Fort : Kenjalgad

Distance	75 km	Height	4273 ft
Days	1 day	Difficulty	Medium
Base Village	Korle	District	Satara
Shelter	Not Available

Overview

Kenjalgad or Ghera Khelanja Fort, 4,269 feet above sea level, is situated on the Mandhardev spur of the Mahadev range eleven miles north-west of Wai. Kenjalgad is a flat-topped hill of an irregular oval shape, about 800 meters long and 300 meters wide at the extremes, looking remarkably strong both from a far and near. The fort is a black scarp rising vertically from the main ridge which is hogbacked. Reaching out to 4269 ft. Kenjalgad is counted as one of the tallest fort in Satara District. The scarp is one of the highest in any of the Satara forts and reaches in places eighty to a hundred feet. The only entrance is on the north side up a set of a hundred steps running parallel to the line of the scarp till within four or seven feet of the top, when they turn at right angles to it and cut straight into a passage leading on to the top. The steps are peculiarly imposing and differ from any others in the district. Thus on entering, the scarp is on the left and there is nothing on the right till the passage is reached, and invaders ascending would be liable to be hurled back over the cliff. At the foot of the steps is a bastion which evidently flanked a gateway. There are remains of six large and three small buildings, all modern. The head-quarters or kacheri is only marked by a large fig tree. The only building thoroughly recognizable is the powder magazine on the west which is about thirty feet square with strong stone walls three feet thick and seven feet high and three feet of brick on the top. The walls of the fort were originally of large square cut blocks of un-mortared stone, but were afterwards added to in many places. They are in most places fully four feet thick and including the rampart about eight feet thick.
Though technically this forts comes under Satara district it is situated on the mountain ridge which separates Pune and Satara district. On one side we see basin of Neera River and on other side there is basin of Krishna river. On one side we see Bhor and surrounding villages and on other side we see Wai and surrounding villages. After standing on the top we can understand how much this fort was worth as a watch guard.
While standing on this fort we can see Rohida, Kamalgad, Pandavgad, Mandhardevi temple around you.

Places of Interest

The fort has three large water tanks about forty feet square and six small ones for storage of water and grain. But there is no living spring inside the fort. The largest tank is in the southern face and is quite thirty feet deep. The tanks were emptied when the fort was dismantled by blowing up the outer sides which were formed by the ramparts and letting the water empty itself down the hill side. On the west is a sort of nose projecting beyond and a little lower than the main ridge of the fort, also strongly fortified. There is a narrow promenade on the ridge at the foot of the scarp and on the north side is a large cave with excellent water and partly used for storage purposes.

History

Khelanja fort is said to have been built by the Bhoj Rajas of Panhala who flourished in the twelfth century.
The guns on the Kenjalgad fort opened fire before surrendering to the detachment sent by General Pritzler up the Wai valley about the 26th of March 1818.

How to Reach

Reach PUNE bus stand, catch a bus to TITEGHAR or KORLE or AMBAVDE.
The route leads up to MACHI (5 Kms) where a good shelter is available.
The top is reached via a broad rock staircase. Reach the huge tunnel-cum-cave near the top.
Descend to MACHI to ASRE village and proceed to WAI.

Food Facility

You have to arrange it yourself.

Drinking Water Facility

Can be arranged from tanks on the fort.