Panhala Fort
| Panhala fort | |
|---|---|
| Panhala Maharashtra | |
Inner gate of Teen darwaza of Panhala fort, c. 1894 | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Hill fort |
| Owner | Government of India |
| Controlled by | Shilahara, Yadavas, Bijapur, Marathas, Mughals, East India Company |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Location | |
Shown within Maharashtra | |
| Coordinates | 16°48′32″N 74°06′33″E / 16.80889°N 74.10917°E |
| Height | 845 m (2,772 ft) ASL |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1178–1209 (construction) 1489–1557 (expansion) |
| Built by | Bhoja II, Ibrahim Adil Shah I |
| In use | 1178–1947 |
| Materials | Stone, Lead |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Pavan Khind |
| Garrison information | |
| Past commanders | Bhoja II, Ibrahim Adil Shah I, Shivaji I, Aurangzeb, Tarabai |
| Occupants | Sambhaji I, Ramchandra Pant Amatya |
Panhala fort (also known as Panhalgad and Panhalla (literally "the home of serpents")), is located in Panhala, 20 kilometres northwest of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, India. It is strategically located looking over a pass in the Sahyadri mountain range which was a major trade route from Bijapur in the interior of Maharashtra to the coastal areas. Due to its strategic location, it was the centre of several skirmishes in the Deccan involving the Marathas, the Mughals and the British the grand son's of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj East India Company, the most notable being the Battle of Pavan Khind. Here, the queen regent of Kolhapur, Tarabai Ranisaheb, spent her formative years. Several parts of the fort and the structures within are still intact. It is also called as the 'Fort of Snakes' as it is zigzagged in shape.