red sandstone palace of moderate size known as Lal Mahal was also built and she gave a number of decisions in legal and administrative matter known as majhars
23.
Aurangzeb
–
Abul Muzaffar Muhi-ud-Din Muhammad, commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his regnal title Alamgir, was the sixth, and widely considered the last effective Mughal Emperor. He ruled over most of the Indian subcontinent during some parts of his reign, Aurangzeb was a notable expansionist and during his reign, the Mughal Empire temporarily reached its greatest extent. During his reign,4.6 million people were said have died due to war, Aurangzebs policies partly abandoned the legacy of pluralism, which remains a very controversial aspect of his reign and led to the downfall of the Mughal Empire. Rebellions and wars led to the exhaustion of the imperial Mughal treasury and he was a strong-handed authoritarian ruler, and following his death the expansionary period of the Mughal Empire came to an end. Nevertheless, the territory of the Mughal Empire still remained intact more or less until the reign of Muhammad Shah. Aurangzeb was born on 3 November 1618, in Dahod, Gujarat and he was the third son and sixth child of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. In June 1626, after a rebellion by his father, Aurangzeb. His daily allowance was fixed at Rs.500 which he spent on religious education, on 28 May 1633, Aurangzeb escaped death when a powerful war elephant stampeded through the Mughal Imperial encampment. He rode against the elephant and struck its trunk with a lance, Aurangzebs valour was appreciated by his father who conferred him the title of Bahadur and had him weighed in gold and presented gifts worth Rs.200,000. This event was celebrated in Persian and Urdu verses and Aurangzeb said, If the fight had ended fatally for me, death drops the curtain even on Emperors, it is no dishonor. The shame lay in what my brothers did, by arrangement, Aurangzeb stayed in the rear, away from the fighting, and took the advice of his generals as the Mughal Army gathered and commenced the Siege of Orchha in 1635. The campaign was successful and Singh was removed from power, Aurangzeb was appointed viceroy of the Deccan in 1636. In 1637, Aurangzeb married the Safavid princess, Dilras Banu Begum and she was his first wife and chief consort. He also had an infatuation with a girl, Hira Bai. In his old age, he was under the charms of his concubine, the latter had formerly been a companion to Dara Shikoh. In the same year,1637, Aurangzeb was placed in charge of annexing the small Rajput kingdom of Baglana, in 1644, Aurangzebs sister, Jahanara, was burned when the chemicals in her perfume were ignited by a nearby lamp while in Agra. This event precipitated a crisis with political consequences. Aurangzeb suffered his fathers displeasure by not returning to Agra immediately, Shah Jahan had been nursing Jahanara back to health in that time and thousands of vassals had arrived in Agra to pay their respects
24.
Shahu I
–
Shahuji Bhosle was the fifth Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire created by his grandfather, Chhatrapati Shivaji. More popularly known as Chatrapati Shahu, he out of captivity by the Mughals. After the death of Aurangzeb, leading Mughal courtiers released Shahu with a force of fifty men and he was son of the second Chhatrapati Sambhaji and grandson of Chhatrapati Shivaji. It was under Shahu and his Bhat-Deshmukh family Peshwas that the Maratha empire became the largest in India, Shahu had four wives and fathered two sons and four daughters. He adopted two sons, Fatehsinh I and Rajaram II of Satara, Rajaram II had been brought to her by Tarabai, who initially claimed that the young man was her grandson and a descendant of Shivaji, but later disowned him as an imposter. Shahu died a death in 1749. His adopted son Rajaram II of Satara, claimed to be Tarabais grandson succeeded him, history of Satara District Imperial Gazetteer of India, v.2, p.441. Rigveda to Raigarh making of Shivaji the great, Mumbai, Manudevi Prakashan, Rs.165
25.
Monsoon
–
Usually, the term monsoon is used to refer to the rainy phase of a seasonally changing pattern, although technically there is also a dry phase. The term is sometimes used for locally heavy but short-term rains. The major monsoon systems of the world consist of the West African and Asia-Australian monsoons, the inclusion of the North and South American monsoons with incomplete wind reversal has been debated. The south-west monsoon winds are called Nairutya Maarut in India, the English monsoon came from Portuguese monção, ultimately from Arabic mawsim and/or Hindi mausam, perhaps partly via early modern Dutch monsun. Strengthening of the Asian monsoon has been linked to the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau after the collision of the Indian sub-continent and Asia around 50 million years ago. Because of studies of records from the Arabian Sea and that of the wind-blown dust in the Loess Plateau of China, testing of this hypothesis awaits deep ocean sampling by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program. The monsoon has varied significantly in strength since this time, largely linked to climate change. A study of marine plankton suggested that the Indian Monsoon strengthened around 5 million years ago, then, during ice periods, the sea level fell and the Indonesian Seaway closed. When this happened, cold waters in the Pacific were impeded from flowing into the Indian Ocean and it is believed that the resulting increase in sea surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean increased the intensity of monsoons. Five episodes during the Quaternary at 2.22 Ma,1.83 Ma,0.68 Ma,0.45 Ma and 0.04 Ma were identified which showed a weakening of Leeuwin Current. The weakening of the LC would have an effect on the sea surface temperature field in the Indian Ocean, thus these five intervals could probably be those of considerable lowering of SST in the Indian Ocean and would have influenced Indian monsoon intensity. The impact of monsoon on the weather is different from place to place. In some places there is just a likelihood of having a more or less rain. In other places, quasi semi-deserts are turned into green grasslands where all sorts of plants. The Indian Monsoon turns large parts of India from a kind of semi-desert into green lands, see photos only taken 3 months apart in the Western Ghats. In places like this it is crucial for farmers to have the right timing for putting the seeds on the fields, Monsoons are large-scale sea breezes which occur when the temperature on land is significantly warmer or cooler than the temperature of the ocean. These temperature imbalances happen because oceans and land absorb heat in different ways, in contrast, dirt, sand, and rocks have lower heat capacities, and they can only transmit heat into the earth by conduction and not by convection. Therefore, bodies of water stay at an even temperature
26.
Ahmednagar district
–
Ahmednagar district is the largest district of Maharashtra state in western India. The historical Ahmednagar city is the headquarters of the district, Ahmednagar was the seat of the Ahmednagar Sultanate of late medieval period. This district is known for the towns of Shirdi associated with Sai Baba, Ahmednagar district is part of Nashik Division. The neighbouring districts to Ahmednagar district are Solapur, Osmanabad, Beed, Aurangabad, Nashik, Thane, Ahmednagar District was created after the defeat of the Maratha Confederacy in the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1818, when most of the Peshwas domains were annexed to British India. The district remained part of the Central division of Bombay Presidency until Indias independence in 1947, when it became part of Bombay State, in 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Ahmednagar one of the countrys 250 most backward districts. It is one of the districts in Maharashtra currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. Ahmednagar is Maharashtra’s most advanced district in many ways and it has the maximum number of sugar factories, perhaps to spread the message of “Rural Prosperity through Cooperation” it gave the country half a century ago. The first cooperative sugar factory in Asia was established at Pravanagar, a role model of water conservation work can be seen at Ralegaon-Siddhi, which is also called the Ideal Village. Newase where Dnyaneshwari was written, Shri Saibaba’s Shirdi, one of Ashtavinayaks at Siddhatek, the Palace of Chandbibi, the Bhandardara dam, the Maldhok sanctuary and the Rehkuri sanctuary are some of the places of tourist attraction. Ahmednagar district consists of fourteen talukas and these talukas are Ahmednagar district has twelve Vidhan Sabha constituencies, six in each of the two parliamentary constituencies. Sangamner is much developed city than Shrirampur, ralegaon Siddhi is a village in the district that is considered a model of environmental conservation. In the 2001 India census, Ahmednagar district had a population of 4,040,642, at that time the district was 19. 89% urban. Males represented 51. 55% of the population, and females 48. 45%, according to census, Hindus were 84%, Muslims 7%, Christians 4% and others were 4%. In the 2011 census Ahmednagar district recorded a population of 4,543,083 and this gave it a ranking of 33rd among the districts of India. The district had a density of 266 inhabitants per square kilometre. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 12. 43%, ahmadnagar had a sex ratio of 934 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 80. 22%. Islam arrived in Ahmednagar during the Tughlaq dynasty, there are many Muslim monuments like Chand Bibi Mahal, Faria Baug, Ground Fort and many dargas, and they are found in main town and cities. Christianity arrived in the 18th century when the British took over the area from the Maratha empire onwards, christianity has been Ahmednagars third-largest religion, found all over the district except in the south-west
27.
Ahmednagar Fort
–
The Ahmednagar Fort is located beside on Bhingar River near Bhingar and ahmednagarrAhmednagar, Maharashtra. It was the headquarters of the Ahmednagar Sultanate, in 1803, it was taken by the British in during the Second Anglo-Maratha War. It was used as a prison during the British Raj, currently, the fort is under the administration of the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army. In 1803 the Ahmednagar Fort was round in appearance, with bastions, one large gate. The berm was only one yard wide. The rampart was of black stone, the parapet of brick in chunam. The bastions were all about 4 1⁄2 feet higher, they were round, one of them mounted eight guns en barbet, pointing eastward, all the rest had jingies, four in each. In 1803 two guns were visible in each bastion, and 200 were said to be ready in the fort to be mounted, a gunshot to the west of the fort was the Pettah of Ahmednagar. The main gate of the fort faced the pettah, and was defended by a small work, with one traverse. There was a bridge over the ditch, which could be taken away in time of war. A small river came from the northward, round the west side of the pettah, a nullah also passed from the northward, between the fort and a town called Bhingar, about a gunshot to the eastward, and joined the river. A potential defensive weakness was a hill or rising ground close to and east of Bhingar. There were no passages across the ditch from the sally ports, the nullah mentioned above, had steep banks and passed within 60 yards of the fort, the aqueduct from Bhingar passed under it. There was no bridge or even a prominent crossing point at the nullah, there were many small pagodas and mosques round the pettah and the fort, but none exactly between, or between the fort and Bhingar, or nearer to the fort than those towns. The fort was built by Malik Ahmad Nizam Shah I in 1427 CE and he was the first sultan of the Nizam Shahi dynasty and he built the fort to defend the city against invaders from neighbouring Idar. Initially it was made of mud but major fortification began in 1559 under Hussain Nizam Shah and it took four years and was finally finished in 1562. In 1596, Chand Bibi the queen regent successfully repulsed the Mughal invasion, aurangzeb died at Ahmednagar fort at the age of 88 on February 20,1707. After Aurangzebs death the fort passed to the Nizams in 1724, to Marathas in 1759, during the period of instability in the Maratha Empire following the death of Madhavrao II, Daulat Scindia had the fort and its surrounding region ceded to him
28.
Harishchandragad
–
Harishchandragad is a hill fort in the Ahmednagar district of India. Its history is linked with that of Malshej Ghat, kothale village, remnants of Microlithic man have been discovered here. The various Puranas like Matsyapurana, Agnipurana and Skandapurana include many references about Harishchandragad and its origin is said to have been in the 6th century, during the rule of Kalachuri dynasty. The citadel was built during this era, the various caves probably have been carved out in the 11th century. In these caves are idols of Lord Vishnu, though the cliffs are named Taramati and Rohidas, they are not related to Ayodhya. Great sage Changdev, used to meditate here in the 14th century, the caves are from the same period. The various constructions on the fort and those existing the surrounding region point to the existence of diverse cultures here and they was control the fort before the Moguls. Later the fort was under the control of Moguls, the Marathas captured it in 1747. To the east of the temple is a lake called “Saptatirtha”. On its bank are temple-like constructions in which there are idols of Lord Vishnu, Recently these idols have been shifted in the caves near the temple of Harishchandreshwar. These days many trekkers have been responsible for the sad plight of this place, as they throw plastic wastes. 7 years back the water was potable, and now it isnt suitable even to swim, going rightwards of Harishchandreshwar temple, there is the huge cave of Kedareshwar, in which there is a big Shiva Linga, which is completely surrounded by water. Its height from the base is five feet, and the water is waist-deep and it is quite difficult to reach the Shiva Linga because the water is ice-cold. There are sculptures carved out here, in the monsoon it is not possible to reach this cave, as a huge stream flows across the way. As can be seen from the picture, there is a rock above the Shiva Linga. There were four pillars built around the Shiva Linga, the pillars wear made surrounded by the Shiva linga as for support as cave. Another interesting thing about this place is that water seeps into this temple from the four walls on an everyday basis, and owing to the water being very cold, its difficult to reach inside too. The water continues to seep in during all the seasons in the year, except during rainy season and surprisingly and this cliff faces west and looks down upon the Konkan
29.
Patta Fort
–
Patta Fort, or Patta Killa, also known as Vishramgad, is a fort situated between Nasik and Ahmadnagar in Maharashtra. Shivaji Maharaj once visited and rested there, the residents of Patta Killa are known as Pattekar, meaning residents of Fort Patta. The height of Patta Fort from sea level is approximately 1,392 Meters and this fort was in the Bahamani Empire. In 1490 when the Bahamani Empire was torn into pieces, this fort was captured by Nizam of Ahmednagar, in 1627 this fort was won by Moghuls. In 1671 Moropant Pingale captured this fort but, it was recaptured by Moghuls in 1672. In 1675 this fort was captured again by Moropant Pingale, Patta used to be at the border of the Swarajya. Shivaji Maharaj arrived at this fort in November 1679 after winning Jalnapur and it was because of the skill of Bahirji Naik, head of the detective department that Maharaj, that he was able to reach Patta safely. On 11 January 1688, this fort was captured by Moghul army headed by Matabarkhan and he appointed Govindsingh of Bhagur as the chief of the fort. This fort was captured by Peshwas, in 1818 this fort was won by the British. This fort is very easy to climb, there is a Rajwada near the site of the fort, but has fallen into disarray and ruin as a result of a lack of care. The Pattai Devi Mandir is constructed by villagers on the fort, the Trymbak Darwaja is also in good condition. Patta Fort also has a shrine of Shri Laxmangiri Maharaj in the caves near the village of Pattawadi, on the day of full moon, the disciples of Laxmangiri Maharaj gather at these caves. The Ambarkhana is a big hall newly reconstructed and it can accommodate about 200 visitors for night stay. There is a rock cut cistern near Ambarkhana, the forest department with the help of villages has developed the pathways, steps and gazebo on the fort. There are many windmills on the way to Pattewadi constructed by Enercon
30.
Ratangad
–
Ratangad is a fort in Ratan Wadi, Maharashtra, India, overlooking the locale of Bhandardara, one of the oldest artificial catchment area. This fort is located in the Ahmadnagar district of Maharashtra and it is on the boundary of Ahmadnagar and Thane districts. The fort is about 2000 years old and this fort is covered with beautiful flowering plants in November. Ratangad is also called Jewels of the Fort, Ratangad has a natural rock peak with a cavity in it at the top which is called Nedhe or Eye of the Needle. The fort has four gates Ganesh, Hanuman, Konkan and Trimbak. The sculptures of Lord Ganesh and Hanuman are seen on the main gate and it also has many wells on the top. The main attraction at Ratanwadi is the Amruteshwar Temple, famous for its carvings, the fort is origin for the river Pravara/Amrutvahini. The Bhandardara dam is built on this river. From the top of the neighbouring forts like Alang, kulang, Madan gad, Harishchandragad. The view of entire Bhandardara dam gives sheer pleasure. There are many rock cut cisterns on the fort. Some of them store potable water throughout the year. There is a hole in the mountain top probably caused by wind erosion. It is 10 feet high and 60 feet wide, the fort is 2000 years old. Ratangad was captured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosle, There are two main routes to reach the fort. One route starts from village Samrad and the other from village Ratanwadi, the base village Ratanwadi is approached by boat from Bhandardara or by road from Ghoti-Bhandardara road. This route enthralls the trekkers with joy of seeing the natural beauty, the entire fort can be seen by taking a path which moves around the ridge of the fort. A small group of people can make a overnight stay in the cave on the fort. Gadkot - Bhagwan Chile, Shivsparsha Prakashan, Kolhapur Travelogues, Trek to Ratangad Trek to Ratangad and Bhandardara
31.
Akola district
–
Akola is a district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city of Akola is the district headquarters, Akola district forms the central part of Amravati Division, which was the former British Raj Berar Province. Area of the district is 5,431 km² and it is bounded on the north by Amravati District, to the east by Amravati District and by Washim District, to the south by Washim District, and to the west by Buldhana District. Washim was earlier a part of Akola till 1999, the Purna River forms the part of north boundary of the district, and the top north portion of the district lies within its watershed along with Aas River and Shahnur River. The Vaan River forms the part of northwest boundary of the district after entering from the Amravati district. The Mun River drains the southwestern portion of the district, Morna River drains the midsouth portion of the district, while the southeast is drained by the Katepurna River, bhatkar, Architect of Indias First Super Computer. Akola district shows a variation in its climate along the North-South direction. Akola district mainly features Tropical Savannah Climate, but the Northern parts of the district consisting of hills and mountains that are raised to about 950 to 1000 meters shows a subtropical climate featuring heavily cold winters. The summers are hot while the winters are dry and very cold the temperature may drop to or below 2 °C. The district has recorded a temperature of 2 °C while a maximum of 47.7 °C. Akola has recorded a temperature of 11.9 °C in the month of May which is considered to be the hottest month in the state of Maharashtra. According to the 2011 census Akola district has a population of 1,818,617 and this gives it a ranking of 262nd in India. The district has a density of 321 inhabitants per square kilometre. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 11. 6%, Akola has a sex ratio of 942 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 87. 55%. Languages used in the district include Andh, an Indo-Aryan language spoken by 100,000 people, Akola District consists of talukas namely Akot, Telhara, Akola, Balapur, Patur, Barshitakli and Murtajapur. Important railway stations with their codes are Paras, Gaigaon, Akola Junction, cotton and Jawar are the predominant crops grown in the district. Oil and Dal mills are also rampant, the economy is mostly agriculture based. Nowadays, soyabean crop is an important crop as major soyabean plants have come up in the area, make In Maharashtra Akola district official website
32.
Akola Fort
–
Akola fort along with the Narnala and Akot forts forms the major fortifications of the Akola district, Maharashtra, India. Its earliest form of mud was made by one Akol Singh to protect the village and he saw a hare chasing a dog and considering this to be an auspicious sign, he built an earthen wall here to protect the village. Akola was heavily fortified in 1697 CE during the reign of Aurangzeb by Asad Khan, in 1803, Arthur Wellesley camped here before proceeding to win the Battle of Argaon in the Second Anglo-Maratha War. The fortress was dismantled by the British Raj in about 1870 and it was reported in 1910 in a district gazetteer that the central part of the fort was used as a school. Akola fort is notable in that it is bereft of any decorative embellishments, there are several inscriptions on the fort. An inscription on the Dahi handa gate gives its date of construction as 1114 AH deepak, another on the Fateh Buruj bastion has no exact date. It too mentions the same minister but a different emperor, one on the Eidgah contains texts and a statement that the building was finished by Khawja Abdul Latif in 1116 AH. On the Agarves gate an inscription in Marathi reads that Govind Appaji in 1843 CE constructed the fort, the latter statement contradicts all the other inscriptions. Akola’s oldest Shiva temple is Rajeshwar Mandir, the Shiv temple was built by Chola Empire king Raj Rajeswar. While King Akolsingh was living in the Asadgad Fort, there is a story associated with this payas temple. Every night his queen went to temple to worship Lord Shiva at midnight. Once King Akolsingh thought that his queen was going out at midnight for illicit reasons, so he followed her with a sword, so she pleaded to be allowed into Shivas Pind. The Shiva ling broke in two parts and the queen jumped in, and then it was closed, the king understood his mistake and could not forgive himself. Still the Shiva ling in this temple has a crack which is said to corroborate this story. This temple is the base aastha of this Akola city, there are 2 bridges, the first one is the dagadi pool and the other is lokhand pool. This iron bridge was built at the time of British rule
33.
Narnala
–
Narnala, also known as Shanur Fort, is a hill fortress in Maharashtra, India, named after the Rajput Ruler Narnal Singh. The fort was first established in 10 A. D. by Gond Kings, in the 15th Century it was occupied and rebuilt by the Mughals, becoming one of Berar Subahs thirteen sarkar. It consists of three forts, Zafarabad fort on the east, Narnala in the centre and Teliagarh to the west. Occupied since at least the Khilji dynasty, the fort is known for the Muslim saint Hazrat Burhanuddin Bagh Sawar Wali. Adli Beg or Atalu Beg carved many Arabic inscriptions into the fort and it is also the birthplace of the Mughal Aurangzebs great grandson. The fort is located in the Akot Taluka Akola district, Berar at coordinates of 20.703 N and 76.997 E, the closest city is Akot, which is 18 km away. It is at the southernmost tip of the Satpura Hills at an elevation of 912 meters above sea level, currently the fort falls within the Melghat Tiger Reserve. After his expedition across the Gangetic plains in 1017, of Al-Biruni to compose his Tarikh Al-Hind in order to understand the Indians and their beliefs. Mughals recreated the Narnala Fort with Mughal architecture and built mosque at the fort. Through the route of Shahnoor fort he was stay here threefold night and pray. Ahmad Shah Bahamani got the fort repaired around 1425 when he constructed Gavilgad with a view to obstructing the invaders from the frontier of his kingdom. Nearly all the present buildings seem to be of Islamic origin, the fort passed on to Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk when he became an independent ruler by 1490 as he was the Subhedar of Berar under the Bahamanis. Gavilgad also passed on to him, Burhan Imad Shah was imprisoned on this fort by one of his Amirs Tufalkhan who crowned himself. In the battle that was fought between Tufalkhan and Murtaza Nizam Shah in 1572 Tufalkhan was defeated and had to flee and took asylum with Muhammad Shah of Khandesh, the fort was invested by the army of Murtaza. The fort surrendered and Tufalkhan and also Burhan Imad Shah were imprisoned along with 40 others and they were confined in the fort of Lohagad where they died while in captivity. Some historians say that all of them were poisoned under the orders of Murtaza Nizam Shah, the fort can now ho ascended by a motorable road. About halfway up it crosses first one and then another piece of level ground, the path passes two other strong gateways and one slighter one before entering the heart of the fort, and climbs meanwhile to the uppermost glials. Between the last two gateways are the tombs of Bagh Savar Wali and Gaz Badshah. Wali, the not only rode a tiger in his life but the old Gazetteer slates even now a tiny white tiger may be seen at night going to
34.
Amravati district
–
Amravati District is a District of Maharashtra state in central India. Amravati is the headquarters of the district. The district is situated between 20°32 and 21°46 north latitudes and 76°37 and 78°27 east longitudes, the district occupies an area of 12,235 km². In 1853, the territory of Amravati district as a part of Berar Province was assigned to the British East India Company. After the Company took over the administration of the province, it was divided into two districts, the present-day territory of the district became part of North Berar district, with headquarters at Buldhana. Later, the province was reconstituted and the territory of the present district became part of East Berar district, in 1864, Yavatmal District was separated. In 1867, Ellichpur District was separated but in August,1905, in 1903, it became part of the newly constituted province of Central Provinces and Berar. In 1956, Amravati district became part of Bombay State and after its bifurcation in 1960, the climate is tropical and most people wear cotton clothes. It is one of the districts in Maharashtra currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. Amravati is the growing region for the Ellachipur Sanman Chili pepper. Anjangaon Surji & Achalpur is famous for growing betel leaves, piper longum, orange, Warud, Morshi, Chandur bazar and Achalpur are famous for growing Nagpuri oranges. The Wardha River forms the boundary of the district. The Purna River drains the southwestern portion of the district, while the northwest is drained by the Tapti River, other important rivers are Shahanoor and Chandrabhaga. The Purna, rises near Bhainsdehi in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh in the Satpudas, after flowing for about 50 km in a general southerly and south-easterly direction enters the district. It travels across the district in a south-westerly direction dividing it into two halves, first through the Achalpur taluka and then along the boundary between the Amravati and Daryapur talukas. Finally, it turns due westwards forming the boundary of the district, the only significant left bank tributary of the Purna is the Pedhi. The first of the right bank tributaries is the Arna. The next is a river known as the Bodi
35.
Gawilghur
–
Gawilghur was a well-fortified mountain stronghold of the Maratha Empire north of the Deccan Plateau, in the vicinity of Melghat Tiger Reserve, Amravati District, Maharashtra. It was successfully assaulted by an Anglo-Indian force commanded by Arthur Wellesley on 15 December 1803 during the Second Anglo-Maratha War, the fort takes its name from the Gawli who inhabited the Berar for centuries. Earlier the fort was likely just made of mud as were several areas in the region. Likely this was the date when major fortification was carried out, in 1803 during the 2nd Maratha War the fort was besieged by Arthur Wellesley. The Scots then forced the northern gatehouse and opened the many gates, the British suffered few casualties in the final assault. The fortress was returned to the Marathas after making peace with the British, the fort has several inscriptions in Persian recording the date of building of each of its seven gates. It has two water tanks, which would have been the water source in case the fort was besieged. Within the fort the ruins of a mosque are the most conspicuous and it stands at the highest point in the inner fort and is built in the Pathan style of architecture. The mosque has a canopy with intricate stone lattice work. The mosque originally had two minarets, only one of which is intact today, gafur Ahmed, a jaglia of the Narnala fort, tried to determine whether the chambers built into the fort of Narnala had any use by driving 20 sheep into them. One of the turned up at Gawilgarh which is more than 20 miles away. So, probably there is a tunnel connecting the two forts. There are several unrepaired breaches made by British guns, which remain to this day, the gun that killed five attackers with a single shot still stands, although now with graffiti running the length of the barrel. Capture of Gawilghur List of forts in Maharashtra
36.
Aurangabad district, Maharashtra
–
Aurangabad District, also called one of the 36 districts of Maharashtra state in western India. It is bordered by the districts of Nashik to the west, Jalgaon to the north, Jalna to the east, Aurangabad is the headquarters and principal city. The district covers an area of 10,100 km², out of which 141.1 km² is urban area and 9,958.9 km² is rural, Aurangabad district is a major tourism region in Marathwada. Aurangabad District is located mainly in the Godavari River Basin and partly in the Tapi River Basin, the district is located between 19 and 20 degrees north longitude, and 74 and 76 degrees east latitude. Geologically the whole area is covered by the Deccan Trap lava flows of upper Cretaceous to lower Eocene age, the basaltic lava flows belonging to the Deccan Trap are the only major geological formation. The traps are overlain by alluvial deposits along the major rivers. The lava flows are horizontal and each flow has two distinct units, the upper layers consist of vesicular and amygdule zeolitic basalt, while the bottom layer consists of massive basalt. The Narangi rises on the slopes of the water divide to the south of the Maniyad river, a little above Naral village. Below the latter it is joined by the Deo nala, flowing from Nasik district and it has a fairly long south-southwesterly course before its point of entry into the Godavari is carried a little down the latter. It is joined by the Chor nala from the west and Kurla nala from the east, actually the Narangi continues the trend of the Kurla river after the latter’s confluence. In Aurangabad district the rainy season runs from June to September, winter is from approximately October to February and summer from March to May. The average rainfall of Aurangabad district is 734 mm, and the range is about 6–46 degree celsius. Companies operating out of Aurangabad District include, Bajaj Auto Ltd Videocon Industries Pvt, Ltd Skoda Auto P Ltd, Seimens Ltd. Crompton Greaves Ltd Dhoot Transmission Pvt, Ltd Major manufacturing companies include, Bajaj Auto Limited Garware Polyester Videocon Industries Ltd. Skoda Audi assembly Siemens Perkins Hindalco Varroc Endurance Ceat Goodyear Orchid Lupin Ajanta Pharma Sabmiller Fosters Cosmo Films Ltd. Grind Master Machines Pvt Ltd Greaves Forbes Gokak Forbes Marshall Lombardini Aurangabad has the following MIDC areas, Waluj, Shendra five star MIDC, Chikalthana, Paithan, there is a software technology park in Chikalthana MIDC. The district comprises nine tehsils, Kannad, Soygaon, Sillod, Phulambri, Aurangabad, Khultabad, Vaijapur, Gangapur and Paithan. Nine Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha constituencies are located in district, Sillod, Kannad, Pulambri, Aurangabad Central, Aurangabad West, Aurangabad East, Paithan
37.
Daulatabad, Maharashtra
–
Daulatabad also known as Devagiri, is a town which includes the Devagiri-Daulatabad fort It is a 14th-century fort city in Maharashtra state of India, about 16 kilometres northwest of Aurangabad. The place was originally named Devagiri when it was an important uplands city along caravan routes, however it is also considered to be one of the seven wonders of Maharashtra and a developing tourist spot. The historical triangular fort of Daulatabad was built by first Yadav king Bhilan in 1187, there is a belief that Devagiri was built in 1203 AD by a Dhangar or herdsman who acquired vast wealth by his good fortune. He had a brother who was a shepherd named Raja Ram, lord Shiva is believed to have been stayed on the hills surrounding this region. Hence the fort was known as Devagiri literally. The area of the city includes the hill-fortress of Devagiri and it stands on a conical hill, about 200 meters high. Much of the slopes of the hill has been cut away by Yadava dynasty rulers to leave 50 meter vertical sides to improve defenses. The fort is a place of extraordinary strength, at the summit, and at intervals on the slope, are specimens of massive old cannon facing out over the surrounding countryside. Also at the mid way, there is a cave entrance meant to confuse the enemies, Daulatabad fort was one the most powerful forts of the medieval Deccan. The fort was built by the Seuna king Bhillama V in 1187 AD, the region was then called Devgiri or Deogiri. The fort had the following specialities which are listed along with their advantages,1, no separate exit from the fort, only one entrance/exit - This is designed to confuse the enemy soldiers to drive deep into the fort in search of an exit, at their own peril. No parallal gates - This is designed to break the momentum of theconfusing the invading army, also, the flag mast is on the left hill, which the enemy will try to capitualte, thus will always turn left. But the real gates of the fort are on the right & the false ones on the left, spikes on the gates - In the era before gun-powder, intoxicated elephants were used as a battering ram to break open the gates. The presence of spikes ensured that the elephants died of injury, the hill is shaped like a smooth tortoise back - this prevented the use of mountain lizards as climbers, because they cannot stick on it. However, Allauddin Khilji sent his slave general Malik Kafur to conquer Deccan and he laid a seize around the fort in 1295 AD, being unable to capture it by force. Finally he bribed the son -in-law of the then king Ramachandra, eventually Ramachandra was defeated & forced to being a vassal to Alauddin Khilji. He was also given the Gujrat and one of his daughters and this alliance was to prove to be of great value to Alauddin in his further aggrandizement in Deccan. But, after the death of Rai Ramachandra in 1315, his sons threw off the yoke of Delhi, Malik Kafur quickly came and crushed the rebellion and assumed direct administration of the area
38.
Dhule district
–
Dhule district is a district of Maharashtra state in western region of India. The city of Dhule is the headquarters of the district. The Dhule district previously comprised tracts of land inhabited by tribal population. The Dhule district was bifurcated on 1 July 1998 into two separate districts now known as Dhule and Nandurbar, the latter comprising the tribal region. Agriculture remains the basic profession of the population in this district, most parts of the district are not under irrigation and thus cultivation heavily depends on regular Monsoon or rain water. Apart from wheat, bajra, jowar or jwari, onion the most favored commercial crop is cotton, majority of the population in the rural area speaks Ahirani language, however Marathi is more widely spoken in the urban areas. Around 26. 11% population of Dhule district resides in urban area, Dhule district is famous for the production of pure milk. Milk cattle used to be fed with cotton pend, which would produce rich quality milk, customers in Delhi once upon a time used to wait for the delivery of milk from here. Dondaicha in this district is the town in the State to produce glucose, sugar. District is also famous for production and market of chilies, the Dhule District is a part of Maharashtras historical region of Khandesh. Although for administrative purpose it is now clubbed to Nashik Division, the district of Dhulia was previously known as West Khandesh district. The ancient name of region was Rasika. It is bounded on the east by Berar, on the north by the Nemad district and on the south by the Aurangabad, later the country came to be called as Seunadesa after the king, Seunchandra of the early Yadava dynasty, who ruled over it. Subsequently its name was changed to Khandesh to suit the title given to the Faruqi kings by King Ahmad I of Gujarat. During Aryan penetration to the Deccan, Agastya was the first Aryan who crossed Vindhya and this territory was included in the empire of Ashoka. Pushyamitra, the founder of Shunga dynasty overthrew Maurya dynasty, later on Satavahan ruled over the region. About A. D.250, the Satavahans were supplanted by the Abhiras or Ahirs in Western Maharashtra, the names of feudatories of Abhiras that ruled in Khandesh was found from copperplates discovered at Kalachala and Cave X5II at Ajanta. After downfall of Satavahans the Vakatakas rose to power in Vidarbha, the Vakatakas were over thrown by Rastrakuta family
39.
Laling fort
–
Laling Qila is a small fort situated in the present day Dhule district of Maharashtra state in India. The fort is situated on top of Laling hill about 9.65 km south of Dhule city and it was one of the important forts in the Khandesh region during the time of the Faruqi Kings. It is a place of antiquity and the fort is supposed to have been built during the reign of the first of the Faruqi Kings. The fact that this fort and not that of Thalner was granted by Malik Raja to his eldest son would show that Laling was his chief fort. It was in this fort that Nasir Khan and his son Miran Adil Khan were besieged in 1437 by the Bahamani general till they were relieved by an army advancing from Gujarat. Early in the century it is mentioned more than once in connection with the movements of the Mughal troops Deccan campaigns. In 1862, the fort is described, as strongly situated with very few defences left. This fort was on the historical Surat-Burhanpur commercial road, around the fort is a small village called as Laling village with 1,549 inhabitants in 1961. Laling besides the fort has two Hemadpanthi temples in dilapidated condition, There is also a mined hemadpanti well. Presently the fort is in a ruined and collapsed state and it offers a panoramic view of Dhule city. There is a Lilitamata temple at the top of the Fort. There are several rock cut cisterns on the fort. The escape gate is on the side of the gate which leads to a semicircular dam with a Chatri nearby. The Laling village is located 9.65 km from the Dhule city on a busy Mumbai-Agra NH3 Highway. The path from the old hemadpanti temple leads to the fort, after climbing halfway there are steps to climb up the fort. The climbing is very easy and gentle, list of forts in Maharashtra Khandesh
