Information on Prabalgad Fort (Raigad, Maharashtra) - History & Architecture

Prabalgad Fort is a beautiful hill top fortress built by the Bhamani Kingdom. It is an ancient fort worth seeing. This place has many historic and cultural impacts on this region by many rulers who controlled these areas. It is located in Thakurwadi village, Panvel, Raighad District of Maharashtra State in India.

Prabalgad Fort Architecture

Prabalgad Fort is found to be a traditional India fort model. It is well placed at an altitude of 701 meters. This fort construction is laid over the planes between the Matheran, Prabal and Panvel plateaus. These are the vast plan lands found on this top of these hills. This fort is built of granite stones cut from the same hills. The bonding materials used here is the commonly used lime stone. It has got thick and strong walls, which are still not weathered off. These are well built with many bastions and have many turret places and square gaps left for look out purposes. On the inner part, there are many small and medium complexes found here. It does have watch towers on its top. This was the only bastion in that period and protected many lives here in the times of war. This fort is well maintained in the Maratha rule and the present stage of this fort is in good condition.

Prabalgad Fort History

Prabalgad Fort was known as the Muranjan Fort, Pradhangad Fort, Prabalmachi Fort and Kalavantin Durg. The name Kalavanti came after a self immolation of the women named Kalavathi here. This is an ancient practice known as Juhar, when their husbands got to war, their wife's commit suicide by self immolation if they were killed in the battle. The Maratha King Shivaji kept her name to honor here. He also relieved her mother and children's to a safer place. The Bhamani kingdom built this for to have a vigil over the Kalyan and the Panvel regions. These were belonged to the Maratha Empire and they both had many conflicts in the place. With the decline of the Bhamani kingdom the Mughal occupied this area and left Adil Sha to rule here, he belongs to the Bijapur Sultanate of the south. The great Maratha King Shivaji Maharaj won this region with a great battle with the Mughals and took over this fort in the year 1657 AD. But Shivaji left all those women's inside this fort when he found the governor's wife performed Juhar. With This battle the Kalyan and the Bhiwandi areas came under the Maratha Empire. Soon after the decline f the Maratha Kingdom and the advent of British rule made many Indian to revolt against the British. As such one of the first men who protested against the British was Umaji Naik Khomane. He is belied to occupy this palace and was residing here mostly as a hideout place from 1826 AD to 1832 AD. The British announced Rupiah 10,000 to get this revolt dead or alive and his on sister made him caught. He was later put to hang in Pune. Presently this is a protected monument and handled by the Maharashtra state government. The medium risk hill ranges and the low vegetations pull many trekkers and mountain climbers here. Its tourism department to plans it to make an adventure sports areas soon.

Prabalgad Fort Tourism Importance

Prabalgad Fort is an awesome fort to see. To get here once can have a very good trekking experience. This fort is classified as a middle grade fort for tourist. These hills have breath taking views of vertical heights. In the evening few glimpse lights of the happening Mumbai city can be seen from here. The entire surrounding of this fort is of picturesque scenes.