Every now and then I’ve heard that there is no gain without pain. The clouds showered and the mists blocked the view as I gasped and marched atop a hill and then saw a huge water body situated halfway through the hilltop of Pratapgad Fort. Less did I know that there’s more! Built as early as in the 1650s, Pratapgad fort is a three to four hour drive from Pune. Three to four hours, I say considering the rainy and misty weather conditions.
The Battle of Pratapgarh was fought between Shivaji and Afzal Khan of the Adilshahi on November 10, 1659. This is said to have initiated the establishment of the Maratha Empire. Shivaji, however, won the battle by killing Afzal Khan by using his famous weapon “tiger claws”. Also, Afzul Khan's head is said to be buried under the Afzal tower. The fort is often classified as upper fort and lower fort. The main portion of the fort including a temple of Mahadev consists of the upper fort while the other towers, bastions and Afzal Khan’s darga form the lower fort. The highest point of the fort is reached by climbing a few steep steps. After which one can get a breathtaking glimpse of the deep valley below. All that I could see on this particular day was mist though. But it sure was breathtaking too! Green algae and greener plant forms and white mist sure made me think that this is what myths call it heaven. Exaggeration if it sounds to be – words fall short to describe the beauty of this age old untapped (thankfully) wonder.
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