About Pen

Pen is a town and taluka in Raigad district of Indian state of Maharashtra. It is famous for world class Ganesh idols.[1] It is geographical and cultural center of Raigad district.Name of Pen is derived from the term "" or "Pene", which means 'A place to rest'. Although no one is certain about the origin of Pen,[2] historians think it probably dates back to the times of Buddha.[3] Due to its vantage location, Pen developed as a port city (present day Antora port was commonly referred as "Pen Port"), with trade links as far as Egypt.[4] It had a very prosperous marketplace where exchange of goods to and from deccan took place. The Kolaba District Gazettee gives Pen's history as follows In historical times Pen was under rule of the Silaharas of Shri Sthanak (Thana) from 9th to the 12th Century and subsequently it passed under the control of the Yadavas. When Shayastakhan was sent against Sivaji, a detachment of the Moghal army had been kept at Pen but it was subsequently routed by him. Parvatibai, the wife of Sadasivrav Bhau, the hero of Panipat,. In 1819 the easy communication with Bombay and with the Deccan by the Bor pass made Pen an important centre. Its chief prosperity lay in its salt beds. There was a considerable export of rice to Bombay. A number of carved stones about the town appear to belong to an unusually large temple of about the thirteenth or fourteenth century.[5] During the period of shilahar kings, many temples of goddesses were built, including Jagdumba of Vashi. In the period of Chalukyas, grand temples of Shiva, like Rameshwar(), Pataneshwar(), Goteshwar() and Vyaghreshwar()were constructed[6] In Shivaji era, Shayistekhan's raid on deccan led to major fights in Pen taluka between Moghals and Marathas. Initially moghal army led by Sardar Taherkhan occupied Pen's fort of Mahalmeera and looted surrounding villages, which included desecration of grand temple of Goteshwar.[3] Shivaji's army fought back with vengeance. They defeated Kartalabkhan in nearby Umbarkhind and officer Balakhi, near Ratangad. Stronghold of Mahalmeera was also taken back on 27th Feb 1662 and the following day, after a valiant struggle, Pen's Bastion (presently, the site of Tehsil office) was secured by Shivaji's army. In this conquest, Sardar Vaghoji Tupe fought mesmerizing battle against equally skillful moghal officer but at the crucial moment, Tupe dealt a decisive blow which killed the officer and ensured Maratha victory. Vaghoji was also critically injured and died soon afterwards. Shivaji Maharaj himself visited Pen on two occasions, on 6 August 1668 and 11 May 1674.