Present day, the local police station has been functioning in the fort premises and thus it is easy to locate. We can see the bastion in front of the fort which is converted into an office by building a roof on it. Porches can be seen in the bastion to keep an eye outside and also to accommodate canons. The fort entrance remains hidden due to this bastion. Besides the entrance there is a 20 feet long fortification wall and another bastion adjoining it. Due to these two bastions, the fort entrance stands protected from direct attacks. After entering the fort there are stairs that go up the bastion and porches for gate keepers. The path to the right goes on the fort top. There is a temple here at the top and behind it is the fortified wall and the stretch of the river bank.
This river circumvents the fort. Moving ahead from the temple we come across two buildings of the police station and Pateshwar temple which is a renowned religious place. Every year on 17th July the villagers carry out a procession here and celebrate. There is a fortified wall opposite this temple. Head back to the police station and get down from the small door which is in the fort wall to the right. There are police residential quarters here. The entire fort can be visited in 10 minutes. Facing the fort entrance a path to the right leads us to a garden which can further go to the river bank. From this garden the fort hill and the fort wall which is hidden in trees can be seen.
Roze (Rede) Ghumat and Bail Ghumat (Dome):-
Reach the Vitthal temple in the market area. The road in front of the temple passes through a Muslim locality. To the end of this road there is a Mosque behind which there is a built in pond and the dome. Pirkhan who was the commander of Adilshah built this dome and the pond in the 16th century. The Roze Ghumat (Dome) is also known as “Yadgir Khijar”. There is a fortified wall with an arched entrance surrounding the dome. After entering there are stairs in front. This monument is approximately 30 feet high. After climbing the stairs we come across three arches of 10 feet high each. The storey above these arches has three arches which holds the dome but the access here is restricted due to growth of trees in it. Also this monument is becoming weak. If maintained properly, this monument can be a witness of a beautiful Muslim architecture. Another dome which is the Bail Ghumat has been now in complete ruins and has disappeared over time.
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| Ways To Reach : |
All private buses and state transport buses halt at Banda village which is an important town on the Mumbai-Goa highway. If coming by railway, alight at Sawantwadi on the Konkan railway route and take a S.T. bus. It takes about 15 minutes from Banda bus stand to reach the fort. to reach the Ghumat (dome) from the fort it takes 15 minutes by walk.
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| Accommodation Facility : |
| Available in Banda village |
| Food Facility : |
| Available in Banda village |
| Drinking Water Facility : |
| Not available |
| Best Season To Visit : |
| Through out the year. |
