• Name of the Fort:
• Machnur

• Difficulty Level:
• Easy

• Endurance Level:
• Easy

About Fort

• Height of the Fort:

• Base Village:
• Machnur

• District:
• Solapur

• Region:

• Route:
• Machnur village is 43 kms from Solapur and 21 kms from Pandharpur on Solapur – Pandharpur road, while its 12 kms from Mangalvedhe. The road in the village which takes us to the temple complex first further leads to the fort where the road ends.

• Distance from Pune:
• 50 Km

• Description:
• This fort is in Machnur village which is well known by its Siddheshwar temple on the banks of Bhima river.
  Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had been facing the wrath of the Marathas for quite a long time. It was because of this he built this fort with the main aim of protection from enemies. This fort which was built in 1615 AD had stationed a huge battalion of the Mughal force. Aurangzeb had hosted his court matters in this very fort. There is a local tale linked to the naming of this fort. After capturing the village and nearby areas, Aurangzeb ordered his men to destroy the Shiv Linga but none of them succeeded due to a heavy attack of bees. Furious Aurangzeb later sent beef covered in a cloth as an offering to the Shiv linga as a measure of insult and disrespect. When the cloth was removed the beef turned into white flowers. That’s why it became Maas-Noor and later Machnur. Deeply ashamed by this act Aurangzeb started annually two donations of Rs.400 and Rs.6. Even today the Government of Maharashtra gives an annual donation of Rs.480 to the temple.