Parasgad Fort is a

ruin Ruins () are the remains of a civilization's architecture. The term refers to formerly intact structures that have fallen into a state of partial or total disrepair over time due to a variety of factors, such as lack of maintenance, deliberate ...

hill fort A hillfort is a type of fortification, fortified refuge or defended settlement located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typical of the late Bronze Age Europe, European Bronze Age and Iron Age Europe, Iron Age. So ...

in the

Belgaum Belgaum (Kannada ISO 15919, ISO: ''Bēḷagāma'', ), officially known as Belagavi (also Belgaon), is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka located near its northern western border in the Western Ghats. It is the administrative headquarters ...

district of

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

state,

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. magnificent fort of Parashghad, dating back to the 10th century and built by famous rulers of

Ratta dynasty Ratta was a minor dynasty who ruled over the Belagavi region of the Karnataka as a branch of Rashtrakutas. Savadatti (Saundatti), historically known as ''Sugandavarti'' was the capital of Ratta dynasty during 875-1250 CE period. Later their c ...

. Parasgad Fort is located about two kilometres south of

Saundatti Savadatti is one of the oldest towns in Belagavi district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a celebrated Hindu pilgrimage centre located 78 kilometres from Belagavi and 41 kilometres from Dharwad. Savadatti is also the name of t ...

village, and stands on the south-west edge of a range of hills immediately overlooking the black soil plain down below. The hill which measures about from north to south and about from east to west, is irregular, and a good deal is covered with prickly pear and brushwood. Its sides are rocky and almost perpendicular. A deep gorge runs through it. Atop the hill-fort is a small ruined shrine to the Hindu deity

Maruthi Maruthi Dasari, known mononymously as Maruthi, is an Indian film director, director, screenwriter, Film producer, producer who works primarily in Telugu cinema. He is known for directing low budget films like ''Ee Rojullo'' and ''Bus Stop (201 ...

. The fort itself is uninhabited, and the remains of old houses are located in it. A descent of several hundred steps leads to Yadravi village. This passes by a natural spring with a water tank measuring thirty by six metres called the ''Ramatheertha'', and a cave housing statues of Hindu deities and mythological figures including

Jamadagni Jamadagni () is a sage in Hindu literature. He is regarded in Hindu tradition to be one of the Saptarishi (Seven Vedic sages) in the 7th, and the current age of Manvantara.Avalon, Arthur ( Sir John Woodroffe) (1913, reprint 1972) (tr.) ''Ta ...

Parashurama Parashurama (), also referred to as Rama Jamadagnya, Rama Bhargava and Virarama, is the sixth avatar among the Dashavatara of the preserver god Vishnu in Hinduism. Hindu tradition holds him to be the destroyer of the evil on Earth. According t ...

Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...

, and

Sita Sita (; ), also known as Siya, Jānaki and Maithili, is a Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. Sita is the consort of Rama, the avatar of god Vishnu, and is regarded as an avatar of goddess Lakshmi. She is t ...

, a

Shivalinga A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Upanishads and epic literature, wher ...

with a

Nandi Nandi may refer to: People * Nandy (surname), Indian surname * Nandi (mother of Shaka) (1760–1827), daughter of Bhebe of the Langeni tribe * Onandi Lowe (born 1974), Jamaican footballer nicknamed Nandi * Nandi Bushell (born 2010), South Afr ...

. The village of Yadravi is referred to as "Elarame" in an inscription found on a platform near the Bharamappa temple of the village. The inscription is dated Shaka 901 in the

Hindu calendar The Hindu calendar, also called Panchangam, Panchanga (), is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes ...

More images of the fort

Image:Parasgad_Fort_5.jpg, Parasgad Fort,

, Karnataka Image:Parasgad_Fort_2.jpg, Parasgad Fort,

, Karnataka Image:Parasgad_Fort_1.jpg, Parasgad Fort,

, Karnataka

External links

Parasgad Fort
– tourist information at the Karnataka government portal Forts in Belagavi district {{Saundatti-geo-stub

More images of the fort

See also

External links