The journey begins. The pouring droplets start writing the tale of the good times ahead !
Pune-Mahableshwar NH4 (Satara Road)
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Green Relief !
Enroute Mahabaleshwar - Wai (वाई) Village
Wai came into existence in the 1700's when the Pandavas lived here. At that point it was called Viraatnagari. Since it has over 100 temples, it is also called Dakshin Kaashi. The 17th century warlord Afzal Khan is said to have made his first halt here on his way to Pratapgad (प्रतापगड)fort.
Zero Visibility !
Drive up Pasarni Ghat - enroute Mahabaleshwar. Lashing rains and blinding fog - a beautiful but dangerous combo especially if you are on a drive !
Mahabaleshwar - Here We Come !
The first glimpse of Venna Lake. Not kidding - of course thats a lake minus the fog cloud !
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Higher As It Gets
Atop one of the watch towers (Buruj - बुरुज) at Wilson Point, Mahabaleshwar
L to R: Aniket Valame, Aditya Kher, Harshal Gadre and Ameya Valame
Pretty in Pink
Common name: Law's Balsam • Marathi: तेरडा (terada) Botanical name: Impatiens lawii Family: Balsaminaceae (Balsam family)
Location: Dina, Mahabaleshwar
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
United We Stand !
Enroute to Pratapgad - Ambenali Ghat
L to R : Ashish Sapre, Nitesh Ruparel, Aditya Kher, Makarand Gholba, Satchidanand (Sunil) Joshi, Harshal Gadre and Ameya Valame.
Shiv Pratap Bhoomi - Kille Pratapgad (शिव प्रताप भूमि - किल्ले प्रतापगड)
Pratapgad is located 15 kilometres from Poladpur and 25 kilometres from Mahabaleshwar. This 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.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (छत्रपति शिवाजी महाराज) had commissioned Moropant Trimbak Pingale, his Prime Minister (Peshwe - पेशवे) to build this fort in 1656 in order to defend the banks of Nira and Koyna rivers and the Par pass।
(The locations underlined in RED are the locations missed out by the largesse but visited by Aniruddh & Harshal)
Vedat Marathe Veer Daudale Saat !
At the foothills of Pratapgad
L to R : Makarand Gholba, Ashish Sapre, Nitesh Ruparel, Ameya Valame, Harshal Gadre, Aditya Kher and Satchidanand (Sunil) Joshi
Now You See...Now You Don't !
The intelligently designed ramparts provide the perfect camouflage to the main entrance hiding it from the enemy sights and making it difficult for the enemy to chalk out its attack strategy.
Braving The Odds !
The main entrance (Maha Darwaaza - महा दरवाजा) standing as majestic and strong as ever. Not even time could make a dent.
Jagdamb Jagdamb (जगदम्ब जगदम्ब)
View (Silhouette) of the temple of goddess Bhavani as seen from the path leading up from the Main Entrance (Maha Darwaaza - महा दरवाजा). In 1661, when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj could not visit the temple of the goddess Bhavani at Tuljapur, he decided to dedicate a temple to the goddess at this fort itself. The temple is located on the eastern side of the lower fort. Seen here is the outline of the temple courtyard and the Deep Mala (दीप माला) as it towers above the courtyard walls.
Faith Lives Here
Bhavani Mandir - The hall of the temple has been rebuilt since the original construction, and consists of wooden pillars about 50' long, 30' broad and 12' high. The shrine is made of stone, and contains a clothed black stone image of goddess Bhavani. The roof of the temple is flat inside, but covered in lead covering put up by the Satara Raja Pratapsinh (1818-1839). A small spire (shikhar - शिखर) covers the shrine.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Armada
An assortment of (Shiv kaleen) weapons and tools on display in the courtyard of Bhavani Mandir. Starting with small cannons from the left, to the extreme right is a Stone-cutting tool. Wonders never cease - to think that the whole of Pratapgad (and all the other forts of its like) were built from such primitive-looking tools. But history is witness to the high effectiveness of these tools when in the right hands.
Frothy Delite !
Butter Milk (Chhas, Taak - छास, ताक) Sometimes its best to give in to temptation ! Especially to something that looks so delicious. And thats exactly what we all did !
Protector to the Protector
The entrance to the Upper Fort (Bale Killa - बाले किल्ला). The Bale Killa is the last defence of the fort and houses the offices and residences of the King and the fort administrators.
Royalty
A lion carved into the entrance gate to the Bale Killa. A sign of royalty and worksmanship at its best.
Undercover !
One of the many secret entrances (Chor Darwaaza - चोर दरवाजा). This one is on the western ramparts of the fort. In the event of the enemy succeeding in penetrating the fort's defence, the defenders of the fort could use this secret entrance to move out of the fort and flank the enemy from behind to mount a surprise attack. A classic example of the foresight and macro-micro planning that went into fort architecture.
A View To A Kill !
True to the literal meaning of the heading, Kade Lot (कड़े लोट) is the point from where traitors to Swarajya were "pushed" down to their death. On the western ramparts located just beyond the temple of Kedareshwar (Lord Shiva), overlooking the Konkan Valley.
Down The History Lane
Harshal as he stands on the stairs leading from the west ramparts to the main courtyard which housed the residences and now also houses the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Swarajyache Toran (स्वराज्याचे तोरण)
The Saffron Flag (Bhagwa Zenda - भगवा झेंडा) as it flutters in full glory atop one of the watch towers on the western ramparts. This watch tower is purposely designed to look insignificant (vis-a-vis the other towers which are magnificient in terms of the sheer size) because it stands guard above one of the many secret entrances (Chor Darwaaza) to the fort. Just beyond this tower towards the North Western end of the fort is the Redka Buruj.
Serene
View from the West fortification wall of the fort. This section of the ramparts lies between the Kade Lot (overlooking the West ramparts) and Redka Buruj (overlooking the North West ramparts).
जय भवानी ! जय शिवाजी ! (Jai Bhavani ! Jai Shivaji !)
View of the statue of the great Maratha, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (छत्रपति शिवाजी महाराज)(West perspective). This 17-foot high equestrian bronze statue was unveiled by Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India, on the 30th November 1957.
The Great Maratha
View of the Statue from the Eastern perspective. Nothing can possibly overshadow the greatness of the Maratha Chhatrapati.
" तुझे तेज अंगी सतौंश जरी ही, उजलून देऊ दिशा दाही दाही "
जय भवानी जय शिवाजी
Mystical
At one of the smaller watch towers along the Eastern Fortification wall of the fort. The path behind leads to Yeshwant Buruj that overlooks the Savitri Valley on the Northern Side.
Crooning Glory
A Rooster on Pratapgad. One of the prized possessions of the village inhabitants atop the fort.
A Sign of Victory
Afzal Buruj. As per historical accounts this Buruj (Tower) was built as an extension to the fort proper after the killing of Afzal Khan at the hands of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It is said that head of the felled Mughal lies buried under this tower.
Black is Beautiful - An Universal Truth !
Johnnie Walker Black Label - Harshal does the honours with a 'virgin' sniff.
Cheers !
A toast to the Groom and the Birthday Boy. For some 4th of July will always be celebrated as the Independence Day, for others (read that as "Harshal") it will be remembered as the last celebration before the end of Independence.
Chakna - For the Diet Concious
Approved snacks endorsed by the reputed Shri. Shri. Shri. Satchidanand Joshi. Best with Scotch...on second thoughts best with just about anything that has a trace of alcohol in it !
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)