After the division of the Maratha state, the boundaries of the Karveer throne and the Sawant Wadikar were adjacent to each other, leading to constant disputes between them. In order to gain an upper hand over each other, they constructed some new forts in the Konkan region. These forts, built hastily and without much attention, were constructed in recent times but soon fell into ruin and quickly became extinct. On a forested hill behind the village of Pendhur lies Vetalgad, a little-known and neglected fort built by the Sawant Wadikar, now on the verge of disappearance. To reach Vetalgad, Pendhur, the base village of the fort, is located 17 km from Kudal and 24 km from Kasal. Though the fort derives its name from the Vetal temple in Pendhur, there are routes to the fort from Gawdevadi and Churivadi in the opposite direction, in the village of Mogarne. ... Public bus service on this route is very limited, so having a private vehicle is more convenient. From Mogarne, it takes about an hour to reach the fort by either of the two paths. A road leads from Mogarne to Gawdevadi. From the last house in the hamlet, a rough path goes up to the plateau above. As this path is currently unused and has deteriorated considerably, vehicles need to be left there, and the plateau must be reached on foot. It takes about 15 minutes to climb from the hamlet to the plateau. Where the road on the plateau ends, an electric pole can be seen on the left. The path going straight from this pole climbs up in its final stretch and leads directly to the ruined fortifications of Vetalgad. With the increasing use of tractors in recent times, the number of cattle in the village has decreased, resulting in a halt to the practice of herding animals on the fort. Consequently, large amounts of grass have grown on the fort, covering and hiding its ruins. As herders no longer visit the fort, the paths are also becoming overgrown. This is the condition of most forts in the Konkan region. Therefore, to explore the remnants properly, it is essential to have an experienced local guide. The hill of Vetalgad rises 550 feet above sea level. The top of Vetalgad is a disorganized plateau spread over about 15 acres. Because of the dense grass and shrubs covering the plateau, it is difficult to determine where to start exploration. Other than the fortification at the entry point, no other walls or bastions are visible. Turning right along the edge from the entry point, one comes across a collapsed, overgrown well. Further along the path, a square, dry cistern carved into the rock can be seen. While wandering on the plateau, one finds a water-filled pond, a few depressions, a platform, and two small water tanks, though the water in these tanks is not potable. Exploring the entire fort requires about two hours, but due to the very sparse remains, the time spent feels hardly worthwhile. In the village of Pendhur, the Vetal temple and the ancient idols in the ruins of a nearby Jain temple are worth a visit. The Sawant Wadikar constructed Vetalgad between November 1786 and January 1787 as a midpoint fort on the route between the Karveerkar Rangana and Sindhudurg forts. This led to a conflict between the Karveerkar and the Sawant. In a letter dated January 19, 1787, Peshwa Savai Madhavrao instructed Khem Sawant to demolish this fort and station only five guards there. Furthermore, it was informed that Haibat Ubla and Raghoji Ranawade had been dispatched to demolish the fortifications. In the 1862 survey conducted by the British, this fort was described as completely dilapidated.
© Suresh Nimbalkar