Korigad (also called Koraigad, Koarigad or Kumwarigad) is a hill fort located about south of Lonavla in

Pune district Pune district (Marathi pronunciation: uɳeː is the most populous district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The district's population was 9,429,408 in the 2011 census, making it the fourth most populous district amongst India's 640 district ...

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...

, India. Its date of construction is not known but likely predates 1500. It is about 923 m above sea level. The planned township of Aamby Valley is built over the fort's southern and eastern foothills. The closest village is Peth Shahpur, about north of the fort.

History

This fort was incorporated into his kingdom by the

Maratha The Marathi people ( Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed a ...

ruler

Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shivaji Bhonsale I (; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adilsh ...

along with the forts of Lohagad, Visapur, Tung and Tikona in 1657. On 11 March 1818, Colonel Prother tried to take over this fort but even after a prolonged siege could not make any headway. Finally on 14 March, by igniting the stored ammunition by means of a loose cannonball he succeeded and this fort went to the British. Korigad sometimes

Geography

The fort is located about above sea level, rising over higher than the neighboring valleys. To the east, there lie two artificial lakes part of the Aamby Valley project which later drain into the Mulshi reservoir. There are two lakes on the top of the fort.

Structures on the Fort

A temple to its patron goddess Koraidevi also exists along with several smaller temples dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva. The former has been recently renovated and has a 3-foot-high Deepmala(tower of lamps). The interesting part of the fort is that its wall is completely intact and one can walk along its entire perimeter(about 2 km). Its massive gate is also intact. Several ruins of older structures within the fort still exist. It has six cannons - the largest of which called the Laxmi Toph is located near the Korai Devi temple.''Timetotravel'', Korigad - How to go, places to visit, things to do, 2 October 2010
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How to reach

To reach Korigad you should have your own vehicle as there are very few transportation options available from Lonavla. Take the Aamby Valley road from Lonavla, keep driving till Peth Shahpur village. Parking is provided near the bus stop on the road. A 5-foot wide earthen road leads to the foot steps of the Korigad fort. It is an easy climb up to the fort. You can also hire cabs from Lonavala. The Aamby Valley buses from Lonavala bus station are also available. This fort can be visited in any time of the year. Even a night trek during summer gives nice experience. There are lot of camping sites on the fort. There are three temples on the fort which provide ample cover. The Korai Devi temple can accommodate 25 persons.

References

Korigad Trek info
{{Forts in Maharashtra Forts in Pune district Lonavala-Khandala Buildings and structures in Lonavala-Khandala