Jaigad Fort in Ratnagiri has been a historical landmark for centuries. Historians have found documents from the 16th century which tell us the historical importance of this fort. Looking at the overall structure of the fort, historians believe that Jaigad fort must have been built by the residents of Bijapur. In 1578-80, Naik from Sangameshwar won this fort in a battle and even though they tried many times, the residents of Bijapur could not win the fort back. From 1695, Jaigad was under the control of Kanhoji Aangre. Finally, in 1818, the fort was captured by the British army without any battle.
There is a small door along the main entrance of the fort that leads directly to the Jaigad harbour. The arch at the main door is in excellent condition and the architecture of the arch is believed to be of the Muslim style. Two lotuses are carved on both sides of the arch and a flower like Gulmohar has been carved in the middle.
After entering the fort, you can find rooms on the left side. From there, the stone steps lead up to the coast where there is a spacious ground on the left. Above the main entrance, there is a two storied rest house built in the British era. Further to the north, there is a small Ganesh temple near the three storied vaults and you can find two `Dipmalas` i.e. the lamp towers carved in stone, just outside the temple. But only one of the lamp towers is in good condition now. There is a memorial of Jayba near the Ganesh temple. There is a big castle structure just behind the temple. As you go further up, you can find rooms and a new tower built in front of the fortification. There is a two storied bastion to the north of the fort which has two small gates known as `Dindi Darawaja`.
Outside the fort, a deep moat was dug for the protection of the fort. The pavement and the small fort are the two main part of Jaigad. The main fort consists of 14 bastions whereas the pavement has 10 bastions. There is a steep road that leads from the small fort to the pavement and right now, the Jaigad village of fisher folks is situated there.
The Jaigad harbour which is situated 13 kms from Ganpatipule has been important for trading activity for centuries. Even today, it is still used as an important port. The historical Jaigad fort has been standing near this equally historical harbour for centuries.
The Jaigad fort which is situated in an area of 12 acres on the bank of the Shastri River is standing strong even today. It is situated at a distance of 45 kms from Ratnagiri and at a height of 55 meters from sea level with a very easy climb. It hardly takes 5 mins to reach the fort from the Jaigad police station. Ganpatipule, Kolisare, Lakshmikeshav, and Malgund are the places you can visit around Jaigad.
