Kothaligad (also called Kotligad/ Kothligad/Peth) is a small

fort A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...

(3100 ft) situated to the east of

Karjat Karjat (Pronunciation: əɾd͡zət̪ is a city administered under a Municipal Council in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. It forms a part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and is located approximately from both Mumbai and Pune ...

near Karjat-Murbad Road in the

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

. It is a famous trek in the Karjat area, because of its small height and easy climbing. It is also known as the ''Fort of Peth'' because of its vicinity to Peth village at its base. How to Reach - Nearest station is Karjat from there Karjat railway station - Karjat bus depot - catch bus for Ambivali village ( bus name - solangaon Or Jamrug) - reach the top Also private vehicle are also available (auto Or tum tum) with around 400-600 rupees

Features

There is a small

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...

and large

cave Caves or caverns are natural voids under the Earth's Planetary surface, surface. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. Exogene caves are smaller openings that extend a relatively short distance undergrou ...

at the base and a chimney like tunnel to the top of the fort. This pinnacle is carved from inside forming a staircase reaching the top. There is a tank of water (rock cut water cistern) at some distance from the cave and another one at the top of the fort. The stone is a single black expanse reaching till the Peth village standing on the fertile soil with abundant natural resources for water and farming.

History

The cave and the temple carvings date back to the 13th century. Not much is known about the history until the 18th century. In 1684 Aurangjeb sent Abdul Kadir and Alai Biradkar to capture this fort. After a small skirmish, the fort was captured by Abdul Kadir. Aurangjeb honoured Abdul Kadir and renamed this fort as Miftah-ul-Fateh (Key to success). Many attempts were made later to win this fort by the

Maratha Army The Maratha Army was the land-based armed forces of the Maratha Confederacy, which existed from the late 17th to the early 19th centuries in the Indian subcontinent. 17th century Shivaji, The great the founder of Maratha Kingdom, raised a small ...

, but they were not successful. In 1716, this cave was captured by the British. On 2 November 1817, it was recaptured by the Marathas under the leadership of Bapurao who was general of Bajirao

Peshwa The Peshwa was the second highest office in the Maratha Empire, next in rank and prestige only to that of the Chhatrapati. Initially serving as the appointed prime minister in the Maratha Kingdom, the office became hereditary when Shahu gave t ...

. The fort was recaptured by the British on 30 December 1817, by Captain Brooks. The British had the fort till 1862 as an outpost for vigilance on the surrounding valley and the hills all around it. The locals say that this is not actually a fort but a sort of lighthouse from where the directions were given to know the advancements of the enemy. In fact, it can be called a

watch tower A watchtower or guardtower (also spelt watch tower, guard tower) is a type of military/paramilitary or policiary tower used for guarding an area. Sometimes fortified, and armed with heavy weaponry, especially historically, the structures are b ...

to keep a vigil on the Mawal area in the greater province of the Maratha.

Image gallery

Image:Down the staircase.jpg, The steep steps of the chimney-like top of the fort are intact and are used by trekkers today. Image:Koltigad cannon.jpg, Cannons of Kothaligad fort Image:kothaligad.jpg, Kothaligad Image:Kotligad Carvings.jpg, Carvings on the walls of Kothaligad fort Image:Kotligad main entrance.jpg, Main Entrance, Kothaligad Fort Image:Caves Near the Kotaligad.JPG, Caves Near the Kothaligad Fort Image:Kotligad fort.jpg, The distinctive chimney-like feature of Kotligad fort Image:Kothaligad3.jpg, Sculpture on the Pillars

References

External links

*Click her

to see its photosphere of the peak of the Kothaligad fort. {{MarathaEmpire Buildings and structures of the Maratha Empire Forts in Raigad district 16th-century forts in India Caves of Maharashtra Tourist attractions in Pune district Rock-cut architecture of India Former populated places in India Hiking trails in India

Features

History

Image gallery

See also

References

External links