On the border between Ahmednagar and Beed districts lies a small village named Pimpala. It falls under Ashti Taluka of Beed district and is located about 25 km from Ashti via the Khuntephal route. From Ahmednagar city, the village is around 36 km away via Takli Kazi–Athwad–Nandur route. An alternate route via Narayan Doho–Ukkadgaon–Mandve covers 30 km, but due to poor road conditions, the first route is more convenient. One can also reach Pimpala via the Ahmednagar–Loni–Dhanora road. Although the village is not widely known, it caught my attention because of its surrounding fortifications and historic mansions (wada). Once a flourishing and prosperous village possibly located within the territory of the Ahmednagar Fort, today it lies lost in the pages of history. ... Owing to the presence of influential Maratha families like the Shinde and Pawar, the entire village was once surrounded by walls and bastions for protection. Over time, much of the fortification has deteriorated, and the expanding settlement has consumed what's left. As of today, the main entrance gate, two adjoining bastions, and a portion of the wall still remain. This west-facing gate, built between two bastions, stands across from a restored temple of Maruti (Hanuman). The arched gateway is still intact, with platforms on either side that once served as guards' posts. Upon entering through the gate, to the right, one sees a Samadhi platform built of dressed stone, featuring a carved Shiva Linga. Opposite this platform is a stone-built Peshwa-era Shiva temple, with a Nandi pavilion in front. Two hero stones (virgal) can be seen inside the temple. Additionally, there was a second eastern gate to the fort, but due to its dilapidated condition, it had to be demolished in recent years. The village contains old wada belonging to the Shinde and Pawar families, but as no one resides there anymore, they remain locked and unused. (Due to rain, I couldn’t photograph these wada.) It takes about an hour to explore the fort premises and historic wada.
© Suresh Nimbalkar