Sinhagad

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(Redirected from Kondana)

Sinhagad at Sunrise

Sinhagad or Sinhgad (Devanagari, Marathi: सिंहगड) meaning Lion Fort, is located near the city of Pune, India, situated on a hill rising 800 metres above the surrounding countryside.

1 History
- 1.1 Battle of Sinhagad
- 1.2 Lokmanya Tilak
2 Present Day
- 2.1 Sinhagad and NDA
3 Photo Gallery
4 References
5 See also
6 External links

Previously called Kondana (Devanagari: कोंढाणा), the fort's location has been strategically important since at least the 14th century and has been the site of many important battles.

Bust of Tanaji Malusare atop Sinhagad

One of the most famous battles ( Battle of Sinhagad ) for Sinhagad was fought to recapture the fort by Tanaji Malusare, a General of Shivaji in March 1670. It was after this battle that the Kondhana fort was renamed to Sinhagad after Tanaji, whose nickname was 'the lion' (Sinha). Having spearheaded the attack and fighting valiantly, Tanaji's life was lost in capturing this important fort^[1].

A legend has grown that upon hearing of Tanaji's death, Shivaji remorsed with the words "Gad ala pan Sinha gela" (Marathi, Translation: The fort has been captured but the lion has been lost). Historically, this quote is believed to be one of the most important associations of the fort with Maratha history but it is a misquote. Historians point out that Shivaji's exact words were : 'Ek gad aala, ek gad gela'. (One fort was captured but one colossus was lost.)

A bust of Tanaji has been established on the fort in memory of his contribution to the battle.

See also: Shivaji#Battle_of_Sinhagad

More recently, during the 20th century, Lokmanya Tilak, the Indian freedom fighter, built a bungalow atop the fort. Also, Gandhiji is said to have asked for water from it whenever he was imprisoned in the nearby town of Pune.

The once extensive fortification is now in ruins, but visitors can still get a sense as to how the fort may have appeared as an active military outpost. It is a popular weekend destination for many residents of Pune. The site also houses a memorial to Tanaji as well as the tomb of Rajaram, Shivaji's younger son, who also died here.

The fort is also part of training at National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. Cadets from the academy are regularly sent on a hikes and runs from NDA to Sinhagad in full battle gear. This is to build endurance, stamina, determination and team spirit. The Sinhagad hike is also handed out as a punishment to NDA cadets who occasionally step out of line. Graduated military Commissioned Officers later proudly tell stories of how many times they climbed Sinhagad.