Palgad is a small picturesque village in Dapoli taluka, known as the birthplace of Sane Guruji. This land is sanctified by the footsteps of Sane Guruji. Near this village, amidst dense forest, stands the fort of Palgad, where not much of historical significance is known to have occurred. It is believed that this fort was built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Considering the location of the fort, it must have been used primarily for surveillance. The settlement came up after the fort was built, and the village was named after the fort itself. Palgad village is located 21 km from Dapoli on the Dapoli–Khed road. From the Killemachi Kadamwadi road, one can directly reach the base of the fort. From there, the small hill of Palgad, adorned with fortification walls, can be seen behind the village. The main entrance of the fort lies in the opposite direction of Killemachi Kadamwadi. Killemachi Kadamwadi is to the east, while the main gate of the fort is towards the west. ... Looking at the fort, a rough jeep track is visible going up the ridge on the right side. A short ten-minute climb on this track brings one to a plateau. Here, under a tree, a few stone idols are placed. From this point, the broken entrance of Palgad and the steps leading to it are visible. Climbing these steps leads to the fort’s entrance. The east-facing entrance is ruined, but the two bastions beside it are still standing. It takes about half an hour to climb the fort starting from the Hanuman temple at Killemachi. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 feet above sea level, this fort covers less than an acre of area and has a triangular shape. The fort has a total of nine bastions—two near the gates, one in the centre of the wall, and one each at the end of the narrowing ridges. It is puzzling why such a small fort has two gates. The second route through this gate is difficult and not in use. A rock-cut water cistern is located on this path. A large portion of the fort’s fortification is still intact. A cannon that was partially buried in the ground was recently excavated by fort lovers and placed on a western bastion. Another cannon lies on the platform of a ruined mansion near the smaller gate. On the fort, the foundations of ruined mansions and a dried-up water tank can be seen. Locals celebrate Shiv Jayanti (the birth anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj) on the fort, for which they have built a tin shed that houses a half-figure idol of Shivaji Maharaj. From the summit of the fort, to the east, one can see the trio of forts—Mahipatgad, Sumargad, and Rasalgad; to the south, Khed town; and to the west, Mandangad can be seen. A full exploration of the fort takes about half an hour. During the return journey, one can see a cannon lying in the fields of Killemachi, an old well, and a memorial next to it. On the path toward the memorial, a third cannon is visible on a raised stone platform. After descending a bit further, one finds a memorial next to the well. A tree has taken root on this structure, causing significant damage to the memorial. Local residents believe this memorial belongs to a descendant of the Killeder Vichare. Those with a passion for trekking and history should definitely undertake the trek to this fort.
© Suresh Nimbalkar