Chavand

Chavand is an ancient hill fortress situated about 16 km away from the city of Junnar in Maharashtra’s Pune District. Located in the Sahyadris, Chavand Fort lies at an elevation of about 3,399 feet above sea level. Chavand is one of five forts that form Maharashtra’s ‘Famous 5 Trek’. The other four forts belonging to the ‘Famous 5 Trek’ include Hadsar, Shivneri, Jivdhan and Naneghat.

After the dissolution of the Bahmani Empire, Chavand Fort was acquired by Malik Ahmad Nizam Shah I, the founder of the Nizam Shahi dynasty. In 1636, the fort was acquired by the Mughals after signing a treaty. During the rule of the Maratha Empire, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj renamed Chavand Fort as ‘Prasannagad’. In 1818, it was captured by the British.

Chavandwadi is the base village of Chavand Fort. The entire region surrounding Chavand Fort is home to a huge variety of flora and fauna. The trek to reach the top of the fort is moderately difficult and takes almost an hour to complete. The biggest attractions atop the fort are the ‘Sapatmatrika’ or Seven Cisterns, a few human-made caves and a temple dedicated to Chamunda Devi. The bird’s-eye views from the top of the fort are simply spectacular. On a clear day, you can easily spot the forts of Shivneri and Jivdhan, Manikdoh Dam and Kukadi River from Chavand Fort.