Torna Fort
Whenever Maratha history is recalled it is always the fort…
Information:- “Whenever Maratha history is recalled it is always the fort of Torna that is commemorated for being one of those forts captured by Shivaji Maharaj in his teenage. It has been rightly said by James Douglas “”It was Shivaji’s first conquest, the nucleus around which all the others clustered, making it virtually the cradle of the Marathi Empire, which shocked the throne of the great Moguls. It has been the scene of many bloody battles. If Sinhagad is Lion’s does then Torna is Eagle’s nest.””
On the fort are found many trees of the type “Toran”, which may be the reason for the name of the fort. The fort is located in Pune district, 18.36 degrees Latitude & 73.37 degrees Longitude. The village at the base of the fort is called “Velhe”. To the south of Torna is the river of Velvandi & to the north is the Valley of Kanad River.”
Extra Places To Visit:- Machindranath Cave, Khadki Point, Sita Kha, Yeshwant Lake, Torna Devi Temple
Type:- Hill Fort
Fort Range:- Pune
District:- Pune
Height Above Sea Level:- 1400 ft
Difficulty Rating:- Medium
Base Village:- Velhe
App Time To Reach Top:- 2 hrs from the base village
Water Availability:- A tank named Bokad tank near Mengai Devi temple provides sufficient water in winter. In summer most of the resources dry up. A small pond present near Kothi Darwaaja provides potable water.
Food:- One should arrange for food himself.
Shelter:- Temple of Goddess Mengai
Best Time To Visit:- After the south-west monsoon, from September to December.
How To Reach:- Travellers from Pune start in the early morning from Swargate bus stand (7:45 am first bus to Velhe reaches around 9:30 am till Velhe the base village). The relevant routes go by via Khed Shivapur, Cheladi/ Nasarapur/ Baneshwar, then Winzar, to the village of Velhe. The main path to Torna starts from here, and local people can help with directions. The way to the top is moderate to difficult, with some precautions to be taken in the rainy season. It is a two or three hour climb to the “Bini Darwaaja”, the main entrance to the fort. Alternatively, there is a pleasant and interesting ridge walk of 5–6 hours from the fort at Rajgad. This starts from “Pali Darwaaja” of Rajgad, near the left side of “Sanjeevani Machi”, and ends at Torna Fort’s “Budhla Machi”.
