~fOrts in maharaStra~

Maharashtra has been gifted with the Sahyadri ranges. This range is well populated with many forts. These forts offer us a chance to observe the beauty of nature, skills of our ancestors and allow us to add a little thrill to our life. There are numerous such forts in the vicinity of Thane and Pune which are ideal for an one day or two day trek.

Most of the forts in Maharashtra whether up in the hills or near the seas are associated with Shivaji --the great Maratha warrior and an equally great fort builder. Moreover, these forts were treated as mini-cities, such as Panhala, which is now a hill station. The concept of the fort-city was, however, not peculiar to Shivaji alone. The Portuguese who came to India as traders and missionaries, built within a century of their coming, Bassein, a garden city to rival many a European capital.