Mangalgad Explained

Mangalgad Fort/ Kangori Fort
Native Name:मंगळ गड / कांगोरी गड
Partof:Sahyadri Hill Range
Location:Raigad district, Maharashtra
Map Type:India Maharashtra#India
Map Size:300
Type:Hill fort
Coordinates:18.0515°N 73.5794°W
Materials:Stone
Height:2475 Ft.
Condition:Ruins
Ownership:Government of India
Open To Public:Yes
Controlledby: (1656-1689)
Moghul Empire(1689-1690)
(1690-1818)

(1947-)

Mangalgad, also known as Kangori, is a fort in Maharashtra near the village of Dudhanewadi.[1] Kangori, or Mangalgad Fort, is in the Mahad sub-division about 11miles east by south from Mahad town.

How to reach

The fort is built on the top of a steep and treeless spur of the Sahyadris, high, and is reached by a narrow and rugged path about two miles long. The fort is from east to west and from north to south. It takes about 2 hours trekking time to reach the fort from the base village Dudhanewadi.[2]

History

Mangalgad was built by Chandrarao More of Jawli. It was one of seven forts captured by Shivaji in 1648. It was the place of confinement of Chitursing the brother of the Raja of Satara, from 1812 till his death in 1818. In 1817 Cornets Hunter and Morrison, two English officers on the Madras establishment, on their way from Hyderabad to Poona with a small escort were caught at Uruli twenty miles east of Poona, and imprisoned here. Some time after, by Gokhla's orders, they were removed to Vasota in Satara, and, on the destruction of that fort in April 1817, they were restored to freedom. In 1818 Kangori was taken by Colonel Prother, after the fall of Raigad fort.

Places to see

The buildings and the gateway are in ruins but a part of the rampart remains. Within the rampart is a ruined temple and a rock-cut cistern, but no building of any size or interest. Mangalgad consists of a single temple, called Kangori Devi Temple, with cisterns at the top. The wada and prison are both in ruins.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Kola'ba and Janjira. Govt. Central Press. 1883. 11. 323. 2009-07-29.
  2. Web site: trekshitiz . Mangalgad . www.trekshitiz.com . trekshitiz . 29 April 2020.