22685 Karnataka Sampark Kranti with 40236 KJM WDP-4D at its helm meets and greets the majestic Ankai and Tankai forts on its way towards Manmad :)
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Ankai and Tankai forts are located in Ankai, around 10 kms from Manmad town on the Ahmednagar-Manmad Road (SH-10).
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Ankai:...
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A series of steps lead to ancient Buddhist caves situated at the base of the Tankai fort. There are beautiful sculptures on the wall, carving on pillars and roof and a duplex cave with gallery. There is a a temple in the cave which is worth looking and a boon for photography enthusiasts. Regular steps leads to a number of fortified entrances, caves with some sculptures and finally to the top where a domed building is located. On the top one can see 5 caves, 7 water tanks, an arched enclosure at the end of the fort with a huge pond, Dargah etc. A huge cave below the summit is now an Ashram or a temple of Agatsya, the sage who is credited with the first crossing of Vindhya Mountains. The fortification walls and entrance are still in a good condition. From the top, one can have a spectacular view of surroundings, a pinnacle called Hadbi chi shendi, Gorakshnath, Tankai Fort and Chandvad range if weather is clear.
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Tankai
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After a first common entrance, the route forks into two directions. One goes to Fort Ankai and the other to Fort Tankai. Steps lead to the damaged entrance of Fort Tankai. Fort Tankai is a huge plateau with a lake and Mahadev Mandir, ruins of the construction and a bastion. , Ankai Fort, Hadbi chi Shendi (Gorakshnath Gadh / Thumbs Up Hill) and a large part of Godavari basin and Khandesh region are visible from the top.
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How to reach: One may catch a direct auto to the fort or take MSRTC buses upto a designated point and walk further. One may even come to Ankai by taking a passenger train from Manmad.