Tandulwadi Fort:
Six tourists were recently rescued after they lost their way and got stranded in dense fog while coming down from Tandulwadi Fort in Maharashtra’s Palghar district.
- Tandulwadi Fort is located near Lalthane village in Palghar district, about 104 km from Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- The fort dates back 800 years and was primarily used as a watch tower over the surrounding plain.
- Tandulwadi is not a fully built up fort, but a series of structures spread over the top of the mountain.
- In the thirteenth century, King Bhimdev’s kingdom comprised the cities of Shurparak (Nalasopara) and Mahikawati (Mahim).
- The first known history of the fort was in the 15th century (about 1429) during the rule of Jafar Khan, son of Ahmed Shah of the Gujarat Sultanate.
- It was used as a reconnoiter fort to keep a watch on neighboring forts and the Arabian Sea.
- In 1454, the Sultan of Ahmedabad captured Mahikavati (Mahim Fort) and one of his Sardars named Mallik Allauddin was made chief of Tandulwadi fort.
- In 1509, the Portuguese took the fort but lost control of the area to the Marathas in 1737 after the Battle of Bassein.
- It has several rock cut water cisterns.
- There are no bastions, walls or houses on the fort.
- There is no evidence of fortification except for a small stone wall on the southern side.
- A small water pond is situated in the center.
