Asherigad
Grade : Easy
Region : Palghar
Base village : Khodkona
Landmark : Manor
Number of Routes : 1
Highest Altitude : 1680 Feet (512m)
Trek Duration : 3 Hours Ascend, 2.5 Hours descend
Surrounding Peaks : Kohoj Fort
Ideal Season : July to September
Major Attarction :
360 View of Palghar Range of Mountains, Temple on the Plateau, On a clear day one can see Arabian Sea, View of Gujarat Highway, Small pond which is full of lotus flowers and a cave inhabited by a sadhu.
Water Sources :
Drinking water is also available in the tanks on the fort however water is not potable at times hence it is recommended to carry water from Base Village itself.
History Info :
Era :
History mentions that Bhojraj, a descendant of the Shilahar Dynasty built this fort. Hence it can be assumed that this fort is at least 800 years old.
Brief War History :
This fort is about 800 years old. The Asherigad (Shilhar dynasty) was built by the Bhojraj. This fort was captured by Bimb Raja of Mahim (Palghar) from Kolis. The Portuguese captain of Bassein, Antonio Moniz Barreto annexed the Asherigad in 1556, after bribing the Abyssinian captain who commanded the fort. Manor Fort was captured later. This fort was the northern boundary of Portuguese territory. Portuguese made it as a capital of 38 villages and 6 parishes. The fort had twenty water cisterns and two ponds. In 1737, this fort was conquered by the Maratha forces led by Chimaji Appa against Provincia do Norte, but it was reconquered in the counter-offensive by Antonio Cardim de Frois, the new General of the North. In February 1739, it fell definitely into the Maratha hands. In 1818 Captain Dickinson captured this fort and thus it went into the hands of the British.
