Kanchana Fort

Kanchane, Maharashtra, India

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Kanchana Fort (also spelled Kanchan or Kanchana–Manchana) is a hill fort in the Nashik district of Maharashtra, India, situated in the Ajantha–Saatmal mountain range near the village of Kanchane, and it is traditionally associated with the nearby “Kanchan Bari” (Kanchan Pass) where important battles took place.

The fort’s height is about 1,368 meters (4,490 feet), and it is often described as a moderate trek starting from Kanchane village, with a route that leads along a ridge offering views of surrounding peaks and valleys. The fort is historically significant for its role in the Maratha–Mughal conflicts of the late 17th century, particularly the Battle of Kanchan Bari of 17 October 1670, when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, returning after his second raid on Surat, was pursued by Mughal commanders Daud Khan and Ikhlas Khan.

The Marathas defeated the Mughals near Kanchan Pass, securing their loot and enabling Shivaji’s safe march through Nashik to Trimbak and then back to the Konkan region. Local tradition states that the Mughal commander Allahvardi Khan renamed the fort “Kanchan‑Manchan” because of its great value, and the fort once controlled trade and movement through the critical Kanchan Bari pass in the Ajantha–Saatmal range.