Bharatgad

Masure, Maharashtra, India

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Bharatgad Fort is located near Masure village in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, about 18 kilometers from Malvan.

It is a sea fort positioned on the southern bank of the Gad river or Kalaval creek and spans an area of around 4 to 5 acres, now partly covered with mango orchards. The fort was initially surveyed by the Maratha ruler Shivaji Maharaj in 1670, but he abandoned the project due to the scarcity of water.

Later, in 1680, Wadikar Phonda Sawant decided to build the fort, which was completed in 1701 after digging a deep well about 228 feet into the rock to secure a water supply. Throughout its history, Bharatgad Fort saw battles and changing control among local rulers like the Sawants, Peshwas, and the Maratha naval commander Tulaji Angre. The British, led by Captain Hutchinson, captured it in 1818. At that time, the fort's well had dried up due to artillery damage, and water was stored in wooden barrels.

The fort features intact bastions, a temple, a mosque symbolizing Hindu-Muslim unity, and a deep ditch thought to be used for water storage. It is accessible from Malvan and Masure, with nearby accommodations and is an important historical and cultural site in the Konkan coastal region of Maharashtra.