Siddheshwar Temple, Solapur Fort & Naldurga

We took Siddheshwar express on 14th August, it left Thane at 23.15 hrs. & reached Solapur next morning by 6.45 am. Spent about an hour in a waiting room for finishing morning essentials. After breakfast took an auto (Rs. 5/- per seat) to Siddheshwar Temple. Chantings of ‘Om Namah Shivay’ welcomed us and I immediately became a part of large crowd of devotees. I don’t know why a person has to go in isolation for meditation when mass prayers can have such powerful effect on the mind and soul. I got out of devotional mood as we had a scheduled trek ahead. Due to very poor monsoon, the lake around the temple was considerably dry with few puddles here and there. Read more about Siddheshwar Temple here http://www.contentwriter.in/industry-resources/pilgrimage/siddheshwar-temple-solapur.htm

Next we visited Solapur Fort. This fort, a heritage site is managed and conserved by ASI. Very few monuments exist inside the fort. The fort is converted in a garden & traffic training centre. The fortification is massive and still intact. The Bastions are peculiar with a round platform on top and a semicircular wall around it. Few bastions are quite huge. Few beautifully designed galleries can be seen here similar to the ones in Galna Fort. The Fort has double fortification. 3 gates on the north eastern part of the fort protected by massive bastions are must see. A temple is being restored here. An hour is sufficient to see this fort. This fort is open from 9.00 am to 5 pm & Rs. 5/- per head is charged as entry fee. A separate fee for Movie Camera is also levied. Drinking water is available inside fort.

We hired a jeep (Rs. 1500/- to-fro) for going to Naldurga. Naldurga is approx. 45 kms from Solapur. Naldurga is the largest fort in Maharashtra spread over 126 acres having 114 bastions. At Naldurga we hired Mr. Sonavane from ASI to show us around & give historical information about the fort. His knowledge was pathetic, sometimes even leading to misinformation. Without getting historical information of the fort, it was like visiting a rock garden. Only relief was Pani Mahal. It is a palace built within a dam wall on Bori River. There are few Bastions peculiar to this fort – massive ‘Uplya Buruj’ has 77 steps and is on the highest part of the fort. It has 2 cannons (Hathi Tof & Magar Tof) atop it. Other bastion, square in shape can be seen from outside (Solapur – Hyderabad Highway). 500/700 meters ahead of this bastion is a bastion with 9 semi-circular walls referred to as Nau pakalyancha Buruj. A day is less to see the complete fort. I feel I have to visit it again with a historian. Mr. Sonavane charged combined entry fee of Rs. 125/- for our group & Rs. 25/- per head for his services as a guide (a total waste), both without a receipt. Potable water is not available on the fort. Mineral water can be purchased from Naldurga Village.

Date : 15 Aug 2009
Organisation : YHAI (Malad)
Team : Madhukar Dhuri (Leader), Ashwin, Ashok, Barve, Suryakant, Prarthana, Swati, Sanjay, Jr. Paranjpye, Anil, Potdar, Jr. Potdar & me.
Route : Thane – Pune – Solapur – Naldurga & Back
Train : Siddheshwar Express.
Food / Accommodation: 1. Hotel Ajanta (Potoba Thali) near Mechanic chowk has good snacks & meals. Thali is Rs. 40 (Lunch) & Rs. 60/- (Dinner). Has a lodging facility.
2. Hotel Sugran near Rly. Station also serves good snacks & meals. Mini Thali (Rs. 35/-) & Thali (Rs. 50/-). It is not recommended for its poor service. The hotel is too crowded & the management cannot take the pressure.