Harishchandragad

Diwanpada, Maharashtra, India

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Harishchandragad is a historic hill fort in the Akole taluka of Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra, India, rising about 1,422 meters above sea level in the eastern Satpura–Western Ghats region and famous as a popular trekking destination.

The site is closely linked with the nearby village of Diwanpada (often spelled Divanpada), which serves as one of the main base villages for trekkers heading up to the fort via routes such as the Taramati and Konkankada paths. Archaeological finds here include Microlithic remains, and the fort’s origins are traced to the 6th century under the Kalchuri dynasty, with several rock-cut caves and temples possibly carved in the 11th century.

Legends associate the place with sage Changdev, who meditated here in the 14th century, and the fort is mentioned in ancient texts such as the Matsya, Agni and Skanda Puranas. Administratively, Harishchandragad and Diwanpada fall under Ahmednagar (now often called Ahilyanagar) district, and the area is known for its dramatic cliffs, panoramic sunsets, natural caves, and ancient Shiva temples like Kedareshwar and the 11th-centuryharishchandreshwar temple carved from rock.