Torna: The first fort
The Torna Safarnama is a 13 km round trip across 7 stops, from Velhe up to Konkan Darwaja and back, part of the Sahyadri Forts Trail. See the whole trail.
Velhe
Velhe is the village at the foot of Torna, about 50 km from Pune. The fort sits above it on a long, high ridge of the Sahyadri.
Torna trek start
From here the path leaves the fields and starts up the shoulder of the hill. Torna was built, by most accounts, in the 13th century by followers of the Shaiva sect.
Menghai Devi temple
The temple of Menghai Devi, also called Tornaji, stands near the fort's entrance. In 1646 a sixteen-year-old Shivaji captured Torna, the first fort he took, and the story goes that treasure found during its repairs helped pay for building other forts.
Zunjar Machi
A machi is a fortified spur running out from the main fort. Torna has two: Zunjar Machi and Budhla Machi.
Torna summit
At 1,403 metres, Torna is the highest hill fort in Pune district. For a short time in the 18th century it was held by the Mughals, who renamed it Futulgaib; it came back to the Marathas through the Treaty of Purandar in 1776.
Konkan Darwaja
The Konkan Darwaja is named for the Konkan, the coastal region to the west. Torna's other gates include the Kothi and Bini Darwaja.
Back at Velhe
Back in Velhe, the ridge you walked is the skyline. It was the first fort of a kingdom, and now it is the first big climb in your passport.