Ulysses 360 Degrees

Range: Pune
Height: 4600 ft
Grade: Morderate
Base Village: Velhe

Whenever Maratha history is recalled it is always the fort of Torna that is commemorated for being one of those forts captured by Shivaji Maharaj in his teenage. It has been rightly said by James Douglas "It was Shivaji's first conquest, the nucleus around which all the others clustered, making it virtually the cradle of the Marathi Empire, which shocked the throne of the great Moguls. It has been the scene of many bloody battles. If Sinhagad is Lion's does then Torna is Eagle's nest."
On the fort are found many trees of the type “Toran”, which may be the reason for the name of the fort. The fort is located in Pune district, 18.36 degrees Latitude & 73.37 degrees Longitude. The village at the base of the fort is called “Velhe”. To the south of Torna is the river of Velvandi & to the north is the Valley of Kanad River.

History :
Till now it wasn’t known that who built the fort. The caves & sculptures here indicate that the fort belongs to the period of “SHAIVA PANTH”, the followers of Lord Shiva. During 1470 to 1486 A.D., Malik Ahmed, a Bahmani ruler, captured this fort. Later Nizamshah ruled it. In the 1646, Shivaji Maharaj brought this fort under his control and named it “PRACHANDAGAD”. He was the one who built some new monuments here. After his daring escape from Agra, he came here & renovated the fort. Moguls took over the fort after Sambhaji Maharaj’s assassination. But Marathas regained control over the fort due to the efforts of Shankaraji Narayan Sachiv. In 1704 A.D., Aurangzeb captured the fort. He named it as “Futulgaib” or “The Divine Victory”. However, within 4 years Sarnobat Nagoji Kokate was able to re-establish Maratha control here. In the treaty of Purandar, Torna remained with Shivaji Maharaj. The important thing about the fort is that it is the only fort that Aurangzeb won by fighting a real war.

Fascinating Spots :

• Goddess Toranjai : It is a small temple where goddesses Somjai & Toranjai are worshipped. Ahead we can see the lakes called Toran & Mhasoba.
• Maal & Safeli bastions : On the west of Kothi Darwaaja are the bastion Maal, & the latter one is to the south of the former. Near Safeli is a construction called Lakadkhaana, where wood was stored. Here is the way to Kokan Darwaaja & to Budhla machi.
• Budhla machi : In Marathi "Budhla" means a vessel, & "Budhla" Machi looks like a vessel kept upside down. This diff is a breathtaking spot on the fort. From here, a cheek was kept on the western side of this fort.
• Bini Darwaaja : This is the main entrance to the fort from Velhe and is situated to the northwest of the fort. The bastion on the left side has collapsed. The path ahead leads to Kothi Darwaaja.
• Kothi Darwaaja : Ascending the steps carved in the rock, we enter the Kothi Darwaaja facing east. Here we come across some guardrooms. Way along the wall towards east takes us to the temple of goddess Toranjai.
• Hanuman bastion : This bastion is situated east of Kothi Darwaaja. Here we can see idol of Hanuman facing south & a flag post. Way ahead leads to the bastion Bhel. To proceed ahead a guide is required, the way being a bit difficult. Further eastwards we come to Zunjar machi.
• Konkan Darwaaja : Kokan Darwaaja still exhibits the constructional features that prevailed during 17th century. Here the fortification is the better condition. It lies on the way to Budhla Machi.
• Temple of goddess Mengai : This is the only place on the fort where one can stay. It has two doors & the roof is still in the need of repairs. Here the group "Pune Ventures" has put a map of Torna. In front of the temple is a Deepmala (a structure that supports oil lamps & is always found in every temple of Lord Shiva).
• Zunjar machi : It is situated on the western side & a wonderful spot to see. However, in the recent period, way here has been destroyed, & hence it cannot be reached easily.

Ways To Reach :
From the Village of Velhe :
Starting from Pune, preferably early in the morning is the best option. From Swargate Bus stand in Pune board any bus to the village of Velhe. The way to Torna starts from here and is quite straight. A walk of couple of hours leads to the "Bini Darwaaja", the main entrance to the fort.
From Rajgad to Torna :
The route starts from "Male Darwaaja" of Rajgad, descending along the left side of "Sanjeevni Machi" and proceeds through a few houses. It continues through the woods and is about 5-6 hours walk. The road ends in front of " Budhla Machi". Here one has to climb a small rock patch. A walk of 15-20 minutes eastwards leads to the temple of "Mengai Devi". This temple serves as an accommodation facility.

Accommodation :
Temple of Goddess Mengai.

Food :
One should arrange for food himself.

Drinking Water :
A tank named Bokad tank near Mengai Devi temple provides sufficient water in winter. In summer most of the resources dry up.
A small pond present near Kothi Darwaaja provides potable water.

Time To Reach :
2 hours from the base village.