Rajeev, Sandesh, Soumya and Adarash visited Ratangad on 30-May-2009. We went by car upto Ratanwadi. We stayed at night in Ratanwadi in a temple.

1. रतनगड
Elevation 4300 Feet above MSL
Ratanwadi,
Location
Bhandardara
Ratangad – The Jewel Fort Range Western Ghats
167 km from Thane
(Date of visit: 30‐May‐2009) Distance
Toll Naka (5‐1/2 hrs)

2. Ratangad(Marathi: रतनगड) is a fort in Ratan Wadi, Maharashtra, India, overlooking the
picturesque locale of Bhandardara, one of the oldest artificial catchment area. The fort is
picturesque locale of Bhandardara one of the oldest artificial catchment area The fort is
about 400 years old.
Ratangad has a natural rock peak with a cavity in it at the top which is called 'Nedhe' or
'Eye of the Needle'; formed by natural erosion, it is big enough to accommodate a group
of ten people and the view of the entire region from here is absolutely amazing.
Ratangad was captured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosle and was one of his favorites.
Ratangad was captured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosle and was one of his favorites
The base village Ratanwadi has a beautiful Amruteshwar temple which is famous for its
carvings. The fort is origin for the river Pravara / Amrutvahini . The Bhandardara dam is
built on this river.
The main attraction at Ratanwadi, one can take in the beauty of the Amruteshwar
Th i tt ti tR t di t k i th b t f th A t h
temple dating back to the Hemadpant Era Roughly from the 8th Century.

3. Gangapur
Surya
Upper Vaitarna
Ghoti Bhojapur
Vaitarna
Devthan
Shendi
Tansa
Bhandardara
Bhatsa
Pimpalgaon
Manikdoh
Yadgaon
Thane Barvi
Dimbhe

4. The new bypass at Kasara Ghat meant for
smaller vehicles avoids heavy traffic and
one can cross the 9km Ghat in 10 min

5. Passing
through the
Saturday
market at Ghoti

6. Shendi
(Bhandardara)
Boat Route from
Shendi
Walk
Tar Roa
Ratanwadi
Walk to foothill of
RATANGAD
RATANGAD

7. Road from Ghoti to Bhandardara
Road from Ghoti to Bhandardara

8. Ratangad as seen from MTDC
Resort at Bhandardara
Resort at Bhandardara
MTDC Resort at Bhandardara
One can take a boat
One can take a boat
from here for
Ratanwadi

9. The Bhandardara Dam

10. Pravara flowing downstream of
Bhandardara Dam. There is a beautiful
large Randha Waterfall few km away
large Randha Waterfall few km away

11. Ratangad as seen from spill‐way
gates of the Bhandardara Dam
Spill way gates of the
Bhandardara dam

14. Mutkhel
village

15. Water supplied by Tankers to Mutkhel village

16. Villagers close by waiting
patiently for their turn.

17. Ratanwadi
Hanuman Mandir
Hanuman Mandir Well
(night stay)
Amruteshwar
A t h
Mandir School
Sarpanch s house
Sarpanch’s house
(food)
Pushkarni
Pravara River
1 of 7 padas of
1 of 7 padas of
Ratanwadi

18. Harishchandreshwar Mandir
on Harishchandragad
Amruteshwar temple, Ratangad built in
the Hemadpanthi style

21. Adarsh with
a village boy
a village boy

22. There is only one ST. It starts at 5
PM from Rajur., stays overnight at
Ratanwadi and leaves at 630 AM.

23. Ratanwadi Sarpanch, Mr. Zade
Phone: 95 2424 320016
Phone: 95‐2424‐320016

24. Dinner at Mr. Zade’s residence

25. Night stay at Hanuman
Mandir in the village
Mandir in the village

27. Garam Garam Pohe at Mr. Zade’s
residence

29. Nothing goes waste here

30. Ratangad in clouds as seen from
Ratanwadi at 8AM

31. Trek begins…

32. We walk along side the Pravara
river (dried now)

33. Why?

34. Amazing sign of hope

35. Soumya on a tree
(natural habitat?)

36. Sandesh

38. The two ladders that have to be crossed
to reach the main fort area

42. Ganesh Darwaja

46. Dusra Darwaja
Dusra Darwaja

47. Ratanadevi temple in a cave

48. Ratanadevi temple in a cave

49. View from Ratanadevi temple

50. Big cave where people
can stay overnight
t i ht

54. Pravara river flow
direction

58. Konkan

60. Gol Buruj
G lB j

63. This is the place from where
Pravara originates

64. Tryambak Darwaza ‐ The main
entrance to Ratangad fort

68. This is a natural hole in the mountain top
probably caused by wind erosion. It is 10 feet
high and 60 feet wide. Due to its shape it is
hi h d 60 f id D i h i i
called Nedhe (or eye of the needle in Marathi)

77. The remains of a smaller entrance
to the fort ‐ the Thieves entrance
or Chor Darwaza

80. Cave with water storage inside

82. Water Tank

86. Another river basin opposite
to Pravara on the other side

88. Back to the same place
from where we started

89. Sandesh feeding our faithful
companion. It was with us
p
from Ratanwadi.

90. Sandesh, Rajeev,
Adarsh and Soumya
Ad h d S

91. Back to Ratanwadi…

92. Un spoilt
Un hurried
Un touched
Un confined
Un expected
Un conquered
Un paralleled
Un paralleled
Un matched
Un stressed
Un stressed
Un limited
Standing as silent sentinels to history are the 350‐odd forts of Maharashtra. Beaten by
g y y
the sea waves, lashed at by the torrential Deccan rains, or scorched in the blazing sun,
stand imposing ramparts and crumbling walls , the last lingering memories of
Maharashtra's martial times. Nowhere in the country would you encounter such a
profusion of forts. And such variety. Sited on an island, or guarding the seas or among
the Sahyadri hills, whose zig‐zag walls and rounded bastions sit like a scepter and
crown amidst hills turned mauve.

93. See you soon…