Vasota
Grade : Moderate
Region : Satara
Base village : Bamnoli
Landmark : Koyna Backwaters
Number of Routes : 1
Highest Altitude : 4267 Feet (1301m)
Trek Duration : 1 Hour Boat ride and 3 Hours Trek one way
Surrounding Peaks : Nageshwar
Ideal Season : November to February
Major Attarction :
Dense Jungle Trail, Babukada, Koyna Backwater Boat ride, Mahadev Temple, Bamnoli Lakeside Camping
Water Sources :
Before the start of the boat ride fill your water bottles
Special thing about structure/route :
A fascinating cliff named Babukada, shaped like the letter ‘U’ that reminds us of Konkan Kada of Harishchandragad. The mountain seen in front of Babukada is the Old Vasota. No way exists now that takes us to this fort. In addition there is an acute shortage of water. Also presence of wild animals in the area keeps the trekkers away from this fort.
History Info :
Ancient Name & Meaning (if any) :
Vasota, which according to the ‘Dnyaneshwari’ means a resting place. This fort is also known by the name of Vyaghragad.
Era :
We have to go back to the times of Sage Vasishtha to know how exactly old is the fort. It’s believed that a disciple of Vasishtha, a sage by the name Agasti, came to reside on a mountain on the banks of river Koyana. He named the mountain after his mentor. Later the mountain was fortified and converted into a military station. In the course of time, fort Vasishtha was pronounced as ‘Vasota’.
This fort is believed to belong to the Shilahar dynasty era, and probably named Vasota due to the name Vasantgad given to it during that era.
Brief War History :
According to ancient scriptures Shivaji Maharaj took Vasota after his successful raid on Javli region. But it is untrue. Shivaji Maharaj took Javli and other forts in the Konkan region but Vasota eluded him. When Shivaji Maharaj was trapped on Panhalgad he dispatched a battalion from his main army and won Vasota on June 6, 1660. Later in 1679, 26,000 rupees were found on the fort. Among the prisoners caught in 1661 in Rajapur, Faren and Samuel were kept imprisoned on the fort.
Later in 1706, Tai Telini brought the fort under her control. The very next year Peshwa Senapati Bapu Gokhale fought with her. After 8-10 months of intense battle, Bapu Nadkarni conquered the fort.
