Karnala Fort: Historic Hill Fort in Maharashtra's Sahyadri Range

Why in News ?

• Illegal deforestation near Karnala Fort in Maharashtra recently drew attention. 

Geographical Importance

• Karnala Fort is located in Raigad district, Maharashtra. 
• It lies within the Karnala Bird Sanctuary in the Sahyadri range. 
• The fort overlooks the historic Bor Pass trade route linking Konkan and inland Maharashtra. 

Historical Legacy

• The fort is believed to have been built during the Devagiri Yadava and Tughlaq periods. 
• It was successively controlled by the Gujarat Sultanate, Nizam Shahis, Portuguese, Marathas, Mughals and British. 
• It served as an important outpost under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. 

Architectural Features

• The fort comprises an upper and a lower fortification. 
• It contains a 125-foot basalt pillar called Pandu’s Tower. 
• A temple dedicated to Goddess Bhavani is situated at its base.