The Architecture of

Raje Shivaji’s fort at PANHALA

कहाँ राजा भोज कहाँ गंगू तेली ..Kahan Raja Bhoj Kahan Gangu Teli

Dr Uday Dokras
B.Sc., B.A. (Managerial Economics), LLB. Nagpur University,India
Graduate Studies,Queen’s University, Canada
MBA (CALSTATE,USA)
Graduate Diploma in Law, Stockholm University,Sweden
Ph.D (Management) Stockholm University, Sweden
CONSULTANT- Gorewada International Zoo, Nagpur,India- Largest Zoo and Safari in Asia
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 Panhala Valley

कहाँ राजा भोज कहाँ गंगू तेली ..Kahan Raja Bhoj Kahan Gangu Teli

According to legend about the Shilahara king, Bhoja was building the fort of Panhala (Pranalaka)
near Kolhapur in South Maharashtra, but the walls kept collapsing during construction. The king's
astrologer recommended the sacrifice a woman and her newborn to appease the gods of the mountain.
Gangu Teli was the only person nearby whose wife had just delivered, so Gangu, puffed up with self-
importance, offered his wife Jakkubai and his newborn child as a sacrifice. A tomb exists inside the
Panhala Fort for Jakkubai and her child.
As Gangu Teli became prideful as he realised that only he could come to the aid of a king, this tale
brought about the aphorism Kahaan Raja Bhoj, kahan Gangu Teli, dismissing him as being
inconsequential compared to the Raja.
Introduction: India in the 17th century held an immense fascination for travellers from the western
world. There was the magnificent opulence of the Mughal court, the famed diamond mines of
Golconda, the flourishing spice trade of the Malabar and the siren call of a unique culture far removed

from the West. One of the many western travellers who succumbed to this lure was a French explorer
and linguist named Jean de Thevenot. His memoirs describe medieval India beautifully. From being
amazed by the lush beauty of Ahmedabad’s Shahi Bagh garden to being so moved by the glory of
Hyderabad that he couldn’t resist comparing it with his own Paris. In fact, two centuries after
Thevenot visited India, the Oxford dictionary would define Golconda as a “source of wealth,
advantages or happiness”.

This, however, is not a story of the spectacular sights encountered by Thevenot, but that of an Indian
king he met during his travels through the Deccan. In his journal, the French traveller described
his impressions of this royal personage of Shivaji in exhuberant terms.Praising his skills at leadership
as well as construction of forts. Shivaji is credited of possessing 350 forts in his realm some of which
he himself built from scratch. The thing with Forts those days was that they passed from one ruler to
another depending on their conquest. Thus a Fort belonging to x would be lost in battle with Y and so

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it would be owned by Y till such time as he lost another battle particularly in that area. Accession was
another way to get or loose forts.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, founder of Maratha empire in western India in 1664, was well
known for his forts; he was in possession of around 370 at the time of his death. Many, like Panhala
Fort and Rajgad existed before him but others, like Sindhudurg and Pratapgad, were built by him from
scratch. Also, the fort of Raigad was built as the place of throne, i.e., the capital, of Maratha Empire
by Hirojee Indulkar on the orders of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. This is the place where Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj was crowned and today also his Samadhi stands in front of the Jagadishwar temple.
These forts were central to his empire and their remains are among the foremost sources of
information about his rule. The French missionary Father Fryer witnessed the fortifications of Gingee,
Madras, built by Chhatrapati Shivaji maharaj after its conquest, and appreciated his technical know-
how and knowledge.

Sindhudurg was built in order to control attacks by Portuguese and Siddhis on the coastal areas of the
Maratha Empire. This fort is the witness of chhatrapati Shivaji maharaj's navy which was later led by
Kanhoji Angre in times of Chhatrapati Shivaji's grandson Shahu I, and came to glory. Also
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj built the forts of Colaba and Underi to control the activities of the
Siddhis in Arabian Sea. At the time of Underi's construction British opposed a lot and stood with their
warships in the sea to obstacle the material being supplied for the construction of the fort. But for their
surprise the material required for construction was being supplied with the help of small boats in
night.

The hill fort Salher in Nashik district was at a distance of 1,200 km (750 mi) from the hill fort Jingi,
near Chennai. Over such long distance, hill forts were supported by seaforts. The seafort, Kolaba Fort,
near Mumbai, was at a distance of 500 km (310 mi) from the seafort Sindhudurg. All of these forts
were put under a havaldar with a strong garrison. Strict discipline was followed. These forts proved
useful during Mughal-Maratha wars.

Notable features of Shivaji's forts include:

 Community participation in the defense of forts

 Three tier administration of forts
 System of inspection of forts by higher ups including the king
 Distinct feature of forts like double line fortification of Pratapgad, citadel of Rajgad
 Design changes with the topography and in harmony of the contour, no monotony of design
 No ornate palaces or dance floors or gardens
 No temple complexes
 Not much difference in the area of higher or lower ranks

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 Marvelous acoustics in the capital
 Sanskritization of fort names
 Foresight in selection of sites

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The history of Panhala town is closely linked with the history of the Maratha empire, and with its
founder, Shivaji. Panhala is the only fort where Shivaji spent more than 500 days, other than his
childhood homes. It was Maratha State capital until 1782 and in 1827 it became part of the British
Empire.

This imposing fort, 20 km northwest of Kolhapur, is built on an outlying spur of the Sahyadris, rising
more than 400 m above plain, and is the largest of all the Deccan forts. The strategic importance of
Panhala, guarding one of the principal routes through the Western Ghat, can be judged from its long
and varied history. Built between 1178 and 1209, it first served as the headquarters of the Shilahara
ruler Bhoja II, and subsequently passed into hands of the Yadavas. It was a favorite outpost of
the Bahamanis of Bidar; Mahmud Gawan, the powerful prime minister, encamped here during the
rainy season of 1469. By the beginning of the 16th century Panhala was absorbed into the kingdom
of Bijapur. The Adil Shahis were responsible for strengthening and rebuilding the ramparts and
gateways. The fort was raided by Shivaji in 1659, but it was not until 1673 that he was able to occupy
it permanently.
After Sambhaji’s death in 1689, it was captured by Aurangzeb. However, it was re-captured in 1692
by Kashi Ranganath Sarpotdar under the guidance of Parshuram Pant Pratinidhi. In 1701 Panhala was
finally surrendered to Aurangzeb, and it was here that the Mughal Emperor received the English
Ambassador, Sir William Norris. Within a few months the fort was retaken by the Maratha forces
under Pant Amatya Ramachandra. Tarabai who asserted her autonomy by founding an independent
dynasty. In 1782 these rulers shifted their headquarters to Kolhapur. After a local rebellion in 1844,
Panhala was taken by the British. More than 7 km of fortifications define the approximately triangular
zone of Panhala fort. The walls are protected for long sections by steep escarpments, reinforced by a
parapet with slit holes. The remaining sections have 5–9 m high ramparts, strengthened by round
bastions. Unfortunately, the East Gate called Char Darawaja, through which the road passes on arrival
at fort, was demolished by the British.

The fort has another satellite fort visible. It is said that there were wells full with Ghee to cure the
soldiers. The well-known poet Kavi Moropant Stayed here. Nearby are the Sambhaji temple,
Someshwar temple, Teen Darwaza, and Raj Dindi,Sajja Kothi, Ambabai Temple, where Shivaji used
to seek blessings before venturing on expeditions. Pavankhind, where Baji Prabhu Deshpande laid
down his life to cover Shivaji's escape.

Panhala fort (also known as Panhalgad, Pahalla and Panalla (literally "the home of serpents")), is
located in Panhala, 20 kilometres northwest of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, India. It is strategically
located looking over a pass in the Sahyadri mountain range which was a major trade route

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from Bijapur in the interior of Maharashtra to the coastal areas.Due to its strategic location, it was the
centre of several skirmishes in the Deccan involving the Marathas, the Mughals and the British East
India Company, the most notable being the Battle of Pavan Khind. Here, the queen regent
of Kolhapur City, Tarabai, spent her formative years. Several parts of the fort and the structures
within are still intact.

The old Panhala Fort was founded in the late 12th century by Raja Bhoja. It was constructed during
the period 1178-1209 AD to be later modified by the Marathas. The Indo-Islamic style fort is
famously known for being residences to the great Maratha ruler Shivaji and the Queen Regent of
Kolhapur - Tarabai. It is said that aphorism Kahaan Raja Bhoj, kahan Gangu Teli is associated with
this fort. A copper plate found in Satara shows that Raja Bhoja held court at Panhala from 1191–1192
CE. About 1209–10, Bhoja Raja was defeated by Singhana (1209–1247), the most powerful of
the Devgiri Yadavas, and the fort subsequently passed into the hands of the Yadavas. Apparently it
was not well looked after and it passed through several local chiefs. In 1376 inscriptions record the
settlement of Nabhapur to the south-east of the fort.

It was an outpost of the Bahamanis of Bidar. Mahmud Gawan, an influential prime minister,
encamped here during the rainy season of 1469. On the establishment of the Adil Shahi dynasty
of Bijapur in 1489, Panhala came under Bijapur and was fortified extensively. They built the strong
ramparts and gateways of the fort which, according to tradition, took a hundred years to build.
Numerous inscriptions in the fort refer to the reign of Ibrahim Adil Shah, probably Ibrahim I (1534–
1557).

Under Shivaji: In 1659, after the death of the Bijapur general Afzal Khan, in the ensuing
confusion Shivaji Maharaj took Panhala from Bijapur. In May 1660, to win back the fort from
Shivaji, Adil Shah II (1656–1672) of Bijapur sent his army under the command of Siddi Johar to lay
siege to Panhala. Shivaji Maharaj fought back and they could not take the fort. The siege continued
for 5 months, at the end of which all provisions in the fort were exhausted and Shivaji Maharaj was on
the verge of being captured.

Under these circumstances, Shivaji Maharaj decided that escape was the only option. He gathered a
small number of soldiers along with his trusted commander Baji Prabhu Deshpande and, on 13 July
1660, they escaped in the dead of night to flee to Vishalgad. Baji Prabhu and a barber, Shiva
Kashid, who looked like Shivaji Maharaj, kept the enemy engaged, giving them an impression that
Shiva Kashid was actually Shivaji Maharaj. In the ensuing battle (see Battle of Pavan Khind), almost
three quarters of the one thousand strong force died, including Baji Prabhu himself. The fort went to
Adil Shah. It was not until 1673 that Shivaji Maharaj could occupy it permanently. hivaji planned to
escape to the fort of Vishalgadh, which was administered by a Maratha chieftain named Range
Narayan Orpe. He was under allegiance to the Adilshahis, but had come to a clandestine arrangement

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to switch sides and join Shivaji at an opportune moment. There was also a Moghul garrison stationed
at Vishalgadh which Shivaji would have to engage in order to achieve his aims. Shivaji waited for
months, planning and depleting the Adilshah's food source. He waited until he reckoned that they
needed to gather more food, and then started his plan.

Shivaji, Baji Prabhu, and around 600 of their best troops, hardened mountaineers of the Maval region,
would dash through the Adilshahi force at night. A man named Shiva Kashid, who resembled
Shivajiin appearance, had volunteered to dress like the king and get captured. It was envisaged that
this would buy some additional time due to the confusion over identity, before Siddi Masud realised
the error and gave chase.

Shivaji made his escape on the dark night of 13 July, with his contingent of troops. Baji Prabhu was
second in command of this contingent. The Adilshahis gave hot and rapid pursuit, with an army of
10,000. It was clear that there was no way to shake off the enemy, and that the Marathas would not
simultaneously prevail over both the Moghul garrison at Vishagadh and the chasing Adilshahi army.

The only option was for a section of the Marathas to stay back and fight the larger Adilshahi forces in
a rearguard action, while the rest of the Marathas would carry on to their destination. Shivaji decided
that this was the inevitable choice and split his forces. Baji Prabhu Deshpande agreed to face the
troops of Bijapur with 300 soldiers of the contingent. Shivaji told Baji Prabhu that he would hear the
cannon fire from Vishalgadh (the destination fort), signalling Shivaji’s safety. The strategic position
of Ghod Khind (Horse Pass) was chosen for the defence. It was very narrow and only a few soldiers
could pass at any one time.

Shivaji’s plan was successful. Having made his way to Vishalgadh, Range Narayan Orpe switched
sides and the combined Maratha forces easily surprised and routed the ill-prepared Moghul garrison
situated there. Baji Prabhu had successfully fought the rearguard action and slowed the Adilshahis
forces before they arrived at the fort having carried on pursuing Shivaji to Vishalgadh. The Marathas
repulsed the Adilshahis inflicting heavy losses upon the latter when they arrived at the fort.

Shivaji later personally visited the house of the slain Baji Prabhu, which was in the village of Kasabe
Sindh in the Raigad district and honoured his family, including giving his eldest son a position of
leadership and honour in the forces.

The defence of the pass of Ghor Khind by about 300 Marathas led by the Baji Prabhu Deshpande was
renamed “The Battle of Pavan Khind” which in Marathi means “The Battle of the Sacred Pass”.

“The defence…,” says historian Dennis Kincaid, “has become legendary in Western India. The action
is remarkable as an example of the spirit which Chhatrapati Shivaji’s leadership infused into his
followers.” Shivaji’s mother, Jijabai, wept at the news of Baji Prabhu’s death. Ballads and poems
have been composed in his memory, some of which are still sung today. Sri Aurobindo, the great

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yogi, mystic and revolutionary of the 20th century wrote a poem dedicated to Baji Prabhu, which was
used as a symbol to capture the spirit of sacrifice that was required of the young men in India’s
freedom struggle which was then under way.

Historian Jadunath Sarkar describes the incident in his book "Chhatrapati Shivaji and His Times" in
the following way.

The siege dragged on for nearly four months; all the paths of ingress and egress were closed to the
garrison. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj found himself in a fatal trap. So, he wrote a secret letter to
Jauhar, deceitfully begging his protection and offering to make an alliance with him. In order to
negotiate for the terms he asked for a passport. Jauhar, "who was both fool and traitor," swallowed the
bait; he assured Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj of his protection, gave him a safe conduct, and flattered
himself that with Shiva for an ally he would be able to create a kingdom of his own in independence
of Adil Shah. Next day Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with only two or three followers visited Jauhar at
midnight and was received in darbar. After oaths of co-operation had been taken on both sides,
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj returned quickly to the fort, and the pretended siege was continued.
When the news of Jauhar's treacherous coquetting with Shiva reached the ears of Ali Adil Shah, that
king burst into anger and left his capital (5 August) "to punish both the rebels." An envoy was sent to
bring Jauhar back to the right path, but the mission was a failure. When, however, Ali reached Miraj
and his Vanguard advanced beyond it still nearer to Panhala, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj slipped out
of the fort one night with his family and 2 to 3 hundred soldiers, and Panhala returned to Adil Shah's
possession without a blow (about 25 August 1660.) As the Bijapur Court-poet sang in exultation, "Ali
took Panhala from Salabat in a twinkle.”

Shivaji's escape from the fort was soon detected, and a strong Bijapuri force under Jauhar's son Siddi
Aziz and Afzal Khan's son Fazl Khan set out in pursuit of him. On reaching a narrow ravine (probably
near Malkapur), Shiva left 300 men there under Baji Pradhu (the deshpande of Hardis Maval) with
orders to hold the mouth of the pass at all costs till the main body of the fugitives had reached
Vishalgad. The Bijapuris delivered three bloody assaults on the heroic rear-guard, all of which were
beaten off. But when at last the gun-fire from Vishalgarh gave the anxiously expected signal that
Shivaji had reached safety within its walls, the gallant Baji Prabhu was lying mortally wounded with
200 of his followers. Baji Prabhu had done his appointed duty. The Bijapuris declined to besiege
Vishalgarh, and retired to their own territory, after recovering Pavangarh and some other forts in
addition to Panhala. Shivaji retained in that quarter only the forts of Rangana and Vishalgarh.

Sambhaji, Shivaji maharaj's son and successor to the throne. Shivaji maharaj met his brave son after
he escaped from the Camp of Diler Khan after executing his father political agenda to bring
Aurangzeb's successor over to the Maratha's. He escaped from here along with his wife on 13
December 1678 and attacked Bhupalgad. He returned to Panhala, however, on 4 December 1679 to
reconcile with his father just before his father's death on 4 April 1680. At the height of Shivaji's power
in 1678, Panhala housed 15,000 horses and 20,000 soldiers. The main darwaza was chaar darwaza

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Under the Kolhapur kings

Konkan Darwaja - Another entrance to the fort

Panhala after Shivaji’s death: When Shivaji died, Sambhaji was able to convince the garrison at
Panhala to join him in overthrowing his stepbrother Rajaram, thus becoming the Chhatrapati(king) of
the Maratha Empire. In 1689, when Sambhaji was imprisoned by Aurangzeb's general Takrib Khan at
Sangameshwar, the Mughals came to possess the fort. However, it was re-captured in 1692 by Kashi
Ranganath Sarpotdar under the guidance of Parshuram Pant Pratinidhi a Maratha garrison commander
of the fort of Vishalgad. In 1701 Panhala finally surrendered to Aurangzeb, who came for it in
person. On 28 April 1692 the Mughal Emperor famously received the English ambassador Sir
William Norris at Panhala fort. Norris spent "300 pounds in fruitless negotiation" with Aurangzeb but
the details of what was being discussed was not disclosed. Within a few months the fort was retaken
by the Maratha forces under Ramchandra Pant Amatya.

In 1693, Aurangzeb attacked it again. This led to another long siege in which Rajaram escaped
disguised as a beggar to Gingee Fort, leaving his 14-year-old wife Tarabai in Panhala. As Aurangzeb
pursued Rajaram, Tarabai would stay at Panhala for almost five years before meeting her husband
again. During this formative period of her life, Tarabai looked after the administration of the fort,
resolved disputes and gained the respect of the people. The time she spent at Panhala provided her
with experience in courtly matters and the support of her officers which would influence later events.

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Rajaram did send reinforcements from Gingee, and Panhala came into Maratha hands in October
1693.

Panhala as headquarters of Shivaji II : In 1700, Rajaram, died leaving behind a 12-year-old son—
Shivaji II—by his wife Tarabai. In 1705, Tarabai asserted her autonomy by founding an independent
dynasty in the name of her son Shivaji II and ruling it as regent with Panhala as her headquarters. In
Tarabai's war with Shahuji of Satara in 1708, Shahu took Panhala and Tarabai fled to Malvan in
Ratnagiri. Shortly after, in 1709, Tarabai again took Panhala, established a separate
state (Kolhapur). Rajaram by his second wife Rajasbai succeeded to the throne. He died without issue
in 1760. His widow Jijabai adopted the son of a Sahaji Bhonsle of Kanvat. Thus, Jijabai became the
acting regent during the time that her adopted son was a minor. She came to believe that to prevent
the fall of Panhala, the Mahakali shrine at the fort had to be ritually offered human blood for the
appeasement of Goddess Kali. She would periodically send out her soldiers at night to scour the
neighboring villages for victims. This practice would continue until her death in 1772. One of the
towers near where these sacrifices occurred is still called the Kali tower. There were reports of
Jijabai bestowing a plot of land to an oilman or Teli in return for the grant of his daughter-in-law to
be buried alive under one of the Panhala towers. A shrine to the Teli's daughter-in-law (Gangubai)
was subsequently erected and it is still a pilgrimage site for the people of the Teli community.

In 1782, the seat of the Kolhapur government was moved from Panhala to Kolhapur. In 1827,
under Shahaji I (1821–1837), Panhala and its neighboring fort Pavangad were given over to
the British Raj. In 1844, during the minority of Shivaji IV (1837–1860), Panhala and Pavangad were
taken by rebels who seized Colonel Ovans, the Resident of Satara, when he was on tour and
imprisoned him in Panhala. A British force under General Delamotte was sent against the rebels and
on 1 December 1844 breached the fort wall, took it by storm, and dismantled the
fortifications. Thereafter, a British garrison was always left to guard the fort. The administration of
the fort remained with Kolhapur until 1947.

The Fort is inspite of its earlier and humbler beginings, a true example of Bijapuri Architecture .Indo
Islamic architecture in Bijapur, a city in the state of Karnataka flourished under the Muslim rulers in the
medieval period. This city first experienced its Islamic architecture in the end of 13th century under
Allaudin Khilji and later under the Bahamani Empire in 1347. However, Bijapur was decked and dotted
with wonderful Indo Islamic architectures during reign of the Adil Shahi dynasty in the 15th to 17th
century.  Bijapur became the capital of the Adil Shahi dynasty when the Bahmani Muslim kingdom broke
up in 1482. This was the period of greatest Islamic architectural and artistic achievement. During the entire
regime, Adil Shahi rulers concentrated their energies almost exclusively on architecture and on the allied
arts. The Indo-Islamic architecture of Bijapur province is of a decidedly ambler order, and has few

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significant features. It took the form of palaces and civic buildings produced to the order of the various
rulers, often in a style of their own and also with the fusion of Islamic and Hindu culture.

Plan of the fort

It is one of the largest forts in the Deccan, with a perimeter of 14 km (9 mi) and 110 lookout posts. It
is 845 m (2,772 ft) above sea level. This fort is built on the Sahyadris, rising more than 400 m
(1,312 ft) above its surrounding plain. Numerous tunnels stretch out from underneath the fort, one of
which is almost 1 km long. Most of the architecture is of the Bijapuri style with the peacock motif of
the Bahmani Sultanate prominently visible on several structures. Some of the older bastions also have
the lotus motif of Bhoja II. There are several monuments at the fort which are considered notable by
the Archaeological Survey of India.

Andhar Bavai - the Hidden Well

Panhala fortifications (tatabandi)

Fortifications and bastions

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II.More than 7 km of fortifications (Tatabandi) define the approximately triangular zone of Panhala
fort. The walls are protected for long sections by steep escarpments, reinforced by a parapet with slit
holes. The remaining sections have 5–9 m (16–30 ft) high ramparts without a parapet, strengthened by

round bastions the most notable of which is Rajdindi. (See later section) The remaining sections have
5-9m high ramparts, strengthened by round bastions. Unfortunately, the East Gate called Char
Darawaja, through which the road passes on arrival at fort, was demolished by the British. The fort is
evidently built using the Bijapuri style of architecture, with peacock motifs while some parts have the
lotus motifs showcase the architectural styles of Bhoja.

Andhar Bavadi

Whenever an army besieged a fort, their first action was to poison the main water source of the fort.
To counter this, Adil Shah commissioned the building of the Andhar Bavadi (Hidden Well). This is a
three-storey structure with winding staircases that conceal the well which was the main water source
for Panhala fort. There are recesses in the wall so that soldiers can be permanently stationed. Several
hidden escape routes in the Andhar Bavai lead outside the fort. With its own water source, living
quarters and its own exit routes, likely this structure was designed like a fort within a fort with the
intention of making it an emergency shelter in case the main fort fell. [

Kalavanticha Mahal

Kalvanticha Mahal (The courtesan's palace)

The name of this building, which is also called Nayakini Sajja, literally means "Courtesans' Terrace
room". It stands on the east side of the fort close to the rampart. By 1886, it had become a complete

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wreck with only traces of ornamental work on the ceiling. This was used during the occupation of the
fort by the Bahmani Sultanate as a Rang Maha (residences for the ladies of the court .

Three Kothis

From ancient times grain has been stored in bulk. All forts had granaries or houses called Kothis .The
first granaries were located in places between other buildings. However beginning around 8500 BC,
they were moved inside houses, and by 7500 BC storage occurred in special rooms. The first
granaries measured 3 x 3 m on the outside and had suspended floors that protected the grain from
rodents and insects and provided air circulation. Historically, a silo was a pit for storing grain. It is
distinct from a granary, which is an above-ground structure.The Bijapuri designs favour having
granaries not only in Forts but also in Cities. In case of Panhala, these 3 Kothis enabled Shivaji to
withstand a 5-month siege by Siddhi Johar. In May 1660, to win back the fort from Shivaji, Adil Shah
II (1656–1672) of Bijapur sent his army under the command of Siddi Johar to lay siege to Panhala.
The siege continued for 5 months, at the end of which all provisions in the fort were exhausted and
Shivaji Maharaj was on the verge of being captured.

1. Ambarkhana

The Amberkhana, situated in the center of the fort, was the threshold grain storage place one of three
granaries built in the Bijapuri style of architecture. It consists of three buildings called the Ganga,
Yamuna and Saraswati Kothis. The Ganga kothi, which was the largest, had a capacity of 25,000
khandis[ (with one khandi being 650 lbs). It covers an area of 950 sq m and is 10.5 m high.
Rice, nachni and warai were the major provisions stored. Stairs on both sides lead the top of the
buildings. It has sixteen bays each with its own flat vault with a hole on top through which grain used
to be passed. The eastern entrance has a domed chamber with a balconey and plasterwork of the
Bijapuri style.

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The plasterwork inside Sajja Kothi

Wagh Darwaza, Panhala

2. Dharma Kothi

This was an additional granary next to the three granaries that constituted the Amberkhana. It was a
stone building 55 feet by 48 feet by 35 feet high. This has an entrance and a staircase that leads to the
terrace. Grain was distributed from here to the needy.

3. Sajja Kothi

Sajja Kothi is a one-storey structure built by Ibrahim Adil Shah in 1500 CE. It is also built in
the Bijapuri style. Sajja Kothi was constructed as a viewing pavilion looking over the valley below.
The domed upper chambers have faceted pendentives with the balconies hanging over the ramparts of
the fort. This is where Shivaji imprisoned his son, Sambhaji, when he threatened to defect to
Aurangzeb.

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Inner gate of Teen darwaza

Teen Darwaza

The Teen Darwaza was one of the three double gateways of the fort - the others being the Char
Darwaja and Wagh Darwaja. The Char Darwaza was destroyed when during the British siege. The
Teen Darwaja gate which is the main entrance to the fort is located north of the Andhar Bava on the
West side of the fort. It is a double gate with a court in between that has arcades. The outer gate has
an ornate chamber on top with decorated eaves. The inner gate from the court is highly decorated with
the lintel having finely carved motifs, including one of Ganesh. The latter has been placed by the
Marathas during their occupation of the fort. There are three Persian inscriptions—one on top and one
each on either side. All three declare that the gate "was built in the reign of Ibrahim Adil Shah I by
Malik Daud Aki son of Minister Ahmed" in 954 AH (1534 CE).

Wagh Darwaza

This was another entrance to the fort. It was designed to elude invaders such that they would get
trapped into a small courtyard and could then be easily neutralized. It has an elaborate Ganesh motif
at the entrance.

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Rajdindi bastion

The Rajdindi bastion was one of the hidden exits of the fort to be used in times of an emergency. It
was used by Shivaji to escape to Vishalgad during the Battle of Pavan Khind. Rajdindi is still intact.

Raj Dindi Used by Shiwaji for his escape from a siege

Temples and mausoleums

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 Sambhaji temple, Panhala fort

There are temples devoted to Sambhaji II, Someshwar and Ambabai in addition to the Mahakali
temple. The Ambabai temple is very old and it was here that Shivaji would make offerings before
embarking on major expeditions. The mausoleum of Jijabai lies opposite to that of her husband,
Sambhaji II. .Ramchandra Pant Amatya (who wrote Adnyapatra, a treatise on Maratha policy) was the
youngest minister in Shivaji's fort. He died at Panhala fort and a mausoleum was erected here for him
and his wife. The mausoleums were covered with rubble till 1941 and till 1999 had not undergone any
restoration work. Also a mausoleum to Moropant an 18th-century Marathi poet who wrote poetry in
the adjacent Parashar caves can be seen. A shrine to a Muslim saint Sadhoba is also present.

Green Valley of Panhala, an view from Jotiba Ghat Road

The palace of Tarabai, arguably the fort's most famous resident, is still intact. It is now used to house
a school, several government offices and a boys' hostel.The rest of the fort is in ruins though the
structures within the fort are frequented by tourists who visit Panhala town- a major hill station. It has
been declared as a protected monument by the government.

The palace of Tarabai

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 This fort has witnessed some historical skirmishes.

In 1659 Shivaji had recently defeated Bijapur general Afzal Khan and conquered the Panhalgad fort.
To avenge this defeated battle, Adil Shah II of Bijapur sent his uncle Siddi Johar to lay siege on
Panhala and capture Shivaji in 1660. This army was further strengthened when Afzal Khan’s son,
Fazal Khan, decided to join them to avenge his father’s death. So armed with 40,000 soldiers and
British cannons, Siddhi Johar laid siege to Panhalgad.
Shivaji and his soldiers knew they were outnumbered and stuck inside the fort. Though the
humongous granaries inside the fort helped Shivaji and his soldiers survive for five months, the risk
of capture was ever present. The vast army outside cut off all their supplies, which made it difficult
for the ruler and his soldiers to sustain themselves. But Shivaji refused to give up.
The Maratha ruler refused to bow down or surrender and hatched a plan to escape from Panhalgad to
Vishalgad instead. His main confidants in this elaborate plan were his commander-in-chief Baji
Prabhu Deshpande and his personal barber Shiva Kashid.
Shivaji knew he had to escape before the monsoons ended. The torrential rains did not deter Siddi
Johar’s army, who came prepared with waterproof tents but did mask all sound and movement. It
would be impossible to sneak out once the loud rains stopped.
The first step was to send an emissary to General Siddi Johar, asking for a meeting. Meanwhile,
Shivaji’s Chief of Intelligence, Bahirji Naik, mapped an alternative and lesser-known route out of the
fort.
A date for the meeting for soon settled. As anticipated, the chosen night was dark and rainy – thanks
to the monsoon. Now events from that night remain shrouded in mystery, and there was a great deal
of confusion.
The original plan seemed to be to distract the enemy forces with talks of a meeting long enough for
Shivaji to escape through a hidden route through some thick forests.
However, the plan quickly fell apart. Some of Johar’s soldiers spotted the palanquin and raised the
alarm. There was a brief fight, and the soldiers chased down the small party fleeing the fort, nabbed
Shivaji, and had him brought before General Siddi.
Now General Siddi had never seen Shivaji before. So he had the prisoner paraded before several
captured Maratha soldiers and others. They all agreed that this was indeed Shivaji.
All this verification took time but seemed to be heading in the right direction. But, as it turned out,
Siddi was right in having his doubts.
News soon reached him that a wholly different palanquin, accompanied by a strong force of 500
soldiers, was quickly making its way to Vishalgad. In their haste to capture ‘Shivaji’, the original
party had nabbed the first palanquin with a ‘Shivaji’ inside it and had not checked further.

Outraged, Siddi sent huge forces racing towards Vishalgad, and ordered the ‘imposter’ beheaded.

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This brave man, who gave his life so that Shivaji may live, was, in fact, the barber Shiva Kashid, who
bore a striking resemblance to the Maharaj. This similarity was noticed by commander-in-chief
Deshpande who first suggested the idea of using a body double as the last resort.
Knowing the fate of the man should he be caught, Shivaji was reluctant. But the barber bravely agreed
for the suicidal mission. So he was dressed up like the warrior king and taken along with Shivaji on
the secret route.
Worst feared happened,they were spotted and the false Shiva was left behind as bait for Siddi, even as
the real Shivaji raced to Vishalgad.
He was nearly there when the Siddi’s army, thousands strong, caught up with him. But Commander in
Chief Baji Prabhu Deshpande took personal charge of some 300-400 men at the Ghod Khind, a
narrow pass in the mountains before Vishalgarh. These few hundred fought bravely against Siddi
Johar’s army of thousands.Baji Prabhu fought until his last breath until he heard cannon fire from
Vishalgad, a signal that Shivaji had reached safely.Siddi would not have the prize he sought so
desperately.

By 1673, Shivaji would permanently occupy the Panhala fort. It housed 15,000 horses and 20,000
soldiers during Shivaji’s reign.A massive statue of Shiva Kashid and Baji Prabhu continues to grace
the visitors at the Panhala fort, to remind them of his courageous sacrifice. And Ghod Khind would be
renamed ‘Pavan Khind’ (sacred pass) to honour the sacrifice and courage of the Marathas who laid
down their lives there.

But it is extremely unfortunate that Shiva Kashid’s sacrifice doesn’t find much mention in history.
But that doesn’t take away from the ultimate sacrifice a common barber made, to save his king and
‘Swarajya’.

Lotus motif on Panhala of Raja Bhoj, who built the fort ….Peacock motif on Panhala fort of the Adil Shah Sultanis

In the last decade of Adil Shah’s power, when he fell sick, his wife Bariba is said to have ruled. After he
died in 1646, his adopted son Ali Adil Shah II came to power but there were internal struggles for

20
the reins of power. The dynasty's control thus weakened. Bijapur was greatly weakened after the defeat of
Afzal Khan and his 10,000 man Bijapur forces by the Maratha ruler Shivaji, who had attacked Bijapur
repeatedly and plundered it but later agreed to an armistice to consolidate his forces to capture Karnataka.
But after Shivaji died, the Mughal led by Aurangzeb finally annexed the kingdom after the Siege of
Bijapur in the year 1686 that eventually ended with the death of Sikandar Adil Shah the last of the Adil
Shahi's. Not only Bijapur but Panhala too fell feell into the hands of Aurangzeb.

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