Vardhangad Fort { वर्धनगड} (Khatav T; 17° 40' N, 74° 15' E; RS. Koregaon, 9 m. W; p. 1,686) lies on the Bhadle-Kundla spur of the Mahadev range at a point of it on the boundary between the Koregaon and Khatav Talukas, seven miles north-east of Koregaon and nine miles north-east of Satara.
History
The construction of the fort was undertaken in 1673 by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and was finished in 1674. It was used as an outpost guarding the east frontier of his newly acquired territory. In 1800, the fort, then in the hands of the Pratinidhi, was invested by Mahadji Shinde's force with 25,000 men. The Ramoshis in the south-west machi were attacked and killed the horse of Muzafarkhan one of Shinde's generals. The machis were then sacked and burnt. Further havoc was stopped by the influence of the Sarnobat Ghorpade's wife who was sister to the wife of Shinde. In 1805, the fort was attacked by Fattesingh Mane. The Killedar karkhanis resisted however in the later period Karkhanis and other officers were killed and Fattesingh took many horses in the neighbourhood. But was himself killed soon afterwards in a battle fought with Balvantrav Phadnis, the Mutalik of pratinidhi who was assisted by the troops of Chintamanrav Patwardhan. [Grant Duffs Marathas, Vol. II, 413.] In 1807, after the battle of Vasantgad, [Grant Duff's Marathas, Vol. II, 413.] Bapu Gokhale brought the Pant Pratinidhi to Cimanganv, a Koregaon village close to the north of the fort, and the fort was then surrendered to him. He administered it for five years till 1811 when the Peshva took charge of it. [Papers in possession of the fort Sabnis.] It appears to have surrendered in 1818.
Ways to reach
It is a round-topped hill rising about 900 feet above the plain below on the west or Koregaon side and about 700 feet on the east or Khatav side. The ascent to the fort is from a machi or hamlet at its foot on the Khatav side. This is easily reached from the Satara-Pandharpur road, which winds up the southern slope of the fort hill to a hill close to which on the north lies the fort hamlet. The way takes off from Maruti temple in Vardhangad village. The approach to the fort can be made also from the village Panchgani-vadi. Both ways are easy. The top of the fort can be reached within 15 to 20 minutes. There is also an approach from Cimangaon. As one climbs halfway, one meets with an image of Maruti. A legend about this Maruti is that he brings relief to the person who is bitten by a snake. The person is taken around the image after giving him a juice of Nimb leaves. The person becomes giddy and vomits the poison, according to the legend. Two large ponds attributed to the Musalmans lie about two hundred yards off to the south of the road. The path from the hamlet takes about half an hour to ascend with ease and goes diagonally up the south slope, till it reaches the middle of the south side where is the only gateway reached by a turn to the south-west. The gate is in good condition. The road via koregaon is the road in good condition. The route is shown in the link