Maharashtra: forts

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State of repair

2019: Damaged by rainfall

Neha Madaan, August 14, 2019: The Times of India

Forts in Maharashtra damaged by floods, 2019
From: Bhavika Jain1, August 14, 2019: The Times of India

The extremely heavy spells of rain this monsoon have taken a toll on the historic forts in Maharashtra. Portions of fortification walls and other structures at some forts have fallen, officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) said.

Portions of two structures have fallen during heavy rains at Shivneri fort in Pune district, the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shiva ji Maharaj. One portion fell near Maha Darwaza and the other right next to the enclosure where he was born. Similarly, portions of walls or structures have fallen at ot her forts in western and central Maharashtra, including Panhala fort in Kolhapur, Raigad fort and Avchitgad in the Sahyadri ranges.

An ASI official told TOI that at Panhala fort, which is spread over 450 acres, portions of the fortification walls have fallen at four places—near Sajja Kothi, Char Darwaja, Rajdindi Marg and behind the Akashwani centre. “At one spot, the entire fortification wall has collapsed. Rajdindi Marg has great historical importance. The Rajdindi bastion was one of the hidden exits of the fort, used only during emergencies. It was the route taken by Shiva ji to escape to Vishalgad during the Battle of Pavan Khind,” the official said.

Panhala fort is on a hill and the heavy rains caused the stones in old, cracked walls to fall off. “It rained over 10 times more than normal...the road leading up has developed cracks...Locals living on the hill are descending via a roundabout 25-30km route. Until the road is repaired, no heavy works can be undertaken to repair the fort,” the official said.

An ASI official said, “At Shivneri fort, portions of two structures at different places collapsed in a month’s time. It is likely that the rains caused the soil at the base of the fortification wall near Maha Darwaza to give in, like it happens in case of landslides. A part of the 10ft wall of another ancient structure alongside the birthplace of Shiva ji Maharaj also collapsed. Ancient walls were constructed from mud-mortar and the rain water percolating the structure triggered the collapse.”

At Raigad fort, the wall of a structure at Bazaar Peth caved in. “A rear wall in the Brahman wada area of the fort also collapsed while the bund wall of a tank partly caved in,” an ASI official said. An official said portions of three fortification walls collapsed at Avchitgad fort near Roha in Raigad district. Other forts where partial damage has been noticed include Vasai fort in Palghar district and Korlai fort (a Portuguese fortification). The official said an ASI team will visit these forts after monsoon to assess the damage.