Herein we report preliminary archaeological explorations of a complex of 5 caves and other rock-cut architecture associated with the fort of Kothaligad, in the village of Peth, Karjat Taluka, Raigad District, Maharashtra, India.

1. Preliminary Explorations
at the Cave Complex at Kothaligad,
Taluka Karjat, District Raigad,
Maharashtra
Sagar Mundhe1
, Raamesh Gowri Raghavan1
and Kurush
Dalal1,2
1
Centre for Extra-Mural Studies and 2
Centre for Archaeology,
University of Mumbai

2. 18°59'32.89"N; 73°30'46.78"E
Peth wadi, Ambivali village,
Karjat Taluka, Raigad District
Nakhind
Pass
Kavlyachi Dhar

3. Geography of
Kothaligad
Kavlyachi Dhar
Vajantri Ghat
Ganesh/Ganpati Ghat
Ambenali
Shidichi Wat

4. Zooming in on
Kothaligad

5. Plan of
caves
Cave diagrams not to

6. Cannon, plinth & bastion
Approach to fort via Gateway

7. Cannon, plinth & bastion
Cast-iron Cannon
6’6” in length
9.5” wide at the mouth
Bore 3.5”
Small plinth approx 3’ X 3'
Basalt blocks
Bastion #1
20 ft high, basalt blocks

8. Cave #1
22
’
10
’
8’

9. Cistern #1
31
’
14
’

10. Cistern #2

11. Cistern #3
14
’
44
’

12. Cave #2
2B
2A

13. Cistern #4
14
’
Bahrot cave

14. Cave #3
18
’
17
’5'9"

15. Cistern #5
48
’
10'

16. Cistern #7
30
’
15'

17. Cave #4

18. Herostone fragment

19. Cistern #8

20. Cistern #9

21. Cave #5

22. Cave #5 Plan
(not to scale)
5D 5E
5F
5G
5C
5B
5A
Cistern 9
Towards
stairway
Towards bastion
From main
gateway
Pillars
Doorways
Bench with
plinth
^N

23. Cave #5A

24. Cave #5C
nisargbhraman.com

25. Cave #5C

26. Cave #5C
pillars

27. Cave #5D
doorway

28. Cave #5D
doorway

29. Lonad Temple,
Bhiwandi Taluka,
Thane District
Ambarnath
Temple,
Ambarnath Taluka,
Art historical
similarities

30. Cave #5D Window

31. Cave #5E

32. Lower Stairway

33. Cave #6

34. Cave #7

35. Upper Stairway

36. Archway

37. Lion & Ganesha
motifs

38. View from top

39. Machi of the fort

40. Mortar in Peth wadi
Reference image

41. Upside down remains of
Ganesha statue being worshipped

42. Conclusion
• A complex of 7 caves closely associated with 9 cisterns and
with fortifications
• Cave 5 is a complex of 5 subcaves, with carvings that indicate
Shilahara-Yadava origin
• Given its elaborate doorway, Cave 5D seems to have been the
most important
• Caves 5, 6 & 7 are closely associated and probably belong to
the same period
• Prima facie it appears that the upper stairway was cut later, for
it is more strongly associated with military features rather than
religious ones
• Whilst the fortifications were defintely in use during the
Mughal-Maratha period and even later, on art historical
grounds, Cave 5 definitely belongs to the late Shilahara-
Yadava period

43. Previous Mentions
• Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency,
Thana District 1882
• Maharastra State Gazetteer Kulaba
District 1964

44. Kothaligad is unique in that it represents a
possible continuity between Early
Medieval religious architecture and Late
Medieval military architecture.