Surgad Fort Information
Surgad Killa, सुरगड क़िल्ला, meaning Gods Fort, is a mountain fort established in a spur, fragmented from the Sahyadri mountains of Maharashtra. Surgad Fort base village Gherasurgad in Raigad district near Roha Town. Surgad Killa used for protecting and keeping an eye on the trade route from Revdanda Fort to Sudhagad Fort on the Kundalika river.
Shilahar Kings built Surgad Fort, and the Nizam of Ahmednagar later handled it. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj reconstructed the fort. Shankarji Narayan Sachiv seized the fort from the Siddhi of Janjira under the regime of Rajaram's. Bajirao-I recaptured the fort in 1733. Under the Peshwa rule, the fort utilised to hold prisoners. A slab of granite has engravings in Devnagari and Farasi. The inscription mentions Siddhi Saheb built the fort in the second year of his command. Nuryaji was the architect of the fort, and Tukoji Habitat was the Governor of the fort. Surgad is an ancient fort built when the use of artillery was not available during battle. Colonel Prother captured the from the Peshwas in February 1818. During the Third Anglo Maratha War, Surgad along with other forts in the region went to the British East India Company.
Surgad Fort's total trekking distance is six kilometers. You will need four hours to complete the trek and to explore the fort. Gherasurgad Village is -22 meters below sea level. Surgad Fort's highest point on the trek was 742 feet above sea level.
How to reach Surgad Fort
If you are coming by train Kolad Railway Station will be the nearest. If you are coming by bus, you can buy the ticket till Khamb town on National Highway 17 on the Mumbai Goa Highway. From Khamb till Ghera Surrgad distance is four kilometres the road is in good condition. You will pass through a hamlet called Vaijanath before reaching. Gherasurgad. Killa Surgad is approachable from the Northern front as well as the western front. It takes one hour to arrive till the summit of the fort. The trail will guide you through the dense forest you will find villagers foraging wood sometimes on the path. You should always hire a local villager as a guide for this trek during the rainy season. Locals work as a guide to supplement their income near Gherasurgad. You will have to navigate a small rock patch on the western route. Surgad Fort gets covered by tall grass post-monsoon season from September to November. You can enjoy the beautiful views of the Kundalika river from the summit of the fort.
Places to visit on Surgad Fort Trek
The Killa is like a little spur stretching southward from the central hill mountain. Surgad holds 17 rock-cut reservoirs on the fort. Potable water found the Northeastern side of the fort. These cisterns used for harvesting rainwater and storage; they also helped in recharging groundwater levels. Visit the temple of Veer Maruti can seek its blessing at the summit of Surgad. The entrance of the fort is not in great shape. One cannon located on the plateau near the base of the fortification. Two good bastions to see on the southern end and the northern end of the fort. There are a pair of decaying structures on the fort, i.e. Sadar and Daru-Kothar. Surgad Fort Trek surrounded by dense forest consisting of Dhawda and Teak trees.
