Prabalgad
Prabalgad is a fort located in between Matheran and Panvel, visible from the Mumbai Pune expressway. The fort is located at an elevation of 2300 feet in the Sahyadri mountains. It is located on a plateau very close to Matheran, but unlike Prabalgad fort does not have a good source of water supply. It was known as Muranjan until it was taken over and renamed by the Maratha forces under Shivaji's rule.[1] The fort has a sister fort, Irshalgad.
[edit] History
Around 1458 Malik Ahmad, prime minister of the kingdom of Ahmednagar, took over the fort during his conquest of Konkan.[2] The fort was conquered by Shivaji from Mughals in the year 1658.[3] After establishing himself in Kalyan-Bhivandi area, Shivaji's forces attacked the fort then governed by Kesar Singh, a Mughal sardar.[4] On seeing the signs of defeat Kesar Singh along with all the ladies in the fort committed suicide to save themselves from being dishonoured in the hands of enemy. In spite of Kesar Singh's orders, his mother hid herself along with her grandchild. Shivaji in an act of kindness made sure the lady and the kid were allowed a safe passage.[3]
In the year 1826 Umaji Naik, a freedom fighter, and his associates are believed to have made this as their home for a brief period of time.
[edit] References
- ^ Kamal Shrikrishna Gokhale. Chhatrapati Sambhaji. Navakamal Publications. http://books.google.com/books?id=43gBAAAAMAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s.
- ^ Radhey Shyam. The Kingdom of Ahmadnagar. Motilal Banarsidass Publisher. p. 28. ISBN 9788120826519. http://books.google.com/books?id=5C4hBqKdkEsC&source=gbs_navlinks_s.
- ^ a b Ambika Sharma. "Prabalgad – Glory at its best". http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/127/200904062009040613232881192e4a8f0/Prabalgad-%E2%80%93-Glory-at-its-best.html.
- ^ Murlidhar Balkrishna Deopujari. About this book Shivaji and the Maratha art of war. Vidarbha Samshodhan Mandal. p. 61. http://books.google.com/books?id=iF8MAAAAIAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s.
Coordinates: 18°58′16″N 73°13′31″E / 18.971193°N 73.225293°E
