Harihar Fort located near Nashik city is very famous for its steep climb. Every year thousands of tourists visit Harihar Fort. The history of Harihar Fort is very special, it was built to watch the trade route. Many invaders attacked this fort and also tried to capture it. Before visiting here, you should know about Harihar Fort History. So that you can have an even better experience of Harihar Fort. People want to know about Harihar Fort and go inside it. So let’s know about the history of this amazing fort.
Harihar Fort History
Harihar Fort (Harshgad) is a hill fort near the city of Nashik, made of stone, bricks and alkali. Harihar Fort is located in the Trimbakeshwar mountain range of the Western Ghats.
Harihar Fort was built between the 9th and 14th centuries. This fort was built by the Seuna or Yadav dynasties during their rule. An important purpose of building this fort was to protect and keep an eye on the trade route passing through Gonda Ghat.
Soon after the construction of Harihar Fort, invaders started attacking it. Harihar Fort Nashik was captured by many invaders from time to time before it came under the control of the British Army.
Harihar Fort was one of the many forts that were under the ownership of the Ahmednagar Sultanate (or Nizam Shahi Sultanate). In the year 1636, Shahaji Bhosale surrendered the Harihar Fort along with Trimbak, Tringalwadi and some other forts in Pune to the Mughal general Khan Zaman.
Harihar Fort was one of the 17 forts which were captured by Captain Briggs of the British Army in the year 1818. At present, people are using this fort as a trekking site.
Harihar Fort Inside View
When you cross the first step of the stairs, you will reach an entrance which is also called a door. After the door, there is a very narrow path. You have to be very careful while crossing this path.
After this you will have to climb 100 steep stairs again to reach the top of the fort. In the middle of the fort you will find a raised thin plateau. There is a small temple of Lord Shiva and Lord Hanuman on that plateau.
In front of this temple, you will find a small pond with potable water. Apart from this, you can also see a small palace with two rooms inside this fort.
There are five ponds on one side of that palace, one of those five ponds has water suitable for drinking. A saffron flag is hoisted at the top of the fort i.e. the highest point.
Harihar Fort Accident
In September 2022, four tourists from Malegaon who had come to visit Harihar Fort lost their way. One morning, four tourists had come from Malegaon to visit Harihar Fort. After spending the whole day at the fort, in the evening they started descending from the fort.
When they came down the stairs, they lost their way in the forest. Then they contacted their parents, after which their parents sought help from the district administration.
It was almost night and a search operation was launched in the dark night of the jungle to find them. After finding them, they were brought from the jungle to the village.
Harihar Fort Trek
Trekkers find the trek to Harihar Fort very thrilling. Because stairs have been made by cutting the rocks to reach this fort. The trek to Harihar Fort starts from two villages Harshevadi and Nirgudpada (or Kotamwadi).
Another special thing about the structure of this fort is that when viewed from the village, it appears square in shape. While in reality, the fort is built on a triangular prism shaped rock.
The steep climb of Harihar Fort is the center of attraction for people. People come here from all over the country and abroad to visit this fort. There are about 200 stairs from bottom to top. And these stairs are inclined at 80 degrees.
After climbing up the stairs, a splendid view of the valley below is visible. At the same time, this view looks scary from such a great height.
Once you have climbed all the stairs, you have to keep moving ahead to reach the Hanuman temple located at the top. The climb to this fort can be termed as moderate and it will take you around two hours to reach the top of the fort from the bottom.
Harihar Fort Reviews
People who visit Harihar Fort praise the beauty and structure of this fort and its trek. We have written down the tourist experiences of some such people at Harihar Fort for you below:
#1 . Vinod said about his visit to this fort that, “It was his best trekking experience and other people should also visit this fort”.
#2 . Abhishek Bandre wrote, “This is an easy trek but be careful. There are some monuments and a hidden place which seems like the old route to Harihar fort. But going there can be risky. So go at your own risk”.
#3 . Soumyajit Shah writes about Harihar Fort, “It may be surrounded by obstacles but visiting here is like finding a gem. This historical fort is a must visit.”
Conclusion
The way to Harihar Fort is full of adventure. Many people go to see and roam here. And add a new experience to their life. The view here also looks different in different seasons.
Many people visit Harihar Fort during the monsoon season because the view of the valley below from the top of the fort during this season is not visible in any other season.
Due to the steep and long climb to the fort, it is an attraction for trekkers. In this article, you learned about the history of Harihar Fort, the accident related to it, people’s reviews about the fort and its trek.
If you have any question or curiosity related to this article or Harihar Fort, you can ask or tell us by commenting. And share this article as much as possible so that other people can also know about this thrilling fort and its trek.
Read More : Bhangarh Fort Story in Hindi: The wandering souls of the cursed fort
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Which is the nearest railway station to Harihar Fort?
There are two railway stations nearest to Harihar Fort, the nearest one is Nasik Railway Station which is about 56 km away from the fort. The other one is Kasara Railway Station which is about 60 km away from Harihar Fort.
What is the best time to visit Harihar Fort and do trekking?
October to February is a good time to visit Harihar Fort . If you want to go for sightseeing or trekking in monsoon, then June to August will be a good time for you.
What is the distance from Nashik to Harihar Fort?
The distance of Harihar Fort from Nashik is around 45 kilometers .
Who built the Harihar Fort?
Harihar Fort was built by the Yadava (Seuna) dynasty between the 9th and 14th centuries.
Which is the nearest airport to Harihar Fort?
The nearest airport to Harihar Fort is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport located in Mumbai. Which is approximately 175 kms away from Harihar Fort.
What is the height of Harihar Fort?
The height of Harihar Fort is approximately 1.12 kilometers (ie 3676 feet ).