Mahad is a city located in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, India, in the North Konkan region. It’s situated about 108.5 km from the district headquarters Alibag and 167 km from Mumbai. One of its notable features is the Raigad Fort, the capital of the Maratha Empire during Shivaji’s time. Additionally, Mahad is recognized for the Mahad Satyagraha led by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar at Chavdar Tale. The city experiences a tropical climate with heavy rainfall in the monsoon, hot summers, and chilly winters accompanied by morning fog.

Tourist attractions around Mahad include the Raigad Fort, Pratapgad Fort, Gandhar Pale Buddhist Caves, Shivthar Ghal, Lingana Fort, Birwadi Fort, Warandha Ghat, Mulshi-Tamhini Ghat (Bhira), Poladpur, and Mahabaleshwar. The city is a popular holiday destination in the Konkan region, and the locals celebrate festivals like Holi (in March) and Ganpati festival (in September).

In the past, Mahad served as a central market for Poladpur, Raigad villages, and the hill station Mahabaleshwar. The city is surrounded by the Sahyadri mountain ranges and rivers like Savitri, Kal, and Gandhari. It was once a thriving port, known for exporting “Mahadi Gul” from Gujarat through its port to various locations.

Today, Mahad has well-developed town infrastructure, and the Mahad MIDC near Birwadi is a chemical industry cluster hosting polymer, pharmaceutical, organic, pigment, fertilizer, and aroma chemical manufacturing industries. Notable companies like Pidilite, Piramal Healthcare, Sandoz, Vinati Organic, Lakshmi Organic, and Hikal Ltd. are present in the region.