The highest fort in Maharashtra (and second highest peak). It is immortalized by the 1672 Battle of Salher, the first major open-field Maratha victory over the Mughals.
History
Shivaji captured Salher in 1671. Enraged, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb dispatched a massive army led by Ikhlas Khan and Bahlol Khan to retake it.
In 1672, Maratha commanders Moropant Pingle and Prataprao Gujar launched a massive coordinated attack. The battlefield ran red in one of the fiercest combats of the era.
The Marathas completely annihilated the Mughal forces. However, it came at the cost of the brave Maratha hero Suryaji Kakade, who achieved martyrdom.
Highlights
- Parashuram Temple at the summit
- Ancient Caves and Water Cisterns
- Suryaji Kakade Memorial
- Cloud-piercing cliffs
Related to This Fort
Full History & Details
Salher is a place located near Salher Village in Satana tehsil in Nashik district of Maharashtra, India. The old name of Salher was Gavalgarh. It is the site of the highest fort in the Sahyadri mountains and the second highest peak at 1,567 metres (5,141 ft) after Kalsubai in Maharashtra and 32nd highest peak in Western Ghats. This was a fort of the Maratha Empire. The money acquired after raiding Surat was brought to this fort first on its way to the Maratha capital forts.
History
Salher Fort was under Shrimant Sardar Suryajirao Kakade in 1671. The Mughals attacked the fort in 1672. Almost one lakh soldiers fought in this war. Many soldiers died in this battle but finally Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj sent Suryajirao Kakade who won the Battle of Salher. Of all the face to face battles between the Mughals and Suryajirao Kakade's troops, the battle of Salher takes first place. After winning Salher, the Marathas also captured Mulher and established their reign over the Baglan region. In the 18th century, the Peshwas occupied this fort and later by the British.
The Marathas defeated the Mughals at the Battle of Salher in 1672 in an open battlefield, on a plain.
Gallery
- Gate
- Rock cut steps
- Gangasagar Lake
- Shree Parshuram Maharaj Temple
- Rock cut walk ways
- Rockcut water cistern
- Ganga and Yamuna water tanks (View 1)
- Ganga and Yamuna water tanks (View 2)
- Ganga and Yamuna water tanks (View 3)
Compiled by: ShivJayanti Editorial Team · Cross-referenced with: Sabhasad Bakhar, Shivaji: His Life and Times
Source: Wikipedia (English) · मराठी · CC BY-SA