Overview:
| Type: | Hill Fort |
| Location: | Situated to the east of Karjat near Karjat-Murbad Road, Maharashtra. |
| District: | Raigad |
Kothaligad is one of the famous treks 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. Unlike other hill forts, the pinnacle or the funnel is carved from the inside, forming a circular staircase that reaches the top. The superlative view from the top of the pinnacle combined with this unique and awe-inspiring engineering feat definitely deserves a visit.
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 send Abdul Kadir and AlaiBiradkar to capture this fort. After a small skirmish, the fort was captured by Abdul Kadir. Aurangjeb honored Abdul Kadir and renamed this fort as MiftahulFateh (Key to success). Many attempts were made later to win this fort by Maratha Army but, were not successful. In 1716, this cave was captured by the British. Then later on, on 2 November 1817, it was recaptured by the Marathas under the leadership of Bapurao who was general of Bajirao Peshwa. 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 to keep a vigil on the Mawal area in the greater province of the Maratha.
Places to Visit on Fort:
Prominent features of the fort are temple, and cave at the base and chimney like a tunnel to the top of the fort. Close to the lake, and chimney, there’s a water tank. Like the fort, equally beautiful is the trekking route to Kothaligad from Ambivali. To reach the hill, one needs to trek for approximately six kilometers from Ambivali village. The zig zag trails flanked by trees, bushes, and shrubs, makes it a perfect choice for the trekkers.
How to reach:
Kothaligad is accessible via a moderate 5.6 kilometre / 3 hour trek starting from the road head at Ambivali village. A dirt road connects Peth village to Ambivali and this makes Peth village accessible with a motorcycle or with a four wheel drive vehicle.
Related Video (Kothaligad Fort):
Best time to visit:
The fort can be visited any time of the year but monsoon months are the best time to visit Kothaligad.
