Yashwantgad(Nate)

Explore Yashwantgad Fort! **Approach:** Spot the fortification wall & flag bastion from the road (Ambolgad to Nate village). A 4' wide, 6' deep trench guards the fort entrance—built to block direct attacks\! **Entrance Path:** Head to the plateau's edge (left). Enter the trench first, but check out the flag bastion before the main entrance\! First stop: Siddhapurush Temple (local deity). **Trench Details:** Look for a Lord Hanuman carving and a small lamp porch on the trench wall. Nearby: a semi-circle well. Water retrieval is easy\! Two pillars and a pulley are installed on the bastion, so you skip the trench entry. **The Fort Door:** Head back to the entrance. Find the door hidden between two bastions (arch is damaged). Note the two porches for the door keepers\! **Central Features:** A massive central bastion with steps offers views over the entire fort and outer areas—similar to bastions at land forts and the sea fort of Sindhudurg. Used for surveillance\! **Fort Layout:** Yashwantgad is split into two parts: one on the plateau and one extending to the creek. The creek area is currently inaccessible due to dense vegetation and mango orchards. **Near the Flag Bastion:** Two store rooms and a well. **Lower Fort Section:** Keep the flag bastion right, then descend to the lower part via a doorway. Look for the carvings of Lord Ganesh and Lotus flowers on the door\! **Plateau Wall:** Move right along the wall on the plateau (outer trench present). The wall ends at a bastion, then continues towards the creek. **Creek Access:** Due to dense forest, use the built steps to reach the creek area. Find a well here, and a path leads to the fortified creek wall. The location highlights the fort's strategic design\! **Current Status:** A house stands on the bastion at the edge (unoccupied). The house and fort premises belong to the **Patki family**. There is also a well in front of the house.