Introduction

RAIGAD

Raigad district is uniquely situated in Maharashtra. It was the capital of Shivaji Maharaj for many years before the British rule. Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, by staging a Satyagraha at the Chavdar Lake for drinking water in Mahad, set a great ideal of social equality and equity before the world. Similarly, in Alibaug, he staged a protest against the farmers in Chari with the help of Hon. Na. Na. Patil and achieved great success in providing land to the landless people in this very Raigad land. This is the land of Raigad district, which has been blessed by the footsteps of great people like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Raigad is also known as the rice granary of Maharashtra and a center of natural beauty. Also, the main center of Shivaji Maharaj’s army in these districts was Colaba Fort.

The main armory of Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre, Alibaug, the birthplace of revolutionary hero Vasudev Balwant Phadke, Shirdhon village in Panvel taluka, the birthplace of Narveer Tanaji Malusare, Umarth in Poladpur taluka, the birthplace of former Finance Minister of India, Late Chintamanrao Deshmukh, Roha, the birthplace of Shri. Sant Vinoba Bhave, Gagode, Budruk taluka, Pen, are the birthplaces of great heroes. Similarly, the birthplace of His Holiness Shri. Pandurang Shastri Athavale, who embraced the whole world in the Swadhyay family, is Roha, as well as the birthplace of Shri. Samarth Prasadik Spiritual Shri. Seva Samiti’s Karyavah Nanasaheb and Vishnu Dharmadhikari, Revdanda taluka, Alibaug, are also in this district. The residents of Raigad are rightly proud that this district has given many great sons to Maharashtra and the country.
Shri. Samarth Ramdas Swami wrote Dasbodh Granth in Mahad, Shivtharghal Taluka, Uran in Chirner Taluka, the land of the martyrs who sacrificed themselves in the Jungle Satyagraha during the freedom struggle, Raigad district has many caves, stupas, villas etc. Among them, ancient caves of Lord Buddha exist in Mahad Taluka and Tala Taluka.

Of the Ashtavinayaks, the Vinayak places in Mahad and Pali and the Birla Ganesh Temple built by Vikram Ispat Company in Salav are in this district. There are water forts like Murud – Janjira, Colaba. Similarly, hill forts like Raigad, Sagargad, Karnala are also in this district.

Raigad District at a Glance Identification

• Name of District :- Raigad
• District Headquarters :- Alibagh
• Geographical Details District Area (Sq. Km) :- 7,152 (Sq. Km)
• Length of Coastline :- 122 km
• Taluka Level Details Number of Panchayat Samiti :- 15
• Rural Level Details Total Number of Gram Panchayats :- 811
• Total Number of Villages :- 1932
• Total Number of Zilla Parishad Primary Schools :- 2603
• Total Number of Private Secondary Schools :- 662
• Total Number of Anganwadis :- 3255
• Total Number of Primary Health Centres :- 54
• Total Number of Primary Health Sub-Centres :- 288
• Total Number of Veterinary Clinics :- 100
• Employee Strength Total Number of Zilla Parishad Employees :- 11246
• Demographic Details Rural :- 1664005
• Urban :- 970195
• Total :- 2634200
• Male :- 1344345
• Female :-1289855