Visit Nagardhan Fort: The Fort with the Underground Temple (2024)

Nagardhan fort is in Nagpur and is one of the most well-maintained forts. A visit to the Nagardhan fort tells us what the authorities can do if they want to maintain the Indian heritage. The Nagardhan fort is a must-visit to see the care taken by the authorities. It is in the heart of the city, and there is no trek involved. So, it becomes a part of fort tourism in Maharashtra because of its vicinity. If you are planning for a visit to Nagardhan, read this article. 

Historical Importance of Nagardhan Fort

Bakht Buland of the Gond dynasty built this fort in the early 18th century. Raghoji Bhosale of the Maratha Empire took the fort under his wings later.

Structures Inside the Nagardhan Fort

The Nagardhan Fort has some structures inside that will interest the tourists. Of main note is the main door, which still has its fortifications, that of embedded nails. Embedded nails indoors were classic fortifications back then, a common way of fending off horses or elephants ramming at the door.

Once you go inside, you will see a large square shape with a little remnant of the earlier structures. A unique structure here is the temple below the ground level, which is accessible through a small path that could have been a secret one back in the day. There is no reason why the Nagrardhan fort has a below-the-ground temple of the Goddess Durga. The temple has a well as well. This structure makes it an important part of the fort tourism of Maharashtra.

One unique aspect of Nagardhan fort is a contemporary coat of something red over the entire fort. It gives it a unique look but also takes away from the typical view of a fort that tourists might have.

All the walls of the Nagardhan fort have ramparts, but there are very few bastions. The Nagardhan fort also has a museum that gives you an idea of how the fort looked earlier.

Tourist Experience of Nagardhan Fort

This visit is one of the easiest journeys when it comes to fort tourism. There is no trek involved; the Nagardhan fort has well-built stairs taking the tourists to all the locations, except the temple – which is accessible through a small walkway. The upper walls of the Nagardhan fort have railings as well, ensuring the safety of tiny tots visiting the fort. The disappointing part of the visit is that we do not get to see any ruins.

Places Near Nagardhan Fort

Nagardhan Fort is in Nagpur, one of the most prominent cities in the Maharasthra area today. The drive to Nagardhan fort from Nagpur is about an hour. Since the Nagardhan Fort is a short visit, you can easily reserve your afternoon and evening for something else in the vicinity. Here is a list of places that you must visit in Nagpur.

Futala Lake:

Futala Lake is a popular tourist destination in Nagpur. The sunset is a beautiful view from this point. The best part about this lake is that it is also one of the few places for you the check out the local cuisine and street food.

Narrow Gauge Rail Museum

Don’t we love the Matheran train ride? Well, then we must head over to the Narrow-Gauge rail museum, which tells you all about the type of locomotives that are out of use but a part of Indian history. The museum also has several artifacts like railway lamps, telephone sets, etc. that the railways used back in the day.

Raman Science Centre

C V Raman was one of the most important figures in contemporary India’s science and mathematics race. There’s little information about him in the textbooks, so it makes sense to visit the Raman Science Centre to know more about the man and his vision for India.

Orange Orchard

We all know what Nagpur is famous for – oranges! You will see several orange orchards in the area, and you can always visit them. If you visit Nagpur during the orange season, maybe you can swig a crate of fresh oranges with you.

Centre of India

The Centre of India is a place of political and contemporary importance. Today, it has a structure that is a sandstone pillar with four horses. The British considered Nagpur as the center of India when they were dividing India into provinces, and this place to be the very center.

Ganesh Tekdi Temple

The Ganesh Tekdi temple has a unique Ganesh idol and is a must-visit if you plan to visit Nagpur anytime soon. Experts say that this temple is more than 500 years old – and the unique Ganesh temple makes it all so believable.

If you are up for something like a week off, you can visit the Tadoba Tiger Reserve, located 100 KM away from Nagpur. This Reserve is one of the few places in India that still has Tigers. Apart from this, the other place you might see a tiger is in the Borivali National Park, on the Shilondra Park, which connects Mumbai to Thane.

Apart from this, remember that you are in Nagpur city, one of the most happening and well-planned cities, so you have several options to shop, eat, and have a memorable experience. All you need to do is to put on your adventure cap on and be ready for new experiences. Nagpur has a vibrant nightlife as well and is a foodie’s dream.

How to Reach Nagardhan Fort?

Nagardhan fort is about 40 KM away from Nagpur. Nagpur is well connected and a commercial hub, some have dubbed it the second capital of the Maharashtra state, you can board a bus or a train tor each Nagpur from any of the major cities in India. If you plan to travel from Mumbai, you have a sixteen-hour road trip on your hands. A bus journey from Mumbai to Nagpur takes you a whole day. A bus journey from Pune to Nagpur will take you about 14 hours. You will see many State Transport buses as well as private buses plying on this route.