Ratangad, Bhandardara, Maharashtra

           

District - Ahmednagar

State - Maharashtra

Distance from Bhandardara - 23 km

Best time to visit - 

• June to September ( Monsoon months )

• October to February ( Winter months ) 

Picture source - goibibo

Ratangad fort  

Ratan ( रत्न ) means Jewel in Hindi and Ratangad fort is aptly called the "Jewel of the Sahyadris".

Simultaneously, the fort is also named after Ratnabai Mandal,  one of the three sisters, the other two being Katrabai and Kalsubai.

There is a small temple in the fort dedicated to her.

The fort is 400 years old and is at an elevation of 4255 feet.

It was captured by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and is believed to be his most preferred fort for leisure.

Situated  in the Ajoba mountain range of the Sahyadris, it is surrounded on all sides by great mountains like Kalsubai, Alang, Katrabai, Ghanchakkar, Ajoba and Kulan.

The top of the fort  provides a panoramic view of Chor Darwaza, Tryambak Darwaza, Bhandardara dam and the neighboring ancient forts , Harishchandragad, Kulang, Mandangad, Patta and Alang. 

The fort has four gates, named Konkan, Ganesh, Trimbak and Hanuman with the sculptures of Lord Ganesh and Lord Hanuman on the main gate. The top of the fort has developed a hole, perhaps due to soil erosion. The hole is 10 feet in height and 60 feet in width. It appears like the eye of a needle and hence is called Nedhe in Marathi.

There are a number of functioning wells on the fort with some providing potable water.

A couple of caves on the eastern side are functional and used for the purpose of overnight stopover by the trekkers. 

picture source -ahmednagar.nic.in

 Ratangad trek - 

Trekking up to the 400 years old fort is one of the most popular tourist activities in Bhandardara.The trek's base starts from the village, Ratanwadi, just opposite of Amruteshwar temple.  The twisting trail is fairly medium challenging and leads through lush and dense forest paths that provide coolness even in the summer season. There are a couple of iron ladders  installed by the forest department to climb up the fort.

The trail provides an opportunity to gaze at the scenic beauty of the surrounding peaks, the Pravara river, the Bhandardara dam and the Ratanwadi village.

There are no waterfalls on the way up to the fort. Though the trail is marked for guidance it is still preferable to take along a local guide from the village.

As regards availability of food items, the villagers do put up small stalls on the weekends with the local fare of poha, instant noodles, tea etc. Lunch and dinner orders can also be placed in the village, though the fare will be fairly simple and traditional Maharashtrian. 

Harishchandragad, Bhandardara, Maharashtra

 

Location - Bhandardara

District - Ahmednagar

State - Maharashtra

Situated about 4665 feet above sea-level, this fort is believed to be built in the 6 th century.

There are quite a few caves that seem to have been carved in the 11 th century. They have idols of Lord Vishnu.

Many diverse constructions and structures  point to the existence of diverse cultures down the centuries.

 The  creator of the epic TatvaSaar, Rishi Changdev used to meditate in these caves in the 14th century.

Historically the fort was of much significance as it played a major part in guarding as well as controlling the surrounding region. 

Trekking up to the top of Harishchandragad is one of the most popular treks and trekkers have the option of multiple routes to choose from. Needless to say, the views along the way are absolutely mesmerizing.

Harishchandeshwar Mandir 

Built by Zanz belonging to the Shillar dynasty, this temple was built in the 6 th century. Its height is about 16 metres and it has been carved from a single rock.

It has entrances from all the four sides.

Dedicated to Lord Shiv, the temple has a typical North Indians architectural design.  There are many water tanks, one of which is the origin of the river Mangal Ganga.

Saptatirtha Pushkarni

To the east of the Harishchandreshwar temple is the lake, Sapta Tirtha Pushkarni.

There used to be temple-like constructions with Lord Vishnu idols. These have now been shifted to the caves near the Harischandeshwar temple.

Kedareshwar Cave

This cave is situated to the right of Harishchandreshwar temple and is filled with ice cold water with 5 feet Shivling submerged partly in it. The uniqueness of the cave is that water seeps in continuously from the walls. 

On top of the Shivling is a structure that was originally supported by 4 pillars.Now only the fourth pillar is intact and the local belief is that the world will end when the fourth pillar also crumbles.

The cave is not accessible in the monsoon months. 

Taramati peak ( तारामती माची )

Ranked as the sixth highest peak in the state of Maharashtra it gives an amazing view of the whole range of Nanhe ghat, Malshej ghat, Kalsubai and many forts near Murbad like Ghodishep, Kulang, Alang ,Napta twin peaks, Siddhagad.

Trekking up to the peak is truly an enjoyable and unforgettable experience.

Nageshwar Mandir 

An ancient temple very much well-known for its artistic carvings and sculptures  on the ceiling, the most prominent being that of a sleeping Lord Vishnu which is 1.5 metres in length.

Konkan Kada 

Kada means cliff in Marathi and this cliff faces the Konkan, hence its name,  Konkan Kada.

This western facing cliff provides a spectacular  view of Konkan and the surrounding regions. A couple of unique features of this cliff are The Circular rainbow and the vertical cloud burst .

The sunset from the cliff is also a not to  be missed sight due to its beauty. 

In conclusion, a trip to Harishchandragad is a unique and unforgettable experience.

Pictures - wikipedia

Forts of Maharashtra

 

To say that Maharashtra is a land of historical forts won't be wrong when one finds that there are about 360 forts in the State showcasing the history and rules prevalent since centuries ; the Rashtrakutas, the Chalukyas, the Bahamani, the Gonds, the Satvahanas, the Kadambas, the Afghans, the Siddis, the Sultanate Of Berar, Bijapur and Ahmednagar, the Portuguese and the British , and last but by no means the least, the mighty Marathas.

Nestled in the high mountains of the Sahyadris,  , by the winding western ghats,  in the deep forests full of wild beasts or the rough waves of the Arabian sea, they are a rich and important source of the life and times of the people and the rulers who built them; they provide us with much information of the culture, lifestyle,  the architecture and engineering used in the building of a particular fort,  the administration and the skill of the ruler , their foresightedness in the wars against the prevalent enemies by equipping the forts with survival measures for the population residing in them, their battle - readiness, their defence strategies and topographical superiority against the invading enemy armies. 

Each and every fort is unique in itself and a paradise to explore for a lover of history.

Following is a compilation of a few of them worth a visit in your trip to Maharashtra :- 

1. Akola

2. Andheri

3. Arnala

4. Ambolgad

5. Balapur

6. Belapur

7. Bitangad

8. Daulatabad

9. Ghangad

10. Ghodbunder

11. Gavilgad

12. Harishchandragad

13. Kolaba

14. Kandhar

15. Kalavantin Durg

16. Korigad

17. Kenjalgad

18. Lohagad

19. Mandangad

20. Malhargad

21. Murud - Janjira

22. Murud - Harnai

23. Pratapgarh

24. Panhala

25. Prabalgad

26. Purandar

27. Raigad

28. Rajgad

29. Rajmachi

30. Sindhudurg

31. Suvarnadurg

32. Sinhagad

33. Shivneri

34. Sewri

35. Shaniwarwada

36. Sarasgad

37. Sudhagad

38. Tikona

39. Tung

40. Torna

41. Vasota

42. Vasai

43. Vijaydurg

44. Yashwantgad

             

               Source - mapsofindia.com