Kamalgad — "Lotus Fort", also known as Bhelanja — is a square-topped hill fort on a flat plateau roughly 8 km north-west of Panchgani, overlooking the Krishna valley toward Wai. It is one of the dozens of small Maratha hill forts that ring the Western Ghats, built or rebuilt under Shivaji in the 17th century and largely abandoned after the fall of the Maratha confederacy.
Today only a few outlines of walls, a water cistern and a small temple survive on the summit. The reason to come is the walk: a short, steep climb from the road near Vasole village, with sweeping views in all directions. Two hours' return from the trailhead, best done in winter or just after the monsoon. Combine with a stop at the Dhom Dam in the valley below.