Mahuli Fort

Mahuli Fort is a historic hill fort located in Shahapur taluka of Thane district, Maharashtra, standing at an altitude of 2,815 feet as the highest point in the district. Situated within the Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary, it features ruins including caves, a stone arch known as Kalyan Darwaja, and an open Shiva temple. The site holds significant Maratha history involving Shahaji Raje and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and serves as a popular destination for trekking and rock climbing.

Visitors can expect a trek through forested trails leading to fort ruins featuring rock-cut caves, a broken stone archway, and an open Shiva temple with idols of Hanuman and Shivaji Maharaj. The summit offers panoramic views of surrounding pinnacles like Vazir and Vishnu, as well as the Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary landscape. Facilities are basic with limited food options on the trail, requiring visitors to carry their own water and supplies while navigating steep sections and iron ladders near the top.

Originally built during the Nizamshahi dynasty era around 1485, Mahuli Fort was occupied by Shahaji Raje in 1635-36. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj captured it from Mughals on January 8, 1658, lost it in 1661, and regained control through Moropant Pingle in June 1670 after the Treaty of Purandar. It remained under Maratha control until 1817 before passing to British administration.

The fort contains an active open-air Shiva temple revered by local villagers and trekkers. It represents an important site in Maratha military history and Swarajya expansion, with local families bearing surnames like Sonare tracing lineage to warriors who died defending the fort.