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PLACES |
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BHUDARGAD
Bhudargad (Bhudargad T.), one of the Kolhapur
forts which, in 1844, were dismantled under the advice of the Bombay
Government, stands on a bluff rock thirty-six miles,south of
Kolhapur. It is 2,600 feet from north to south and 2,100 feet from
east to west, and is enclosed by a broken stone and mortar wall with
two gateways. It has a small habitation. At the foot of the hill are
two hamlets in one of which every Monday a small market is held.
History.
Before the repairing of the fort (1667), the hill of
Bhudargad had shrines sacred to Kedarling, Bhairav, and Jakhrubai,
with a hamlet ax the foot of the hill inhabited by the priests who
performed the service of the deities and managed their festivals. In
1667 the fort was repaired and put in excellent order by Sivaji.
Shortly after, it was captured by the Moghals. About five years
later the fort was retaken, and the standard colours of the Moghal
general who was killed in the conflict were presented to the temple
of Bhairav where they are still kept. About the close of the
eighteenth century Parsuram Bhau Patvardhan took the fort by bribing
the garrison and held it for about ten years when it was retaken by
the Kolhapur State. Subsequently Parasuram Bhau and Gopal Pant Apte
the chief of Icalkaranji forces made several vain attempts to win it
back. During this war, of the five hamlets which formerly clustered
round the fort three were destroyed. In 1844 the garrisons of
Bhudargad and Samangad revolted and closed their gates. On the 13th
of October, 1844, Bhudargad was taken by British forces and
dismantled.
The chief object of interest is the temple of
Bhairav which is about 3,000 feet square and consists of a stone and
cement shrine, a hall, and a northern verandah. In front of the hall
stands a stone and mortar lamp-pillar. The temple has about twenty
ministrants supported by a yearly cash allowance of about Rs. 560
and land valued at a yearly assessment of about Rs. 130. Every year
from the dark first to the dark tenth of Magh or
January-February a fair is held attended by about 4,000 people and
with a sale of goods worth about Rs. 2,000.
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