Karnala Fort - tourmet

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Sight Address : Karnala fort is a hill fort in Raigad district about 10 km from Panvel city. Edit

Detail InformationEdit

Karnala fort also called Funnel Hill is a hill fort in Raigad district about 10 km from Panvel city. Currently it is a protected place lying within the Karnala Bird Sanctuary. It was a fort of strategic importance as it overlooked the Bor pass which connected the Konkan coast to the interior of Maharashtra (Vidharba) and was the main trade route between these areas. Karnala fort actually consists of two forts one at a higher level and other lower. At the centre of the higher level is a 125 feet high basalt pillar. It is also called Pandu’s tower. This structure was used as watchtower when the fort was occupied however now it is in a ruined condition. The presence of bee hives also makes it difficult to climb and have resulted in at least one casualty in recent times. There is a water cistern which provides fresh water all year long. From the top the forts of Prabalgad and Rajmachi are clearly visible. The fort has two inscriptions one in Marathi and the other in Persian. The Marathi inscription which has no date is seen on the lower gate on the inner side. Its words are indecipherable. The Persian writing is on upper gate reads “Syed Nuruddin Muhammad Khan, Hijri, 1147 AH (1735 CE) and probably dates from the Mughal occupation of the fort. Currently the entire Karnala Fort lies in a dilapidated and ruined condition. It is under the ownership of the Government of India. The site is open to visitors and attracts several tourists from across the across the country.

Karnala Fort in Rainy Season

HistoryEdit

Karnala Fort was initially occupied by the Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri and Tughlaq dynasty. The region of Karnala served as the capital of the north Konkan districts of these respective empires. Later it was taken over by the Gujarat Sultanate. Eventually the fortress was occupied by the Nizam Shah of Ahmednagar in 1540. However, the structure was again conquered by the Gujarat sultans with the support of the Portuguese army under the command of Dom Francisco de Menenzes. It was then controlled by the Gujarat Sultanate but with Portuguese garrisons. The Nizam Shah became angered after losing the fortress and thus attacked it with 5,000 soldiers. The Gujarat Sultans gave the control of the fort to the Portuguese and escaped to Vasai. The army of Nizam Shah was defeated by the Portuguese forces and the Karnala Fort remained under the control of the Portuguese. But later Karnala Fort and Sangli Fort were handed over to the Nizam Shah for an annual payment. Karnala Fort, Monument of MaharashtraIn the year 1670, Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj of the Maratha Empire captured the fortress by defeating the Portuguese army. However, after the death of Shivaji in 1680, it was occupied by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Later in 1740, the structure was conquered by the Peshwas of Pune. In the year 1818, Karnala Fort was attacked and seized by the army of the British East India Company under the command of Colonel Prother.

Must SeeEdit

Popular

Visiting TimeEdit

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Best Season to VisitEdit

October to March

Best Time To VisitEdit

Morning, Afternoon, Evening.

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

1-2 Hours.

Ticket Required : No Edit

Individual National Adult Rs. : N.A.

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Individual Foreigner Adult Rs. : N.A.

Kids Rs. : N.A.

Still Photo Camera Rs. : N.A.

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Guide Required : No Edit

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Dress Code (If Any) : No Edit

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Restaurants NearbyAdd / Edit

Ekvira Restaurant ; Mumbai Goa Expressway, Panvel, India ; Ph/M – 919930098444 ; Food Serve – Indian Cuisines

How to ReachEdit

Taxi : Taxis are another way to get around town. They can be hired from nearby cities and used for local transport as well. Taxis charge around Rs 1500 per day. A/C taxis and SUV’s such as Toyota Qualis are also available.

BUS : State transport offer bus regular and frequent services from Mumbai and Pune to Raigad. Raigad is well connected to all neighboring cities by the public transport buses, including Kolhapur (250 km), Pune (102 km), Mumbai (187 km) and Mahabaleshwar (75 km). Public bus charge is less than Rs 4 per km.

Train : Vir Dasgaon railway station is the nearest railhead to Raigad. This station is connected to Mumbai and Pune with regular trains. Taxi services are available from Vir Dasgaon to Raigad.

Air : Mumbai Chatrapati Shivaji International airport, which is 187 km away from Raigad, is the nearest airport. All the major airlines have service from Mumbai to all major cities in India and many cities abroad including Singapore, Hong Kong, Colombo and gulf countries. Taxis are available from Mumbai to Raigad and costs about Rs 3,000.

Others : Auto Rickshaw : Autos are available extensively and these are a good option. They are quick and cheaper than taxis. Prices have to be negotiated as they may not be metered and there are no night fares.