Harishchandragad
Encyclopedia
Harishchandragad is a hill fort
in the Ahmednagar region of India
. Its history is linked with that of Malshej Ghat
, and it has played a major role in guarding and controlling the
surrounding region.
(one who created the epic “Tatvasaar”), used to meditate here in 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. The carvings on the temples of Nageshwar (in Khireshwar village), in the Harishchandreshwar temple and in the cave of Kedareshwar indicate that the fort belongs to the medieval period, since it is related to Shaiva, Shakta or Naath.
Later the fort was under the control of Moguls. The Marathas captured it in 1747.
phenomenon) can be seen from this point. It can be seen only when there is a bit of mist in the valley, and the sun is right behind the person facing the valley. One amazing phenomenon that can be observed at this place is the vertical cloud burst, in which the clouds nearing the cliff get sucked into the pit fall area below are thrown vertically into the sky reaching more than 50 feet (15.2 m). It creates a magical wall that is rising straight from the edge of the cliff without entering the landmass area.
The fog show and hovering clouds below the cliff complement the season if one visits.
. Leopards are seen in the forests beyond this peak. From here we can have a glimpse of the whole range of Naneghat
and the forts near Murbad
.
This temple is marvelous example of the fine art of carving sculptures out of stones that prevailed in ancient India. It is about 16 m high from its base. Around this temple there a few caves & ancient water tanks. The river Mangal Ganga is said to originate from one of the tanks located close to the temple. The top of the temple resembles construction with the north-Indian temples. A similar temple is situated in Buddha-Gaya. Here we can see many tombs, in which a typical construction is seen. These are built by well-finished arranging stones one on top of the other. There are three main caves near the temple. The cisterns near the temple provide drinking water. A short distance away, another temple called Kashitirtha is located. The fascinating thing about this temple is that it has been carved out from a single huge rock. There are entrances from all four sides. On the main entrance there are sculptures of faces. These are faces of guards of the temple. On the left side of the entrance is a Devnagri inscription, which is about saint Changdev.
there is another way to reach to Harishchandra gad.
we can reach there from pune.
there is bus from swarget to Khireswar village daily.
1) From Thane District :
One has to board the bus for Nagar from Kalyan & alight at ‘Khubi Phata’. From there we reach the village of Khireshwar by bus or private vehicle. This village is at 7km from the foothills of the fort.
Note: On this way, many arrows help in indicating the way.
2) From Ahmednagar District :
One has to board the bus for Nasik or Mumbai & alight at Ghoti village. From Ghoti, we have to board another bus to Sangamner via Malegaon & alight at Rajur village. From here, 2 ways diverge to the fort.
1) From Rajur, one has to board the bus or a private vehicle to the village of Pachanai. From here, the way is straight to the topmost point.
2) Recently, the way from Rajur to Tolar Khind has been made available. From Tolar Khind (Tolar valley), the temple is about 2-3 hours by walking.
On weekends during Summer & Winter, the villagers sell lemon water and buttermilk at 2-3 points between Tolar Khind and Harishchandreshwar. Basic meals are available at 1-2 temporary shacks over the weekends.
Forts in India
Forts are important structures built by Emperor Aashraya. The capital of each raja or chieftain was a fort around which a township grew and developed; this pattern can be seen in many South Asian cities such as Delhi, Agra, Lahore, Pune, Calcutta and Mumbai. Two forts in India are UNESCO world...
in the Ahmednagar region of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Its history is linked with that of Malshej Ghat
Malshej Ghat
Malshej Ghat is a mountain pass in the Western Ghats range in pune district of Maharashtra, India. The site is nestled in the lofty rugged hills of the Western Ghats. The best time to visit is between August and September. At this time of the year, the hills are clothed in a soothing shade of...
, and it has played a major role in guarding and controlling the
surrounding region.
History
The fort is quite ancient. Remnants of Microlithic man have been discovered here. The various Puranas (ancient scriptures) like Matsyapurana, Agnipurana and Skandapurana include many references about Harishchandragad. Its origin is said to have been in 6th century, during the rule of Kalchuri 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 ChangdevChangdev
The town of Changdev is situated in Muktainagar Taluka of Jalgaon district in Maharashtra, India. The town gets its name from yogi Changdev Maharaj, an sant who is believed to have stayed here for 1400 years...
(one who created the epic “Tatvasaar”), used to meditate here in 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. The carvings on the temples of Nageshwar (in Khireshwar village), in the Harishchandreshwar temple and in the cave of Kedareshwar indicate that the fort belongs to the medieval period, since it is related to Shaiva, Shakta or Naath.
Later the fort was under the control of Moguls. The Marathas captured it in 1747.
Saptatirtha Pushkarni
To the east of the temple is a well-built 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 beautiful place, as they throw plastic wastes and other things in the pond. 7 years back the water was potable, and now it isn’t suitable even to swim.Kedareshwar Cave
Going rightwards of Harishchandreshwar temple, we come across a huge cave. This is the cave of Kedareshwar(see picture), in which there is a big Shivlinga, which is totally surrounded by water. The total height from its base is five feet, and the water is waist-deep. It is quite difficult to reach the Shivlinga because the water is ice-cold. There are sculptures carved out here. In monsoon it is not possible to reach this cave, as a huge stream flows across the way.Konkan Kada (Konkan cliff)
The most interesting point on this fort is this cliff, which has always fascinated many people from many years. The cliff faces west and looks down upon the Konkan.http://www.puneritraveller.com/harishchandragad.htmlFrom here, one can have a breathtaking view of the surrounding region and the setting sun. This cliff is not just vertical, it is an overhang, almost like a cobra's hood. It has been climbed many times. Sometimes a circular rainbow (the Brocken spectreBrocken spectre
A Brocken spectre , also called Brocken bow, mountain spectre or glockenspectre is the apparently enormous and magnified shadow of an observer, cast upon the upper surfaces of clouds opposite the sun...
phenomenon) can be seen from this point. It can be seen only when there is a bit of mist in the valley, and the sun is right behind the person facing the valley. One amazing phenomenon that can be observed at this place is the vertical cloud burst, in which the clouds nearing the cliff get sucked into the pit fall area below are thrown vertically into the sky reaching more than 50 feet (15.2 m). It creates a magical wall that is rising straight from the edge of the cliff without entering the landmass area.
The fog show and hovering clouds below the cliff complement the season if one visits.
Taramati peak
Also known as Taramanchi. This is the topmost point on the fort. It is the 2nd highest peak in MaharashtraMaharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. Leopards are seen in the forests beyond this peak. From here we can have a glimpse of the whole range of Naneghat
Naneghat
Naneghat is a mountain pass in the Western Ghats range near Junnar in Pune district of Maharashtra, India. During the reign of the Satavahana , the pass was extensively used as a trade route between Kalyan and Junnar. Literally, the name nane means "coin" and ghat means "pass"...
and the forts near Murbad
Murbad
Murbad is a census town in Thane district in the Indian state of Maharashtra near Thane and Karjat. Murbad is an industrial town with private and MIDC industries.-Geography:...
.
Caves on Harishchandragad
These caves are situated all over the fort. Many of these are situated at the foot of Taramati peak & are the place of accommodation. A few are near the temple, whereas some are near the citadel and some far away in the forests. A 30 feet (9.1 m) deep natural cave is on the northwestern side of the fort, to the right of Kokan Kada. Many other caves are still said to remain undiscovered.Nageshwar temple near Khireshwar
This is a great antique construction, and diverse artistic works are seen on this. On the ceiling of the temple are beautiful carvings. The main attraction of the carvings here is the 1.5 m long sculpture of Lord Vishnu in the sleeping posture, popularly known as "sheshshayi Vishnu" in Marathi. It is rare and hence holds a lot of importance. There are a lot of legends told about this sculpture. There are caves near the temple.Temple of Harishchandreshwar
Way to Reach
Harishchandragad lies where the boundaries of Thane, Pune & Ahmednagar districts converge. There are 4 - 5 known ways to this fort, the most usual being the following ones:there is another way to reach to Harishchandra gad.
we can reach there from pune.
there is bus from swarget to Khireswar village daily.
1) From Thane District :
One has to board the bus for Nagar from Kalyan & alight at ‘Khubi Phata’. From there we reach the village of Khireshwar by bus or private vehicle. This village is at 7km from the foothills of the fort.
Way from Khireshwar
The way beside the caves, where water tanks are seen, proceeds further to Junnar Darwaaja (Entrance From Junnar). From here, the route goes straight to Tolar Khind. Walking a few minutes from Tolar Khind, we come across a rock-patch on which railings are fixed. After ascending the railings, we come to the plateau region on which less dense forests are seen. From here, we have to cross 7 hills & after a walk of 2-3 hours, we reach the temple of Harishchandreshwar, the temple of Lord Shiva.Note: On this way, many arrows help in indicating the way.
from Belpada
The third way is specially meant for hikers, which is via Sadhleghat. One should board the bus for Malshej Ghat & go to the village of Belpada. From here, the route goes through Sadhleghat. Here one has to climb a straight rock patch on which grips are provided. The temple is situated at a height of about 1km from Belpada. The total distance is about 19km.2) From Ahmednagar District :
One has to board the bus for Nasik or Mumbai & alight at Ghoti village. From Ghoti, we have to board another bus to Sangamner via Malegaon & alight at Rajur village. From here, 2 ways diverge to the fort.
1) From Rajur, one has to board the bus or a private vehicle to the village of Pachanai. From here, the way is straight to the topmost point.
2) Recently, the way from Rajur to Tolar Khind has been made available. From Tolar Khind (Tolar valley), the temple is about 2-3 hours by walking.
Accommodation Facility
Ganesh caves, located very near to the Harishchandeshwar Temple. Temple has capacity of providing accommodation up to 50 people. These caves are well maintained by the villagers of Pashnai. People hiking to the other peaks generally rest here during night.Accommodation in Khireshwar
In Khireshwar, local school is the best for a night’s stay. In this village, we can see the beautiful temple of Nageshwar as well as ancient caves of the Yadav era.Food Facility
In summer & winter, arrangement for food cooked by the villagers available near the caves. However, in monsoon, due to adverse weather conditions villagers donot prefer cooking and serving near the caves. one should make the arrangement himself.Drinking Water Facility
The water tanks near the caves provide water all round the year for basic needs. The perennial stream running near the caves is the major source for drinking water. It is advisable to refrain from drinking water at the tank near to caves. While in monsoon, there are a number of waterfalls around the caves which provide potable water. Potable water is available from the tanks which are present in the temple compound.On weekends during Summer & Winter, the villagers sell lemon water and buttermilk at 2-3 points between Tolar Khind and Harishchandreshwar. Basic meals are available at 1-2 temporary shacks over the weekends.