Mangalgad, also known as Kangori, is a fort in Maharashtra near the village of Dudhanewadi. Kangori, or Mangalgad Fort, is in the Mahad sub-division about east by south from Mahad town.
How to reach
The fort is built on the top of a steep and treeless spur of the Sahyadris, high, and is reached by a narrow and rugged path about two miles long. The fort is from east to west and from north to south. It takes about 2 hours trekking time to reach the fort from the base village Dudhanewadi.
History
Mangalgad was built by Chandrarao More of Jawli. It was one of seven forts captured by Shivaji in 1648. It was the place of confinement of Chitursing the brother of the Raja of Satara, from 1812 till his death in 1818. In 1817 Cornets Hunter and Morrison, two English officers on the Madras establishment, on their way from Hyderabad to Poona with a small escort were caught at Uruli twenty miles east of Poona, and imprisoned here. Some time after, by Gokhla's orders, they were removed to Vasota in Satara, and, on the destruction of that fort in April 1817, they were restored to freedom. In 1818 Kangori was taken by Colonel Prother, after the fall of Raigad fort.
Places to see
The buildings and the gateway are in ruins but a part of the rampart remains. Within the rampart is a ruined temple and a rock-cut cistern, but no building of any size or interest. Mangalgad consists of a single temple, called Kangori Devi Temple, with cisterns at the top. The wada and prison are both in ruins.