Ratnagiri
Ratnagiri is a district in the State of Maharashtra in India. The district is located in the southwestern part of Maharashtra State on the Arabian Sea coast. It has north-south length of about 180 km and average east-west extension of about 64 km. Sahyadri hills surround it in the east beyond which there are Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur districts, Raigad district in the north, the Arabian Sea in the west and Sindhudurg district in the south. District Area is 8,208 Sq Km.Population of the district as per census 2001 was 16,96,777.
Ratnagiri has nine tahsils - Mandangad, Dapoli, Khed, Chiplun, Guhagar, Sangameshwar, Ratnagiri, Lanja and Rajapur.
History
It is also believed that the Pandavas having performed their pilgrimage on the 13th year had settled in the adjourning territory of the Ratnagiri district and when the Pandavas and the Kauravas had the famous war at Kuruskshetra, the king of this region Veeravat Ray had accompanied them there.This region was under the rule of the Mauryas, the Nalas, the Silaharas, the Chalukyas, the Kadambas, the Portuguese, the Marathas and subsequently the British.
A fort was built during the Bijapur dynasty and strengthened in 1670 by the Maratha king Shivaji, which is located on a headland near the harbour.
In 1731 Ratnagiri came under the control of Satara kings and in 1818 it was surrendered to the British.
In 1948 the independent princely state of Sawantwadi was merged with the Indian union and in 1956 with Bombay Province. In 1960 with the creation of Maharashtra, Ratnagiri became a district. In 1981 Ratnagiri district was bifurcated and the new district of Sindhudurg was created.
Politics
Assembly constituencies and their extent after delimitation order of 2008263 Dapoli Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 1. Mandangad Tehsil, 2. Dapoli Tehsil, 3. Khed Tehsil (Part) Revenue Circle Bharane, Ambavali, Khed and Khed (MC).
264 Guhagar Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 1. Guhagar Tehsil, 2. Khed Tehsil (Part) Revenue Circle, Shirshi, Lavel, Dhamanand, 3. Chiplun Tehsil (Part) Revenue Circle, Rampur, Kharavate, Vahal.
265 Chiplun Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 1. Chiplun Tehsil (Part) Revenue Circle Kalkavane, Shirgaon, Savarde, Chiplun and Chiplun (MC), 2. Sangameshwar Tehsil (Part) Revenue Circle Makhajan, Kadvai, Phansavane, Vashi Tarfe Sangameshwar, Devrukh, Angavali.
266 Ratnagiri Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 1. Ratnagiri Tehsil, 2. Sangmeshwar Tehsil (Part) Revenue Circle, Mabhale.
267 Rajapur Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 1. Rajapur Tehsil, 2. Lanja Tehsil, 3. Sangameshwar Tehsil (Part) Revenue Circle-Kondgaon.