• Name of the Fort:
• Panhale

• Difficulty Level:
• Medium

• Endurance Level:
• Medium

About Fort

• District:
• Sangali

• Height of the Fort:
• 2,772 ft

• How To Reach:
• Panhala is about 20 km from Kolhapur. There are continuous bus services from Kolhapur to Panhala, or also autorickshaw services are available. You can also reach Panhala from Sangli which is about 55 km from Panhala. MSRTC buses, private cars and autorickshaw services are available from Sangli to Panhala.

• Description:
• Panhala was traditionally considered the residence of Maharishi Parashara. The Karvir or Kolhapur Puran, a modern (1730) compilation, mentions Panhala as Pannagalay (home of serpents). In old inscriptions the name appears as Pranlak and Padmanal.These are supposed to be the caves where the sage Parashar lived. Moropant, an 18th-century Marathi poet, wrote most of his work in these caves.Moropant's Birthplace is panhala. These caves are mentioned in the Karvir Puraan as tirths (holy water).

• History:
• The history of Panhala is closely linked with the history of the Maratha empire, and with its founder, Shivaji. Panhala is the only fort where Shivaji spent more than 500 days, other than his childhood homes. It was Maratha State capital until 1782 and in 1827 it became part of the British Empire.