History of Korigad Fort Korigad Fort was occupied by the army of the British East India Company, under the command of Colonel Prother in March 1818. The British forces initially failed to capture the fortress and also were unable to defeat the Marathas even after a lengthy siege. Eventually the British army attacked the fort with cannons and destroyed a major part of the fortification. Thus the East India Company took charge of Korigad Fort and the region in 1818. Architecture of Korigad Fort Koraigad appears like a wall from Peth Shahpur. On the top of the fort is a huge plateau. The ramparts on this fort are around 1.5 kms in length. There are many caves, some cisterns and an idol of Lord Ganesha on the Peth Shahpur route to the Korigad Fort. After entering the Ganesh Darwaaja, there are some remnants of old buildings. The fort consists of 2 water reservoirs. There is also a temple in the premise which is devoted to Goddess Korai Devi. There is a "Deepmala" right in front of the temple. The idol of Korai Devi is around 4 feet high. There are two large ponds on this fort and ahead of them are two caves. Apart from this, there are several other temples that are dedicated to Lord Shiva, and Lord Vishnu. The idol of lord Vishnu is holding a Conch, Discus, Mace and Lotus flower. The walls and ramparts of Korigad Fort are still intact. The main entrance of the structure was huge and it is also intact. It consists of 6 cannons that were used to defend the structure from attacks of the rival forces. The biggest cannon is known as ‘Laxmi Toph’ which is placed near the temple of goddess Korai Devi. Present Condition of Korigad Fort Korigad Fort is in a ruined state at present. The site is open to all tourist and trekkers who visit the fortress throughout the year. Route to Korigad Korigad is located near Amby valley and the Tung fort. The locals at the Peth Shahpur village guide the tourists to reach the base of the fort. Personal vehicles are best as there are very few options of transport from Lonavala to the Korigad Fort. |