While travelling from Pune towards Takli Dhokeshwar via Nighoj, one comes across a small village named Pimpri Pathar. The reason for mentioning this otherwise quiet village is the presence of a small fort (Kot) here—one that is slowly vanishing with time. Located about 88 km from Pune via Shikrapur-Nighoj, Pimpri Pathar is situated 18 km from Parner, the taluka headquarters. Upon entering the village through its arched entrance (Kaman), the fort lies on the outskirts on the opposite end. As the locals refer to it as "Kot", that term should be used when asking for directions. This square-shaped fort is spread across roughly three-quarters of an acre, with a bastion (Buruj) at each of its four corners. ... The fort walls (tatbandi) are largely collapsed, and the remaining portions stand at a height of about 7–8 feet. These walls are made of rough, uneven stones and no binding material (like lime or mortar) seems to have been used in the construction. The entrance gate, which faces east, has completely collapsed and is now unrecognizable. Upon entering the fort, a well is visible on the right-hand side. Along the southern fort wall, remnants of some old structures (likely houses or internal buildings) can still be seen. The interior of the fort is currently being used for agriculture, due to which all other original structures have been erased. The entire fort can be explored within 15 minutes. Unfortunately, no historical information about this fort is known to the local villagers, and its origin and significance remain a mystery. For those exploring this region, Pimpri Pathar Fort can be visited along with nearby sites such as: • Kanhur Pathar Fortified Wada (Gadhi) • Takli Dhokeshwar • Nighoj natural pothole formations (Ranjankhalge)
© Suresh Nimbalkar