When we mention Wardha district, what comes to mind is Mahatma Gandhi’s Sewagram. The history of Wardha district begins with this ashram, which has now gained popularity as a tourist destination. In the past, many forts—hill forts (Giridurg), ground forts (Bhuikot), and fortified mansions (gadhi)—existed in this district of Vidarbha. During our exploration of the forts in Wardha district, we came across a total of ten forts that survive in the form of ruins. Except for the seven forts mentioned in fort expert Pramod Mande’s book Gadkille Maharashtrache, references to these forts are found nowhere else. Even in today's digital age, there is no information available about them on the internet. I have attempted to share the information gathered during our visits to these forts on the website Durgbharari. ... Many of these gadhis have been completely destroyed, and what remain are lone surviving walls of fortifications, a bastion, or a gate—still standing as remnants fighting against time. The ignorance and indifference of the locals toward these structures is a key reason behind their degradation. The gadhi in the village of Allipur in the Hinganghat taluka is one such example. To visit this gadhi, one must first reach the city of Wardha. The distance from Wardha to Allipur via the Dhotra junction is about 30 kilometres, and buses are available from the Wardha bus stand. Since very few locals are aware of the fort, it is better to ask for directions to the Buddhist Vihara. The school located on a small elevation opposite the Vihara is actually the site of the Allipur gadhi. This school lies within the inner premises of the fort, and today, only one crumbling bastion remains. It is uncertain how long even that will survive. As the inner structures, walls, and bastions of the fort have been completely destroyed, understanding the layout of the structure is difficult, and even the locals are unable to provide any historical details. Viewing the lone ruined bastion takes only about five minutes. The village of Allipur was once under the control of the Nawab of Ellichpur, but the Bhonsle rulers of Nagpur later handed it over to the Chitnis family of Nagpur. The Chitnis family then built the gadhi at Allipur, but in later years, the structure was abandoned.
© Suresh Nimbalkar