Port Details.
During the north-east monsoon (October-June), the landing place is at the Custom House, about half a mile from a small round tower at the foot of the headland under the fort. In landing, a good lookout must be kept for rocks, as large reefs stretch west almost as high as low tide level, rising in isolated patches. During fair weather westerly gales, which sometimes last for three days, a heavy swell rolls in and landing is difficult, and in the south-west monsoon (June-October) it is generally impossible. Except at high water, [It is high water at full and change of the moon at 10 hours 52 minutes, ordinary mean springs rise six feet, and neaps four and a half, Bom. Gov. Gazette, 3rd July 1879, 699.] when if the sea does not break on the bay, it is passable for large country craft, but the river entrance is not safe. At the south end of the bay, about half a mile from the shore, a reef rises above water, falling away in a rocky bank from two to three fathoms that stretches west, its outer edge five fathoms deep, bearing south from the light-house.
Municipality.
Ratnagiri Municipality was established in 1876. It has an area of four square miles. It is now governed under the Bombay Municipal Boroughs Act, XVIII of 1926, and is composed of 25 members. There are three seats reserved for women and one seat is reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. The municipality has, besides the standing committee, committees for sanitation, rules and bye-laws, and the gymnasium.
During the year 1956-57, the total income of the municipality, excluding extraordinary and debt heads, amounted to Rs. 3,73,573, composed of octroi Rs. 2,08, 750; consolidated tax Rs. 78,901; other municipal rates and taxes, Rs. 30,261; revenue derived from municipal property Rs. 22,697; grants and contributions Rs. 29,144; and miscellaneous Rs. 3,820. The total expenditure during the same year, excluding extraordinary and debt heads amounted to Rs. 2,53,191, general administration being Rs. 47,029, public safety Rs. 36,364, public health and convenience Rs. 1,38,484, public instruction Rs. 23,799, contributions Rs. 150, and miscellaneous Rs. 7,365.
The municipality supplies tap water from the Municipal Nachane Water Works to a part of the town. The Nachane Water Works situated at a distance of two and a half miles from the town was built in 1910 at a cost of Rs. 85,555. It impounds water from perennial springs starting from a valley which is surrounded by boulder walls. Water is brought to the town by gravitation and stored in a service reservoir composed of two big compartments with a capacity of four lakhs of gallons. The rest of the town gets water from private wells which number more than 2,000.
The municipality has already taken in hand another water works scheme, known as the Panval Nala Water Works, for augmenting the water supply of the town. The source of supply is the river Kajavi running near the village Panval which is situated at a distance of seven miles from the town. The water is to be brought to the town by a gravitation main. The estimated cost of the scheme is Rs. 24,68,000. The work is being executed through Government agency, and the work of laying pipes is nearing completion (September, 1957).
The town has an open drain called " Toran Parva" which passes through the town. This was constructed in 1914. There are pucca stone gutters for waste water.
There is compulsory primary education in the town managed by the District School Board, the municipality paying its statutory annual contribution. The municipality pays annual grants of Rs. 250 each to the private institutions which conduct four high schools,viz., the Phatak High School, the Patwardhan High School, the Mahila Vidyalaya and R. R. Shirke High School. The municipality also pays a token grant-in-aid to the R. P. Gogate College which is managed by the Ratnagiri Education Society.
For fire service, the municipality has a fire-fighter-cum-water sprinkler. The fire-fighter always kept ready for service, is used in times of scarcity to supply water to the people.
The municipality has about 35 miles of road, two and a half miles being asphalted, ten miles metalled, 18 miles water-bound macadam, and the rest unmetalled.
There are three municipal markets, one each for vegetables, fish and mutton. There is also a municipal slaughter-house.
An Ayurvedic dispensary, situated near the Svatantrya Lakshmi Chowk, is run by the municipality. There is a Government Civil Hospital near the municipal office compound. At a distance of two miles from the municipal office there is Shri D. M. Petit Leprosy Hospital. Opposite the Jail Building there is the Mental hospital. Government manages a veterinary dispensary which is situated to the north of the city.
There are no municipal cremation or burial grounds. A private committee looks after a cremation ground for Hindus called the "Hindu Smashan Bhumi" situated to the west of the town on the shores of the White Sea. There are eight burial places for Muslims in different localities managed by the Jamats of the localities concerned.
Objects,
Fort.
The Ratnagirl fort is a series of fortifications on the high headland which forms the west end of the north arm of the Ratnagirl harbour. This headland has a shape similar to a horse's foot with the toe pointing south, the sides each about 1,320 yards long and the heel or broad north end about 1,000 yards across and has a total area of about 120 acres. From its north-east end, where it is joined to the mainland by a low isthmus about 440 yards broad, the headland rises from about 200 ft. in the north to 300 in the south. From the extreme south point where there is a light-house passing north along what may be called the west half of the foot, the heel, with very steep western cliffs, quickly falls to about 100 feet above sea level and then at north-west end of the heel, rises again as suddenly into an isolated fortified hill, 200 feet high, known as Bale Killa. The broad north face of the headland, concave in shape, forms a bay with the citadel as its western, and the north end of the eastern face of the headland as its eastern arms.
The defences of the headland form an outer and inner fort. Starting from the isthmus in the north-east, about the middle of the south-eastern side, facing Ratnagiri town, stood the main gateway of the outer fort, with the usual massive iron boxes and spikes to ward off elephants. South of this gateway to the light-house point, the eastern ridge is crested by a very high and massive wall. Between the light-house point, and the citadel previously referred to as Bale Killa the west side, falling in sheer, some times overhanging cliffs, is fortified only at the extreme south and north ends. Passing north from the south or light-house end is a long stretch of cliff said to have been once topped by a wall, but of this no trace remains. At the extreme north-west are the isolated and very strong fortifications of the inner fort or citadel, Bale Killa. Along the bay of the north of the headland from the citadel fortifications, a very strong, wide and high wall runs along the shore with bastions at close intervals. Near the village at the head of the bay a massive gate-way shelters the landing place or bunder. These low north shore defences are, according to local story, the work of 'the Pratinidhi, Dhondu Bhaskar (1790). From the gateway along the eastern arm of the bay a wall runs up to the north end of the eastern or isthmus face, and there, strengthened by a specially large bastion, turns at right angles to the south along the crest of the eastern ridge.
The citadel, Bale Killa, with an area of six and a half acres standing on the flat isolated north-west point, forms a separate fortification, tenable against an enemy holding the outer fort without artillery. At the north-east and south-west corners of the foot of the citadel rock, cave-like openings, stretching for some distance inwards, are believed to be in communication with the citadel. They are supposed to have been sallyports prepared for secret flight in case of the capture of the fort from the land side. The fortifications are said to be partly Musalman, partly Maratha. According to local accounts the oldest are the shore works in the north face of the headland, where, between the foot of the citadel, Bale Killa, and the north landing place, killa bunder a tower was built and the citadel hill slightly fortified. According to local story, these defences were begun under the Bahamani kings (1343-1500). But the evidence of the Bahamani's hold of Ratnagiri is so slight that it seems more likely to have been the work of a Bijapur Officer (1500-1660). Shivaji, who is said to have gained possession of the fort about 1670, added or renewed the strong wall that crests the eastern ridge south to the light-house point, and built protecting towers on two commanding points, one to the south on the site of the old court house, Adalat and the other to the north on Mirya hill. The tower on the lighthouse point, known as the Sidda buruj, is said to take its name from a captain of the guard who was killed in a battle with Dhulap, the famous pirate chief of Vijaydurg. In the eighteenth century the citadel defences are said to have been improved by the Angre (1710-1755), and completed by the Peshvas (1755-1818).
The temple of Bhagvati was renovated about 1950. A new temple of Shiva named Bhageshvar was also constructed on the other side, inside the light-house hill. The road has also been constructed through the main gate-which was in a dilapidated condition and hence removed-to go to the fort.
The imposter of Sadashivrao Bhau, the Peshva's general, who died on the battlefield of Panipat, was imprisoned in Ratnagiri fort from where he fled at the connivance of the Killedar, Ramchandra Naik, to Poona and for a time created a good deal of trouble for the Barbhai administration.
On the south bastion of the outer fort, 300 feet above the sea, a small white masonry tower, 22 feet high, has a fixed red light of the sixth order, shining in clear weather from 8 to 10 miles.
Jetty.
Passenger steamers ply only in the fair season between Bombay and Vengurle and call daily at the Ratnagiri port. For want of sufficient depth, all the steamers have to anchor a mile off from the shore. Before the construction of the jetty, passengers had to wade through water, waist-deep, to a distance of 20 to 30 feet according to tide, and get into the lighters or country crafts and then to embark on the steamer. These inconveniences and discomforts to which passengers were put, have now been removed by the construction of the Ratnagiri jetty in 1933-34, at a cost of about Rs. 80,000. The work was begun in May 1933 and was completed and opened to public use on February 12, 1934. The passengers can now embark and disembark at ease and also dry-shod.
The history of the construction of a jetty or pier at Ratnagiri goes as far back as the year 1869. The scheme was first mooted by Lieutenant Tremlow and subsequently between 1869 and 1932, as many as ten proposals were put forward, but none of them was found acceptable, either due to unsuitability of the sites or the excessive cost involved. The last proposal was for a steamer pier after the question had been thoroughly investigated by the Committee, under the Chairmanship of Captain Morland. This Committee was appointed at the instance of Sir Leslie Wilson, the then Governor of Bombay, who visited Ratnagiri in 1926 and evinced keen interest in the scheme. The cost of the project of a steamer pier was estimated at Rs. 18 lakhs and this was much too ambitious a scheme for the Wharfage Fund Committee, Bombay, to finance. Later Mr. A. H. Whyte, the then Superintending Engineer, Southern Circle, selected the present site, on which the jetty has been constructed. Sir Frederick Sykes visited Ratnagiri in November 1932 and gave an impetus to the new proposal of constructing a boat jetty, the cost of which was estimated at Rs. 96,000. This modest scheme received Government's sanction in February 1933, the work having been financed by the Landing and Wharfage Fees Fund Committee, Bombay.
The total length of the jetty is 990 feet of which the first 470 feet are on the foreshore. The structure consists of reinforced concrete beams and slab, roadway 12 feet width clear, supported by R. C. C. piles driven with the help of country devices. The last 245 feet portion is founded on 4½ tons precast concrete blocks which were conveyed from the shore to the site through water by a country crane rigged up on a couple of country crafts and laid in position. The central portion is supported on massive concrete side walls founded on rock, with rubble filling in between and R. C. C. slab over them.
Thebaw Palace.
The Thebaw Palace building is situated in Nachane village boundary and on the approach road which branches off from the Ratnagiri-Kolhapur Road, in mile No. 0/8 (length one mile nearly). The palace and its subsidiary buildings were constructed in 1910-11 at a cost of Rs. 1,31,486 and was utilised as Thebaw's [King Thebaw of Burma was deposed on December 1, 1885, and was brought to Ratnagiri in 1886. Up to 1901-11, he was kept at Outram Bungalow at Ratnagiri. In 1901-11, after the construction of this palace, he was kept there. He died on December 15, 1916, at the age of 58. Therefore, this bungalow came to be known after him as ' Thebaw Palace'.] residence. It occupies an area of 27 acres and 18½ gunthas.
It is constructed of laterite stone in lime mortar. The roof of the main building is of Mangalore tiles. The main halls are provided with marble and minton tiled flooring. Other rooms have concrete floors. The main building is a two-storeyed structure provided with a lightning conductor. Water supply is provided by pumping water from a well specially sunk to the rear side of the palace compound as also from the Nachane main. It has got an extensive compound which is enclosed with stone walls. An excellent view of the country around can be had from the compound. At present the ground floor of the annex is used as an inspection bungalow. There is only one suite. The remaining portion is used by the Collector and the Additional Collector for their residence.
Adalat Building.
Adalat Building at Ratnagiri (District Court) is situated on the plateau on the western side of the municipal road leading to Rajivde creek. It has been erected at a cost of Rs. 1,00,735 by using most of the materials, removed in 1823, from the Palace built at Guhagar by Bajirao II in 1812. It is a two-storeyed structure, the ground floor being used as office and the first floor as the residence of the District Judge. The roof of the main building is partly of double tiles and partly of single tiles, and some part is terraced. The roof of the coachhouse and servant's quarters and stable is of single tiles while that of the record room is of mangalore tiles on plank ceiling. The ground floor is partly of trap stone paving and partly of lime. The first floor is of planks. The floor of the subsidiary buildings except the record room is of murum. The floor of the record room is of zinc sheets over a bed of concrete.
Civil Hospital.
Civil Hospital at Ratnagiri is situated to the south of the road leading to Nivkhol Village. The date of erection of the main building is not known. It consists of the male ward accommodating 21 beds, ten surgical, eight medical and three for infectious diseases, the female ward accommodating 11 beds; four for females, four for children and three for patients affected by infectious diseases, the maternity ward accommodating six beds; and the T. B. ward accommodating six males and six females. There is also a store room, an office room and an operation theatre.
The outdoor patients department and the infectious diseases ward were completed in 1918-19 and quarters for two sub-assistant surgeons were completed in 1921-22. The capital cost of all the structures amounted to Rs. 43,176.
The indoor patients ward is of laterite stone and lime masonry with a mangalore tiled roof. The floor is partly of trap stone and partly of Shahabad stone. The whole compound is enclosed with a perforated compound wall.
Collector's Office.
The Collector's office is situated on the plateau on the west side of the Ratnagiri-Kolhapur Road in mile No. 1. It is a two-storeyed structure. It has been erected by using most of the materials removed in 1823 from the palace built at Guhagar by Bajirao II in 1812. It is constructed at a cost of Rs. 84,000. The year of construction is not known.
The roof of the main building is of Mangalore tiles on plank ceiling, that of subsidiary buildings is of single tiles and that of the guard room is of double tiles. The ground floor is of concrete and the first floor is of planks.
Mamlatdar's Office.
This building is situated in the compound of the Collector's office. It is an old building and its date of construction is not known. It has a roof of Mangalore tiles on planking. The floor is partly of Shahabad stone, partly of cement and partly of murum.
Grain godowns.
There are in all six godowns constructed in the Collector's office compound. They are constructed in laterite stone masonry,in cement mortar, with cement pointing from outside only. All these godowns have cement concrete floors. Two godowns have corrugated iron sheet roofs and the remaining four have a roof of asbestos cement trafford sheets supported on steel trusses. Of these six godowns, one has now been given to the branch of the State Bank of India, at Ratnagiri.
Rest House for ex-Servicemen.
It was observed that the Ex-servicemen found it difficult to secure accommodation for their stay, rest, etc. whenever they attended the district headquarters for receiving their pensions and some other occasions. To get rid of these difficulties, the Soldiers' Board decided to construct a rest house at Ratnagiri. Accordingly the construction of the rest-house at Ratnagiri was started in 1952-53 and was completed in the year 1953-54. It was constructed at a cost of about Rs. 30,000. It is located in the compound of the Collector's office. It is constructed of laterite stone masonry in cement mortar with cement pointing to outer sides. It has a Mangalore tiled roof.
D. L. B. Office Building.
It is situated in Collector's office compound. It was constructed in 1933 at a cost of Rs. 20,544. It is a two-storeyed structure. It occupies an area of 3,576 square feet. It is ' L' type building. It is constructed of Laterite stone masonry in cement mortar. On the ground floor there are nine rooms. Three rooms in one wing are of 18' X 14' and one room is of 18' X 16'. In the other wing there are two rooms of 18' x 16' and one hall of 18' X 24'. There are also two small rooms of 10' X 6½' and there is a motor garage of 24' X 14'. All these rooms have Shahabad stone floors and concrete roofs with rolled steel joints. The ground floor portion is occupied by the District School Board, Ratnagiri.
On the first floor there are as many rooms as on the ground floor. It has a Shahabad stone floor and a Mangalore tiled roof. It is occupied by the District Local Board, Ratnagiri.
Lokamanya Tilak Memorial.
Lokamanya Tilak was born at Ratnagiri on July 23, 1856 in a house where Tilak's father stayed as a tenant. After Tilak's death in 1920, the people of Ratnagiri decided to acquire the house in memory of the national leader and a committe was constituted to devise a scheme for raising a suitable memorial to him and collect funds for the purpose. All difficulties raised by the owner of the house, an old widow, were overcome. A bust of the Lokamanya was installed in 1944. In 1956, when the birth centenary of the Lokamanya was celebrated on a nation-wide scale by the Government and the people of the country, the Government of India decided to acquire this birth-place of the Lokamanya with all adjoining land for Rs. 30,000. This was effected in 1958. The estate is now in possession of the Government of Maharashtra and is in the charge of Buildings and Communications Department for upkeep. Several proposals regarding how Tilak's memory should be preserved in his birth place are under consideration (1959).
Vitthal Temple.
This is situated in Bazar Peth at a distance of about two furlongs from the S. T. stand. It is an old temple constructed by an employee of the Peshvas. It is a laterite stone structure. The renovation of the idol was made on Magha Vadya 5, Shake 1817 and that of Sabha mandap in Shake 1820.
In addition to the main idols of Vitthal and Rakhumai, there are idols of Surya, Ganapati, Shahkar, Devi, Datta, Maruti, Garud, Nam-deo and Tukaram.
The following are the fairs held every year:-
(1) Rathotsava | Kartik Suddha 11. |
(2) Gokul Ashtami | Shravan Vadya 8. |
(3) Kakad Arati | Ashvina full-moon day to Kartika full-moon day. |
This temple has no specific income but it gets Rs. 18 per year from Government. The expenditure incurred on fairs and festivals and maintenance of the temple is met from public contributions.
It is used as a town hall for public meetings and public functions.
Rama Temple
This is situated in Bazar Peth at a distance of about three furlongs from the S. T. stand. It is a laterite stone construction with a floor of tiles. There is Sabhamandap(congregation hall) of 40x20'. There are two dharmashalas and residential accommodation for the priest.
It gets an income of Rs. 1,500 a year while the annual expenditure comes to about Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 2,200. The deficit is met by public donations and contributions.
The following are the fairs held every year:-
(1) Ramanavami | Chaitra Shuddha 1 to 9. |
(2) Kakad Arati | Ashwin full-moon day to Kartik full-moon day. |
Patit paawan Mandir.
It was constructed in 1930 at a cost of Rs. 1½ lakhs along with the chawls which were built so as to secure some annual income for the temple. There are idols of Lakshmi and Narayan installed in the temple.
This temple is open to all Hindus including Harijans. The name Patitapavana has thus a significance, all its own. At present the temple gets an annual income of Rs. 900. But the expenses exceed this income and the deficit is met by public contributions.
Mental Hospital
The hospital consists of several detached one-storeyed blocks such as a male ward, a female ward, a criminal ward, solitary cells, etc. The office building is a two-storeyed structure. All the buildings are of laterite stone in lime masonry. It has a roof of mangalore tiles, and floors of Shahabad paving. These blocks are enclosed by a high compound wall which is provided with iron-barred gates. Outside the compound there are quarters for warders, clerks, etc.
The average attendance of patients is 320.
The staff consists of a superintendent, a psychiatric social worker, two medical officers, etc.
Training College for Men.
It is situated on the east side of the Ratnagiri-Kolhapur road in mile No. 1. It was constructed in 1863 and was enlarged in 1870. It was constructed at a cost of Rs. 17,975. It is of an old pattern and has a low roof of single tiles with ridge ventilators and floor of Shahabad stones. Up to 1939 this building was used for the Government High School at Ratnagiri. At present (1959) there are 105 students in the Second Year and 121 in the First Year. The staff consists of a principal, 12 full-time teachers, two part-time teachers, three special teachers, three clerks and 10 Class IV servants. There is a hostel for the students of the Training College which is situated on the plateau near the Fanshi springs. It was constructed in 1905-06 at a cost of Rs. 54,548. It provides accommodation for all students. It is provided with a dining hall and a kitchen. It has a roof of partly double and partly single tiles and a floor of Shahabad stones. Quarters are provided to the Principal, Training College.
Social Club.
The Social Club was established about 50 years ago. The member- ship of the club at present is 60 (1959). The club provides facilities for playing tennis, badminton, table-tennis, chess and carrom. It has got a permanent hard tennis court. The club conducts local tournaments in badminton, table-tennis and bridge.
The meetings of the club are held in the Victoria Memorial Hall situated near the municipality.
Rotary Club.
A local branch of the Rotary club was established on April 6, 1957, which has at present (February 1959) 25 members. The meetings of the club are held every Saturday in the Mahila Vidyalaya; Ratnagiri.
Marine Biological Research Station at Ratnagiri.
There is a Marine Biological Research Station at Ratnagiri, and situated there in are the main building, officers' quarters, servants' quarters, roads and a well. The main building includes library, tank room, store, laboratory, museum, dark room, office and record, curator's room, engine room and sanitary annexes. It is constructed at a cost of Rs. 1,55,832. The main building has a concrete floor and in officers' and servants' quarters the floors are of Shahabad stone-paving. It has a roof of Mangalore tiles.
At the centre of the main building there is a courtyard of 35'-9" X 34'-9". It occupies an area of 7,200 square feet.
It is proposed to have a small aquarium on the lines of the Taraporewala Aquarium in Bombay. It is also proposed to have an initial storage tank and filtration plant at an estimated cost of Rs. 55,569.
Municipal Office Building.
It is situated on Ratnagiri-Kolhapur road between mile No. 0/3 and 0/4. The main building faces the west. It was constructed in 1906 and is a single storeyed structure. It is constructed in laterite stone in lime mortar and has a roof of Mangalore tiles and floor partly of Shahabad tiles and partly of cement.
The main hall is measuring 27'-9"X 18'-9" and there is one room adjacent to the hall measuring 18'-9" X 7'-3". In front of the hall there is a verandah of 22' X 7'.
In 1924 one more block was constructed adjacent to the main hall consisting of one meeting hall of 36'-0" X 18'-6" and a room of 25'-3" X 11'-0" with a verandah on the south of the meeting hall which measures 36' X 7'. It is constructed in laterite stone in cement mortar. It has a floor of Shahabad stones and a roof of Mangalore tiles. In 1948, two rooms were added - one to the rear side of the main building and the other by the side of the verandah. The room on the rear side of the main hall measures 38'-0" X 12'-6" and the other one measures 14'-3" X 10'-0".
There is an open space all around the building.
Municipal Traveller's Bungalow.
This is situated to the west of Ratnagiri-Kolhapur road, at the back of the Municipal office. It is a single-storeyed structure constructed in laterite stone in cement mortar. It has a cement floor and a roof of Mangalore tiles. The walls are plastered on both sides. There are two halls where nine travellers can be accommodated.
Executive Engineer's Office.
This is situated in mile No. 0/4 on the west side of the Ratnagiri- Kolhapur road. A land measuring one acre and six gunthas accommodates 10 ground floor structures with a wide and long open plot in front facing the main road.
The main office building, with an enclosed compound and outhouses was constructed in 1886-87. Subsequently ancillary structures like sanitary blocks, record room, project overseer's office building were constructed as need for them arose. It was provided with electricity, telephone and tap water.
The main building has laterite stone walls in mud with lime plastering. It has a roof of Mangalore tiles and a cement concrete floor.
Special Prison.
This is situated in mile No. 0/1 on the east of the Ratnagiri- Kolhapur road. It was constructed in 1927 at a cost of Rs. 1,60,791. The wards for the prisoners which are vaulted and iron-barred in front, are in a circle in the centre of the Jail. Outside this circle there are female, quarantine and untried prisoners' wards and four work-sheds. It has three subsidiary buildings, viz., (1) Jailor's Quarters (2) Clerk's Quarters, and (3) Warder's Quarters.
White Beach.
One of the beautiful decorations in Ratnagiri is the White Beach, studded with cocoanut palms on its border and extending over five miles of sparkling sand from Ratnagiri Jetty to Mirya Hill. With the blue-green sea in front and the green palms behind, the scenery there is fascinating at any hour of the day which makes it a favourite spot of holiday-makers.
History.
Under the Bijapur dynasty, unlike most of the districts which were held or farmed by hereditary superintendents, deshmukhs, Ratnagiri formed a state possession governed by State Officers. No notice of Ratnagiri has been traced among the early European accounts of the coast. In 1731, on the partition between Kolhapur and Satara, Ratnagiri was given to Shahu, the Satara Chief. [Grant Duff, 223; Nairne's Konkan, 80.] In 1783, it was the headquarters of one of the Peshva's districts. In June 1818, it was quietly surrendered to the British, and in 1822, after weighing the advantages of it with Jayagad and Vijaydurg, Ratnagiri was chosen to be the British headquarters. [Nairne's Konkan, 129.] In 1819, it was a large village, but from the shallowness of the river had very little trade.
source:maharashtra.gov.in
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