PLACES

TIPAGAD FORT.

Tipagad hills are situated about 95 miles (152.89 km.) north-east of Candrapur in Gadhciroli tahsil and only three miles (4.82 km.) from Murumganv, also a village in Gadhcholi tahsil, and forms the highest portion of a wild and mountainous region 2,000 feet (609.60 metres) above the sea. From Candrapur to Murumganv there is a good motorable road which passes through Gadhciroll. On the summit of this range, encircled by the chain upon chain of hills, all covered with the densest forest, stands far from human habitation, the old-fortress of Tipagad. Its massive ramparts of huge undressed stone, flanked by bastions and entered through a winding gateway are over two miles in circuit, and within is a tank or considerable size with stone embankment and steps along its water face. This reservoir never fails and is supposed to be of fabulous depth, forming the source of the Tipagadi river, which flows from its western bank, and becomes in the rains a roaring mountain torrent. This river later unites with the Khobragadi river. South of the tank, on lofty ground commanding the fortress and an immense expanse of country beyond, rises the inner fort or the citadel (bale killa), with lines of defence similar to those of the outer work, and having within it the remains of what was doubtless the dwelling of the lords of Tipagad. Herein there is a cellar similar to that of the Balapur fort. There is another, but much smaller, tank in the north-west corner of the fort. According to tradition the greatest of the lords of Tipagad was a Gond prince named Puram Raja, who had a bodyguard of 2,000 fighting men, and 5 elephants and 25 horses, and held the whole Wairagad country under his sway. It is said that Puram Raja was a feudatory of the Canda Gond King, Babaji Ballalsah, and when Puram conquered Wairagad for his overlord, it was made over to him by Babaji Ballalsah. But those were the days when princes only kept their own by doughty deeds in battle field, and as his fame for wealth waxed great, so his peers of Chattisgad swore more and more deeply to wrest the province from him. At length an invading army from Chattisgad entered his dominions, and Puram Raja advanced to check it. The contending forces met at Kotgul and from thence to Patan a distance of eight miles. The battle raged among the hills during the whole long day. Wherever the fight was the hottest, there rode Puram, striking to the earth all foes within sweep of his sword, and as evening drew on the Chattisgad troops began to fall back. But unfortunately one of Puram's embroidered sandals dropped unnoticed to the ground, and, as the battle rolled northwards, was picked up by a laggard in the Tipagad ranks. This man fled with it to Tipagad and, showing it to the Rani, told that the day was lost and her lord among the slain. The Ram shed no tears, but placing the sandal in her bosom, decked herself in all her braveries of gems and silken robes, then mounting her ox-chariot, she drove to the bank of the little lake. Here she halted for a moment and raising her right hand, filled with til seeds, to the heavens, thus prayed to Goddess Bhavani, who guards the fortress walls: 'Grant', dread, goddess, that none in days to come may rule thy fort who hath not piled this bank with our foemen's heads as many as, the til seeds in my hand, and thus saying she forced the oxen down the steep slope in her front and the waters closed above her loving head. In the meanwhile, the Chattisgad forces had been totally routed, and Puram Raja returned in triumph with roll of drum and cymbal's clash, but as he proudly rode through the arched gateway of his house he learned what woe to him a coward's tale had wrought. Passing onwards he drew bridle on the spot where his wife had breathed her last prayer to heaven, and there springing from the saddle, he plunged into the lake and was seen no more. From that day Tipagad became desolate and its kingdom passed away. Nearby the fort a small hamlet of that name has come up now.

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