Another landmark of Panhala is the Ambarkhana or granaries. Built using ingenious architectural techniques, the granaries were completely sealed after they were built by Chhatrapati Shivaji’s craftsmen, and had a unique system for filling and emptying them. The grains were emptied in from holes in the ceiling of the buildings, and there was a small cubbyhole at the base of the building from which they flowed out when the stone block stopper for this hole was moved away. There are three of these granaries, and one has been left open for access by the Archaeological Survey of India.
One entrance to the fort-town has also been kept intact, despite the fact that the British (yes, they ruled here too) destroyed the main gate while storming the fort. The gate that still exists, Teen Darwaza, is a beautiful piece of stone-built history with authentic Persian carvings from the reign of Adil Shah I, and superimposed with latter-day Maratha influences.
This town is a treasure-trove for any history buff, and in case you’re wondering if I fall into that category, I assure you, I don’t. All the information you read here was procured through the services of a guide and a payment of Rs 200, and plenty of these can be found as soon as you enter the town limits. Panhala isn’t your quintessential weekend drive – no swimming pools and frolicking around, no modern shopping centres selling designer clothing, no continental spread from four corners of the globe. What you do get, though, is clean fresh hillside air, beautiful, lush landscapes everywhere you look, and delicious local Maratha cuisine. A bastion of rustic living steeped in tradition with history bursting out at you from every corner, Panhala makes for a welcome change from a typical weekend getaway. But you don’t have to take my word for it, visit it and see for yourself.
