Ratnagiri
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2017) |
Ratnagiri | |
|---|---|
 Thibaw Palace | |
  Ratnagiri  Ratnagiri | |
| Coordinates: 16°59′40″N 73°18′00″E / 16.99444°N 73.30000°E | |
| Country |  India |
| State |  Maharashtra |
| Region | Konkan Division |
| District | Ratnagiri |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal council |
| • Body | Ratnagiri Municipal Council |
| • Rank | City |
| Elevation | 11 m (36 ft) |
| Population (2018)[1] | |
• Total | 327,120 |
| Demonym(s) | Ratnagirikar, Ratnakar, Girikar |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Marathi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 415612, 415639 |
| Telephone code | 02352 |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-MH |
| Vehicle registration | MH-08 |
| Website | www |
Ratnagiri (IAST:Ratnāgirī ; [ɾət̪n̪aːɡiɾiː]) is a port city on the Arabian Sea coast in Ratnagiri District[2] in southwestern Maharashtra, India. The district is part of Konkan division of Maharashtra. The city is known for the Hapus or Alphonso mangoes. Ratnagiri is the birthplace of Indian independence activist Lokmanya Tilak.[3] Thibaw, the last king of Burma, alongside his consort Supayalat and two infant daughters were exiled to a two-storied brick mansion in Ratnagiri.[4] The building is now known as Thibaw Palace. This place has many villages like Karla, Rajiwada, Mirkarwada, etc.
Geography
Ratnagiri is located at 16°59′N 73°18′E / 16.98°N 73.3°E.[5] It has an average elevation of 11 meters (36 feet). The Sahyadri mountains border Ratnagiri to the east.
Climate
| Climate data for Ratnagiri (1981–2010, extremes 1901–2012) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 37.0 (98.6) |
39.0 (102.2) |
40.6 (105.1) |
37.5 (99.5) |
37.8 (100.0) |
39.0 (102.2) |
32.8 (91.0) |
34.2 (93.6) |
35.7 (96.3) |
37.5 (99.5) |
38.1 (100.6) |
36.7 (98.1) |
40.6 (105.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.7 (89.1) |
31.5 (88.7) |
31.8 (89.2) |
32.3 (90.1) |
32.9 (91.2) |
30.5 (86.9) |
29.0 (84.2) |
28.6 (83.5) |
29.4 (84.9) |
32.2 (90.0) |
33.6 (92.5) |
32.8 (91.0) |
31.3 (88.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.1 (66.4) |
19.4 (66.9) |
21.9 (71.4) |
24.5 (76.1) |
26.2 (79.2) |
24.9 (76.8) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24.1 (75.4) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.5 (74.3) |
22.0 (71.6) |
20.2 (68.4) |
22.8 (73.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 12.2 (54.0) |
11.6 (52.9) |
14.4 (57.9) |
16.1 (61.0) |
21.4 (70.5) |
19.2 (66.6) |
18.4 (65.1) |
21.1 (70.0) |
20.4 (68.7) |
17.7 (63.9) |
15.4 (59.7) |
13.5 (56.3) |
11.6 (52.9) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.3 (0.01) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.01) |
1.4 (0.06) |
38.3 (1.51) |
901.8 (35.50) |
1,041.7 (41.01) |
678.1 (26.70) |
416.4 (16.39) |
149.4 (5.88) |
15.1 (0.59) |
2.1 (0.08) |
3,244.8 (127.74) |
| Average rainy days | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 2.8 | 19.9 | 25.8 | 25.6 | 14.8 | 6.1 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 96.6 |
| Average relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST) | 55 | 57 | 63 | 66 | 68 | 81 | 85 | 86 | 81 | 72 | 61 | 55 | 69 |
| Source: India Meteorological Department[6][7] | |||||||||||||
Transport
Road
Ratnagiri is well connected to the other parts of the state and country by National Highways & State Highways. National Highways NH 66 (Panvel – Edapally), NH 166 (Ratnagiri – Nagpur) and Coastal Highway (Rewas – Reddy) pass through the city. MSRTC operates bus services to Mumbai, Thane, Vasai, Nala Sopara, Kalyan, Bhiwandi, Pune, Panaji, Nanded, Latur, Tuljapur, Akkalkot, Ambajogai, Beed, Kolhapur, Gargoti, Gadhinglaj, Nrushimhawadi, Ichalkaranji, Sangli, Miraj, Tasgaon, Jat, Islampur, Satara, Belgaum, Hubli, Bijapur and other major towns of the state. North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation also operates buses from Belgaum, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Indi, Muddebihal, Sindgi, Athani, Jevargi and Talikota. Several private buses regularly ply for Mumbai and Pune and a few for Kolhapur, Bijapur.
Railways
Ratnagiri is a major Railhead on Konkan Railway route. Ratnagiri is also one of the two divisions of Konkan Railway Corporation. The city is well connected to Mumbai, New Delhi, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Bhuj, Indore, Jabalpur, Patna, Nagpur, Pune, Margao, Mangalore, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kanyakumari, Coimbatore and other major towns of the country. Every train passing through the city halts here. Connectivity to western Maharashtra is proposed through Vaibhavwadi Road – Kolhapur route.
Collector and District Magistrate
M. Devender Singh (IAS: MH2011) joined as Collector and District Magistrate of Ratnagiri on 1 October 2022 after the previous Collector and District Magistrate B.N Patil was transferred.[8]
Political Leadership
Ratnagiri Municipality:
The Ratnagiri Municipality was established in 1876.[9] The Office of the President of the Council was occupied by Mr. Pradeep Salvi of the Shivsena, before it got dismissed due to the completion of the Term. Currently, the Office of the Council President remains vacant with the Administrator and the Chief Officer being in charge of the Municipal Administration.
Ratnagiri (Vidhan Sabha constituency):
Uday Samant (Shiv Sena), The Incumbent Cabinet Minister of Industries Uday Samant Government of Maharashtra represents the Ratnagiri constituency in State Assembly since 2004, and has been appointed as the Guardian Minister of the Ratnagiri.[10]
Ratnagiri–Sindhudurg (Lok Sabha constituency):
Narayan Rane (BJP) represents Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency in Lok Sabha, lower house of the parliament since 2024.
Education institutes
- Government College of Engineering, Ratnagiri
- M.M.A.K. Desai High School
- Navnirman High English Medium School(CBSE), Ratnagiri
- Podar International School, Ratnagiri
- Sarvankash Vidya Mandir
- Gangadhar Govind Pathwardhan English Medium School (G.G.P.S)
- College of Fisheries, Shirgaon, Ratnagiri (DBSKKV)
- Government Polytechnic, Ratnagiri[11]
- Indian Technical Institute (ITI) Ratnagiri
- Finolex Academy of Management and Technology (An engineering college affiliated to University of Mumbai)[12]
- Government college of Pharmacy, Ratnagiri[13]
- Patwardhan High School, Ratnagiri.[14]
- Phatak High School, Ratnagiri[15]
- Late T.P. Kelkar Jr. college of Science Ratnagiri
- Sacred Heart Convent Highschool, Udyam Nagar
- R. B. Shirke High School[16]
- Mistry High School, Ratnagiri[17]
- M. S. Naik High School.[18]
- Gogate Joglekar College[19]
- St.Thomas English Medium School[20]
- Rajendra Mane College of Engineering & Technology (Affiliated to University of Mumbai)[21]
- Rajendra Mane Polytechnic[22]
- A.D. Naik Urdu Medium School
- Sacred Heart Convent High School, Ratnagiri.
- Mane's International School
- S.B. Keer Law College.
- Jagadguru Narendracharya Maharaj Educational Institute
Marine Biological Research Station
The Maharashtra Government under the Department of Fisheries established the Marine Biological Research Station (MBRS) in 1958 at Ratnagiri, which is presently attached with Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Dist.: Ratnagiri. The research station has a 10-hectare area as a field facility including a three-storied building at the main campus, a well-equipped aquarium and museum, a modernized brackish water fish farm, a Mechanized Fishing and Research Vessel, Seed Production facilities, and various laboratories at its disposal.
The Marine Biological Research Station, Ratnagiri is one of the premier institutes, especially in the South Konkan Coastal Fisheries Zone, having a mandate for the development of fish production technologies, transferring the technologies to fish culturists, entrepreneurs, and the industry, and generating professionally trained manpower in fish culture.[23]
3D Planetarium
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde inaugurated a 3D Planetarium on December 16 at Ratnagiri. It was built for Rs 11 crore 58 lakh.
This planetarium is the first active 3D planetarium in Maharashtra and fifth nationally.
History
Ratnagiri, located along the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, has a rich and diverse history that dates back centuries. It served as the administrative capital under the Sultanate of Bijapur, with its strategic location making it an important military and trade center. The Ratnadurg Fort, originally built by the Bijapur Sultanate, was reconstructed by Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1670, turning it into a key coastal defense post.
In 1731, Ratnagiri came under the control of the Kingdom of Satara, marking the beginning of its integration into the Maratha Empire. Following the Third Anglo-Maratha War, the British annexed Ratnagiri to British India in 1818, further embedding it into the colonial structure.
Ratnagiri holds significant cultural importance as the birthplace of Indian freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, born on 23 July 1856. Tilak, an influential leader in India’s struggle for independence, moved to Pune with his family at the age of 10. His early years in Ratnagiri influenced his later revolutionary thoughts.
The city was also a place of exile for King Thibaw of Burma after the British Empire annexed his country. In 1886, King Thibaw, along with his family, was exiled to Ratnagiri, where he lived the rest of his life under British surveillance. His residence, the Thibaw Palace, still stands as a symbol of this chapter in the city’s history.
Furthermore, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a key figure in India’s independence movement, was confined in Ratnagiri from 1921 to 1935, first in prison and then under local confinement. His time in Ratnagiri played a pivotal role in shaping his revolutionary ideologies.
Today, Ratnagiri is known not only for its historical significance but also for its agricultural contributions, especially the famous Alphonso mangoes, and its growing role as a cultural and educational hub in Maharashtra.
Social Media Presence
Ratnagiri has developed a dynamic presence on various social media platforms, with local individuals and groups contributing to a growing digital community. Several content creators, influencers, and businesses from Ratnagiri have used platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook to showcase the city’s culture, tourism, and local events, helping to increase its visibility online.
One notable presence in this space is the YouTube channel R E B E L[1], which has garnered over 1,000 subscribers. The channel specializes in anime edits and has attracted a dedicated fanbase, particularly among younger audiences. While R E B E L focuses on a niche, many other creators have embraced content related to local culture, festivals, and nature, which helps promote Ratnagiri's rich heritage and scenic beauty to a broader audience.
In addition to individual creators, several businesses and tourism organizations have established their presence on social media, leveraging platforms to promote local tourism hotspots like the Ratnagiri Lighthouse, Ganpatipule Beach, and the historic Ratnadurg Fort. These efforts have further cemented Ratnagiri’s place in Maharashtra’s growing digital and cultural landscape.
See also
References
- ^ "Ratnagiri City Population Census 2011 – Maharashtra". Census2011.co.in. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ^ "RATNAGIRI DISTRICT 91 Poisonous" (PDF). 10 February 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
- ^ Bhagwat, A.K.; Pradhan, G.P. (2015), Lokmanya Tilak – A Biography, Jaico Publishing House, ISBN 978-81-7992-846-2
- ^ Christian, John LeRoy (1944). "Thebaw: Last King of Burma". The Journal of Asian Studies. 3 (4). Association for Asian Studies: 309–312. doi:10.2307/2049030. JSTOR 2049030. S2CID 162578447.
- ^ "Maps, Weather, and Airports for Ratnagiri, India". Faiingrain.com.
- ^ "Station: Ratnagiri Climatological Table 1981–2010" (PDF). Climatological Normals 1981–2010. India Meteorological Department. January 2015. pp. 663–664. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- ^ "Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012)" (PDF). India Meteorological Department. December 2016. p. M152. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- ^ "District Ratnagiri, Government of Maharashtra | Famous for Alphonso Mangos | India". Retrieved 1 October 2022.
- ^ "gazetteer RATNAGIRI (Archived copy)". Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
- ^ "Guardian Minister Hon. Uday Samant inspected the damaged area of Chanderai | District Ratnagiri, Government of Maharashtra | India".
- ^ "Government Polytechnic". Gcopratnagiri.org.
- ^ "Finolex Academy of Management and Technology". Famt.ac.in.
- ^ "Government College of Pharmacy". Gcopratnagiri.org.
- ^ "Patwardhan Highschool – Ratnagiri". Patwardhanhighschool.com. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ^ "phatakhighschoolratnagiri (Archived copy)". Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ^ "Welcome to R. B. Shirke High School, Ratnagiri". Rbshirkehighschool.com.
- ^ "Mistry Schools". Mistryschools.com.
- ^ "Welcome to M. S. Naik Foundation, Ratnagiri". Msnaikschool.edu.in.
- ^ "Gogate Jogalekar College, Ratnagiri". Resgjcrtn.com.
- ^ "St. Thomas English Medium School – Forming a joyful generation next". Stthomasratnagiri.com. Archived from the original on 12 October 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
- ^ "RMCET". Rmcet.com.
- ^ "RMP". Rmcet.com.
- ^ "Marine Biological Research Station – Ratnagiri District [Maharashtra State, India]". Ratnagiri.nic.in.
External links
Media related to Ratnagiri at Wikimedia Commons
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