RATANGAD FORT

OVERVIEW

District : Ahmednagar
Hill Range :
Height above sea level : 4255 feet
Difficulty rating : Medum
Base village : Ratanwadi
Approx. time to reach : 3 - 4 hrs
Duration : 2 Days
Google map co-ordinate : 

How To Reach

Nearest railway station is Igatpuri. From Igatpuri, we have to go to Shendi village. There is a bus around 5-5:30AM from Igatpuri to Shendi. I'm not sure about other timings. Shendi and Bhandardara are two villages separated by Bhandardara Lake. From Shendi to Bhandardar village, we can go by boat. It takes around 30minutes. From Bhandardara, we have to go by walk for around 45min.-1hour to reach base village, Ratanwadi. Amruteshwar temple at this village is good.

Another way, it is about 67 km from Sangamner city which is on NH-50 Pune to Nasik, nearest city and people refer it for their routine work, This route is known as State highway Kolhar-Ghoti. From here, we have to start trek to Ratangad Fort.

Place To Stay / Eat

Accomdoation needs to arranged in the cave. Trekker needs to arrange for their own foos. Though there is a water source at the top but potable water is not available throughout year and one need to make arrangement for Water.

Places Of Interest

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. This orifice is big enough to be seen from base of the fort

Top of Ratangad has two caves in which stay can be made. One can go around the fort to have a look at the nearby mountains in the Kalsubai range. Ratangad also has a natural orifice (nedhe). It is also possible to go an sit in this nedhe .

About 1000 years old temple of Lord Shiva, the Amruteshwar Temple at Ratanwadi, is an absolute paragon of high class architecture of our ancestors.

Ratangad has still the remains of fortress with bastions and stone walls. We have two caves on top of hill/fort. Small cave doesn't have any grill to close the opening of cave and it can accommodate around 5 people. Big Cave on the top is cut from the rock face and can easily accomodate 25 people at a time. Water cisterns are usually filled with water throughout the year and trekkers use them as water source. Eastern side of the fort has some fortification left, one can see Rani mahal here. From the southern side on can see Katrabai and Ajoba fort very close. This side has also some fortification left, but most of it is damaged. Climbing down the nedhe to the western end of the fort leads closest to the Khuta pinnacle. One can make circuitous way back to the cave from the route on the edge of the northern cliff.