Rasalgad is a fort in the

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 ...

state of India. It lies 15 km east of

Khed City Khed City is an Industrial park near Pune, India. With an area of over 4200 acres, Khed city is a joint venture between Kalyani Group, Kalyani group and MIDC (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation). History Khed City came into existen ...

. The fort has been developed as a tourist attraction. Its fortification is in good condition. The fort lied on the south end of a narrow spur which joins with Suamargad and

Mahipatgad Mahipatgad is a hill fort situated on the east of the Khed. It is one of the largest forts in Maharashtra, with an area of 120 acres. This fort is located 23.6 km from the Khed City. The Mahipatgad. Suamargad and Rasalgad are situated ...

in the north direction. In 2003 the fort was declared a protected monument by the department of archaeology, Maharashtra.

History

Very little history is known about this fort. This fort was in the captivity of the

Morè (clan) Morè is the name of a Maratha clan as well as a Mahar, Mahar clan from the state of Maharashtra. Members of the More Maratha clan as well as the Mahar clan use the clan name as their surname. The totem associated with the clan is a peacock. Memb ...

of Javli from whom

Shivaji Shivaji I (Shivaji Shahaji Bhonsale, ; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680) was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle dynasty. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the Sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the ...

Maharaj captured this fort. In 1818 British forces captured it from the

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 ...

Places to see

The fort has a rush of visitors on weekends. It is on a small triangular plateau of five acres, fortified on all sides. The two entrance gates are in good condition. There is a Veer Maruti idol near the first gate. There is a Zolayidevi temple on the fort with a stone

Deepmala Deep Jyoti Stambh or Deepa Stambha () is a unique piece of Hindu architectural structure, usually found in Hindu temples. As the name indicates, ''Deep'' means "Diya (light), diya" ("oil lamp"), ''Jyoti'' means "light," and ''stambha'' means "a co ...

and

Tulsi ''Ocimum tenuiflorum'', commonly known as holy basil, ''tulasi'' or ''tulsi'' (), is an aromatic perennial plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is widely cultivated throughout the Southeast Asian tropics. It is native to tropical and subtropical r ...

Vrindavan in the front.Rasalgad
There are two large rock cut water cisterns on the fort. There are 16 cannons on the fort. There is a storeroom in good condition. Chakdev and Parvatgad are seen from the Fort. Earlier, based on the above information, it was recorded that there were only 16 guns on the fort. The 17th cannon was half broken in front of the granary. Then on 23 January 2022, the Sahyadri Pratishthan took out the 18th cannon which was lying in the valley 400 feet east of the fort and placed it in front of the Zolai Devi temple on the fort. Then on 6 March 2022, the 19th cannon was found in a 150-foot valley below the Peer Buruja on the west side of the fort. This performance was done by Sahyadri Pratishthan Khed Vibhaga. cannon no.18 and 19 Information was provided to the state Archaeological Department.

How to reach

The village Rasalwadi is located on the foothill. It is well connected by road. It takes about 10 minutes to reach the fort from Rasalwadi. The temple on the fort is a favourite amongst the trekkers for night halt. The journey to the Suamargad-Mahipatgad trek begins from Rasalgad.

Gallery

File:Rasalgad.jpg, The main gate File:Rasalgad2.jpg, Zolayidevi temple with deepmal in front File:Rasalgad3.jpg, The store room File:Rasalgad4.jpg, The veer maruti idol File:Rasalgad5.jpg, Cannon on the fort File:Rasalgad6.jpg, Lime mortar mixer

References

{{MarathaEmpire Buildings and structures of the Maratha Empire Ratnagiri district Forts in Ratnagiri district 16th-century forts in India Caves of Maharashtra Tourist attractions in Pune district Former populated places in India

History

Places to see

How to reach

Gallery

See also

References