Tulapur - Extraordinary Tale Of Bravery

Stories!
All of us have heard stories. Some real, some fictional. Stories of bravery, stories of valor, stories of morals, stories of dedication, stories of sacrifice. Since I was a kid, I heard one such story which stayed with me for years. It was a tale of extraordinary and immense bravery on the face of death. It was the story of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
A fine sunday morning we thought of visiting tulapur. Tulapur is situated on the banks of the confluence of three rivers. Having heard a lot about the place and the history it has seen compelled me to visit it. The place wasn't crowded on a sunday. It was nearly a hour long drive from pune about 32 kms. I had heard about the place and the history it has witnessed and was excited to experience it myself.
The entrance has a big gate with a statue of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj fighting a lion. There is also the beautiful Sangameshwar Temple and Samadhi of Kavi Kalash, the dear friend of Sambhaji Maharaj who accompanied him in the tough times. There is also a statue of Sambhaji Maharaj honoring his undefeated legacy on the battlefield. There is a bust of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj with the lines written by kavi kalash about his bravery. The place also boast of a serene and mesmerizing view of the confluence of three rivers - Bhima , Bhama and Indrayani. Near the confluence is a stone gate with information about the place and the sufferings Sambhaji Maharaj had to endure during his last days.
We bought a book about Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj from the local book seller and had lunch at a nearby restaurant. The place is unique in a sense that it mesmerizes you with the natural beauty of the confluence and the calmness of the temple. It fills you up with pride hearing about the bravery of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and also leaves you teary eyed hearing about the cruel sufferings he had to go through. Rather than just a trip it was a experience for me.
Jay Bhavani Jay Shivaji
Jay Sambhaji Maharaj