Torna fort is one of the tallest forts in Maharashtra and was the first fort that Shivaji captured from the Mughals. He was just 16 years old at the time! After capturing the fort, Shivaji built more buildings and fortifications to make it stronger and more secure . It is 60 kms from Pune and buses can be taken from Pune to reach Velha village and then undertake the trekking to reach the fort.
This fort is believed to have been constructed by the Shaiva Panth, followers of the Hindu god Shiva, in the 13th century. A Menghai Devi temple, also referred to as the Tornaji temple, is situated near the entrance of the fort. In 1643, Shivaji Maharaj captured this fort at the age of sixteen, thus making it one of the first forts that would become one of the forts of the Maratha empire. Shivaji Maharaj renamed the fort ' 'Prachandagad' ' as Torna, and constructed several monuments and towers within it.
In the 18th century, the Mughal empire briefly gained control of this fort after assassination of Shivaji Maharaj's son Sambhaji. Aurangzeb, then Mughal emperor, renamed this fort Futulgaib in recognition of the difficult defense the Mughals had to overcome to capture this fort. It was restored to the Maratha confederacy by the Treaty of Purandar.
