History

The History of Kasheli

Kasheli is an ancient and scenic Konkan village in Rajapur taluka of Ratnagiri district. The historic Kanakaditya Sun Temple, the rock carvings (katalshilpas) and several pre-British era structures give the village a distinct historical significance.

A 20th-century literary legacy

In the first half of the twentieth century, Kasheli was put on the cultural map by the great Marathi writer late Vithal Sitaram Gurjar. As editor of the Mumbai-based literary monthly Manoranjan, Gurjar shaped the modern Marathi short story. He retired to his birthplace, drew inspiration from rural Konkan life around him, and passed away here on 19 September 1962.

Modern education arrives

To commemorate Gurjar, the village established the Shri Lakshminarayan Shikshan Prasarak Mandal on 16 June 1967. The society today runs the V.S. Gurjar Vidyamandir high school — a cornerstone of contemporary Kasheli’s educational and cultural life.

The commemorative volume published in 1987 is a detailed record of the village’s literary and social journey through the twentieth century.