Vitandgad Fort of Maharasta
Tikona also known as Vitandgad is the hill fort in Maval in Kamshet around 60 km from Pune, behind the Lohgad and Visapur fort.
Borghat caves on Carla, Bedssey, Bhandara and Shelarwadi have forts for the protection of caves in area of Lohgad, Visapur, Tikona and Tung.
Many Ghatvata connecting ancient – Bandarana Ghatmatha is in this area, hence these squares have been created to keep a check in areas build for Buddhist Hinayana practices. Hence, forts were build on this region from 800 CE. – 1000 CE.
About 1585 C.E. Sardar Malik Ahmed won this fort and joined the Nizamshahi fort. In 1657, Shivaji Maharaj brought Konkan which was erstwhile controlled by Nizam, when he besieged Tikona along with Karnala, Lohgad, Mahuli, Tala with Songad Visapur. This fort was kept for observation on the wind towers.
In 1660, Dhamale family, who were Deshmukhs were given the charge of Tikona Fort. Jaysingh invaded the region in 1665 and attacked villages whereas the forts held out. Tikona Fort was surrendered to a Mughal warrior Kubadkhan, who had attacked the region together with Halal Khan, as written on the Treaty of Purandar which was signed on June 1665. Kubad Khan took over the fort on June, later it was recaptured under Maratha.
In 1682, King Sambhaji met Aurangzeb’s son, who was offered to stay on Tikona fort. However, he was shifted to Jaitapur as the climate there didn’t suit him. The 1818 Anglo – Maratha wars shifted control of Tikona fort from Maratha to the Britishers.