Vishalgad Fort

About Vishalgad Fort:

• It is an ancient fort situated at Vishalgad village in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra.
• Also called Khelna or Khilna by the locals, Vishalgad Fort was one of the important forts of the Maratha Empire.
• History:
  • It was built in the year 1058 by Shilahara king Marsinh and was initially known as Khilgil.
  • In 1209, the then king of Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri defeated Shilaharas and captured the fort.
  • In 1309, Allauddin Khilji defeated King Ramchandra of the Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri, and soon the fort was attached to the Khilji dynasty.
  • Later, the fort was under the rule of the Vijayanagar Empire, and then the Adil Shahi dynasty.
  • In 1659, Shivaji captured the fort from Adil shah and renamed the fort 'Vishalgad' which means grand or giant fort.
  • During the times of the Maratha Empire, Vishalgad was made the capital of a large region consisting of ninety towns and villages in Kolhapur and Ratnagiri districts.
• Features:
  • The structure covers an area of 1130 m and was built on a hilltop in the Sahyadri mountain ranges at a height of 3500 feet above sea level.
  • The famous Dargah of Hazrat Sayed Malik Rehan Meera Saheb, which is visited by thousands of tourists, is located in the fort.
  • Some of the temples inside the complex are Amruteshwar Temple, Shri Nrusinha Temple, and Sati`s Vrindavan.
  • The fortress also includes tombs dedicated to Phulaji Prabhu Deshpande and Baji Prabhu Deshpande, who served under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.