Ratnagiri

The birthplace of Indian independence activist Lokmanya Tilak. Thibaw, the last king of Burma, alongside his consort Supayalat and two infant daughters, was exiled to a two-story brick mansion in Ratnagiri in the late 19th century. The building is now known as Thibaw Palace.

• Name — Ratnagiri • Settlement Type — City • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — India • Subdivision Type1 — State • Subdivision Type2 — Region • Subdivision Type3 — District • Subdivision Name1 — Flag of Maharashtra.svg Maharashtra • Subdivision Name2 — Konkan Division • Subdivision Name3 — Ratnagiri • Government Type — Municipal council • Governing Body — Ratnagiri Municipal Council • Unit Pref — Metric • Area Rank — City • Elevation M — 11 • Population Total — 327,120 • Population As Of — 2018 • Population Density Km2 — auto • Population Demonym — Ratnagirikar, Ratnakar, Girikar • Demographics Type1 — Languages • Demographics1 Title1 — Official • Timezone1 — IST • Utc Offset1 — +5:30 • Postal Code Type — PIN • Postal Code — 415612, 415639 • Area Code — 02352 • Area Code Type — Telephone code • Iso Code — IN-MH • Registration Plate — MH-08 • Website — www.ratnagiri.nic.in • Demographics1 Info1 — Marathi • Illustration — Bhagwati temple

it reads more like an essay. Archaeological evidence suggests the area around Ratnagiri has been settled for at least 12,000 years. 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, who turned 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 from the British, 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 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.

Ratnagiri is located at. It has an average elevation of 11 meters (36 feet). The Sahyadri mountains border Ratnagiri to the east.

The climate is a tropical monsoon climate (Koppen: Am), with the monsoon providing heavy rain between June and October, with the rest of the year warm and dry, devoid of any rainfall.

The Ratnagiri Municipality was established in 1876. 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. Ratnagiri–Sindhudurg (Lok Sabha constituency): Narayan Rane (BJP) represents the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency in Lok Sabha, lower house of the parliament since 2024.

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.

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.