Ambolgad and Yashwant Gad are two coastal forts in Rajapur taluka of Ratnagiri district. Ambolgad is the jewel fort at the far end of Ratnagiri district. To protect the ancient port of Musakaji in the distance and to keep an eye on the maritime traffic passing through Jaitapur creek, a fort was built at Ambolgad, like a mansion fort on the sea and Yashwantgad fort on the creek. The distance from Ratnagiri to Adivare-Nate-Ambolgad is 60 km while Rajapur-Nate-Ambolgad is 36 km. After passing Yashwantgad, this fort is 5 km away in the village Ambolgad. As you enter the village, you can see the beach on the left. On the way to Gagangiri Maharaj's monastery from the village, near S.T stand. On a small hill to the left near the stand, the ruined ramparts of the fort can be seen but the exact entrance to the fort is not visible. ... Ascending in the direction of the electricity pole on this hill, you can see the ruined entrance hidden between the two bastions. A horizontal wall has been built in front of this door and a battlefield has been formed. The construction of both the forts of Ambolgad and Satavli is similar. The entrance of this square-shaped fort is at one corner and there are two bastions adjacent to it and three bastions at the other three corners. The ramparts of the fort, which used to be 12 to 15 feet high, have completely collapsed and turned into a 6-7 feet high mound. On the east and north sides of the fort, there is a partially dug moat and the area of the fort is less than one acre. In the center of the fort, there is a big tree of Banyan and under this tree, there is a broken cannon. Around the tree, you can see the ruins of some buildings and a Samadhi Vrindavan. Behind the tree is a rectangular dry well with two stone basins beside it. Half an hour is enough to walk around the fort. Gagangiri Maharaj's monastery is on the side of the road leading from the fort. The endless sea spread out in front of this ridge catches the eye. There is no record of any significant incidents around this fort in its history. It is not possible to say exactly when this fort was built, but around the 16th century, the Ambolgad fort must have been built by the pair of Yashwantgad at the mouth of the creek to maintain the navigability of the river Arjuna. The Rajapur port on the south side of Ratnadurga was very important during the Shivaji Maharaj’s period. Jaitapur port at Rajapur was a well-equipped port under the jurisdiction of Swarajya. Shivaji Maharaj built a large number of ships at Jaitapur Bay in 1664. According to historical records, in 1676, Shivaji Maharaj's army clashed with Siddi and the Mughals, as they burnt Jaitapur, at which time the Marathas fought under the auspices of Yashwantgad. Evidence is found that the fort Ambolgad belonged to Kanhoji Angre in 1690. In 1818, Colonel Imlack captured the fort from the Marathas. After 1862, the settlements at Ambolgad shifted outside the fort.
© Suresh Nimbalkar