This hike and the breathtaking Western Ghats are akin to a pilgrimage, where Nature and reverence are inseparable

300-400 steps and more than an hour! My foggy brain jumpstarted; this wasn’t going to be an easy climb. We were in Junnar for the Hindavi Swarajya Mahotsav, hosted by Maharashtra Tourism. Celebrating the 394^th birth anniversary of the great Maratha ruler, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the three-day cultural bonanza was a lavish affair with heritage trails, farm tours, ziplining and more.

People from all over Maharashtra poured in to felicitate the birth of the revered ruler, an epitome of freedom, cultural identity and good governance. He was an astute ruler who used his coastal forts for trading and defence, and is hailed as the ‘Father of Indian Navy’.

As an Indian, I should be accustomed to the magnitude of celebrations across the country. But I wasn’t. The fervour was contagious, though the tradition a learning experience. Given the diversity of the sub-continent, this is normal. Each region is like a new discovery, and the birthplace of the revered Maratha king was a whole new world.

Who was Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj?

Born in the Bhonsle Maratha clan, Shivaji Maharaj carved out an empire from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur. The government recognises his birthday as February 19, 1630, while some historians opine that he was born in April 1627. His birth anniversary is calculated as per the Hindu calendar annually, Tritiya tithi of Krishna paksha in Falgun.

His father, Shahaji Raje, was a general in the Deccan Sultanates and his mother, Jijabai, was his driving force. After winning his first fort, Torna, at the age of 16, he won two more the year after that. He was formally crowned as Chhatrapati or monarch at Raigad in 1674.

A fearless warrior, he was known for his disciplined military and well-structured administrative abilities. He innovated the guerrilla warfare technique, leveraging strategic factors like geography, speed, surprise with pinpoint attacks to defeat his powerful enemies. He built and revived strategically located land and coastal forts. He kept the Mughals and other European powers at bay in his lifetime, passing away due an illness in April 1680.

He was instrumental in reviving Hindu traditions, revamping court conventions by the use of Marathi and Sanskrit, as opposed to Persian. Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy rose to full force during the Indian Independence Movement in the early 1900s. Tolerant of all religions, he holds the status of a deity among the people of Maharashtra, as I saw them carrying idols and worshipping him daily.

Shivneri Fort

Built atop a hill in Junnar, this fort is shaped like a shivalinga. The roots of Junnar go deep in time, back to the Satavahan era of the 1^st century BC. This fort was on the ancient trading route between Desh and port city of Kalyan.

The city’s name, Shiv comes from the local deity Goddess Shivai, whose temple is located within the fort, and ‘neri’ means nagar or town in Marathi.

Beginning with the Yadava Dynasty, Shivneri was controlled in succession by Delhi Sultanate, Bahmani Sultanate, Ahmadnagar Sultanate, Maratha Empire, Mughal Empire, East India Company (1820–1858), the British (1858–1947), Dominion of India (1947–1950), until it became part of the state of Maharashtra in independent India.

Shivneri Fort came under the hold of Maratha chief Maloji Bhosale, Shivaji Maharaj’s grandfather, in 1595. Given the status of a noble by Bahadur Nizam Shah, the Ahmadnagar Sultan, Maloji got control of Shivneri and Chakan regions.

Born in this fort, Shivaji spent the first two years of his childhood here. He was named after Goddess Shivai, whom his mother worshipped during the pregnancy.

In 2021, Shivneri Fort was added to tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage sites as part of ‘Serial Nomination of Maratha Military Architecture in Maharashtra’.  

The fort, under the aegis of the Maharashtra Forest Department, turned out to be a moderate yet long hike (a little more strenuous than the climb to Karla Caves near Lonavla).

The Hike

Had I gone to Shivneri at any other time of the year, I would have missed the deep reverence of the Hindavi Swarajya Mahotsav, though I would have still enjoyed the rugged magnificence of the Sahyadris.

Maharashtra Tourism gave us the provision of touring the region with ‘Junnar Tourism Destination Management Company’. This company was founded in January 2024 by a group of 10 natives who are keen on offering unique absorbing experiences. We got to experience the fort-cave-temple trails, farm tours and adventure activities with the native founders.

The Shivneri Fort heritage trail was conducted by Siddharth Kasbe, a history graduate and a journalist with Sakaal, the popular Marathi newspaper in Maharashtra. Like us, he was in no hurry, leading us slowly through the major landmarks to give us a peek into the life and times of the grand Maratha Empire.

The important places of attraction were the Buddhist caves, Goddess Shivai Temple, Ambar Khana, two-storied birthplace, Badami Talao, mosque, two springs—Ganga and Yamuna, Kadelot Kada and a new temple housing the statues of Shivaji Maharaj and his mother, Jijabai.

There are seven doors that lead to the birthplace of Shivaji Maharaj. These seven doors are: Maha Darwaza, Parvangicha (permission) Darwaza, Hatti Darwaza, Peer Darwaza, Shipai (soldier) Darwaza, Phatak Darwaza, Kulambkat Darwaza. The doors are important, as they were the stop points for the invaders.

At each entrance, there are slit openings cut in stone walls above the door, used for pouring hot oil over the enemy. At Hathi Darwaza, there is a strategic double wall for a surprise attack. Behind each entrance door was a small place to rest in, known as devgarhi. The massive doors have iron spikes and I could imagine the pain they would bring to anyone who dared to go through forcibly.

Along the way, we stopped often to catch our breath and capture the beauty of the Western Ghats. The fort has been restored by Archaeological Survey of India and there are beautified viewpoints. We admired the flora, the flowering trees, the shrubs, the cacti. There are water coolers every few metres and toilets as well. I even saw a health camp in progress.

The Buddhist caves, near the Shivai temple, were a wonder, filled with a large stupa and an ancient inscription that talks about Yavana or Greek traders. Then, paying obeisance to the guarding shakti, we climbed on.

The sun was climbing higher; as it grew stronger, we grew weaker. Fortunately, there are trees along the passage and resting points.

We cooled off inside Ambar Khana, the grain storage room. The grains were apparently poured from the roof and taken out from the door that we entered through. The high walls and narrow openings kept it fresh. There were many tunnels and secret doors inside the fort that Maratha soldiers took full advantage of to defeat their enemies.

It would have been nicer to have spent more time looking for the birds that I saw on the signboards along the climb up. The region has rich biodiversity.

The high point of this festival was the torch that groups of young men carried in their hands. Many groups had come from all over Maharashtra with a torch, much like the one we see for the Olympics. As per tradition, they light the torch inside the emperor’s birthplace and run with this lit torch all the way home. It’s like a marathon; young boys on motorcycles accompany the torch bearer, cheering and chanting ‘Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji’ and ‘Har, Har Mahadev’. The warrior’s flames are embedded deep in their spirit.

A huge queue was at the entrance of the birthplace building, so we didn’t go in, but I believe there is a cradle and a picture of the ruler inside. The Badami Talao was also empty. We didn’t go to the Kadelot Kada as well, which is a precipice from where criminals and enemies were hurled down.

Standing on the flat hilltop, looking down on the land where everything seemed like a mere speck, and the vast sky above, it was almost like meeting the divine. The torches reminded me that spirit of the great warrior, who took his first breath here, was still watching over the land.

The walk down was quicker, but tiring for the knees. We came down in half the time and drank the much-needed glass of cool kokum sherbet before going back to the tent city for lunch.

Things to keep in mind while hiking inside Shivneri Fort

1.The climb needs moderate fitness levels, as the ground varies between flat and uneven. There were some narrow turns and steps too.
2. Wear comfortable clothes and strong shoes. Do wear a cap or scarf, sunshades and a sunscreen.
3. You can carry your water bottle and keep filling it along the way.
4. Do carry your picnic basket and cameras as well. Also, get your garbage paper bag, so you don’t leave any litter behind.
5. It would be best to go with a guide, as you can enjoy the historical trail along with nature.
6. Start early in the morning if you want to enjoy the beauty.
7. I was told the views are even better during the monsoon.
8. There is another way up also, called chain route. So, you hold on to iron chain and climb up steps carved in the rocks. Too adventurous for me, I prefer the normally used one through Maha Darwaza.
9. The fort is closed after sunset. There is no entry fee.
10. To enjoy your hike and this heritage trail, keep the day free.

How to reach Shivneri Fort

Shivneri Fort is around 100 km from Pune. It is easily accessible by road.

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Mads’ Cookhouse.