Raigad Fort: A landmark of the Maratha empire, with a rich history

Raigad Fort is an imposing and famous hill fort nestled at Mahad, in Raigad District in Maharashtra. It is one of the strongest-ever fortresses of the Deccan Plateau. Several structures and other constructions in Raigad were developed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He made this his capital in 1674, after being crowned as the king of the entire Maratha Kingdom and later on, the Maratha Empire, covering a large portion of the central and western parts of India. The fort was the location for an armed campaign executed by the British East India Company in 1765. On May 9, 1818, the fort was looted and subsequently destroyed by British forces.

It is nearly-impossible to estimate the accurate value of the Raigad Fort, one of India’s stunning landmarks and a witness to historic events and stories of legendary warriors. It goes 2,700 ft or 820 metres above sea level, with the beautiful Sahyadri mountain range as the backdrop. There are close to 1,737 steps leading to the Raigad Fort. The Raigad Ropeway is an aerial tramway that spans 750 metres in length and is 400 metres high. This helps tourists reach the Raigad Fort from the ground level in only a few minutes. The value of this Fort is priceless just like all other iconic monuments in the country. If it were to be estimated today, it would run into several millions without a doubt!

See also: All about the Daulatabad Fort, Aurangabad

Raigad Fort: History and local lore

The Raigad Fort (earlier called as the Fort of Rairi) was seized by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1656 from Chandraraoji More, the King of Jawali. After Shivaji seized the fort, he expanded it considerably and named it as King’s Fort or Raigad. It later became the capital of Shivaji’s expanding Maratha Empire. The Raigadwadi and Pachad villages are nestled at the base of the fort. These villages were vital during the Maratha reign at the Raigad Fort. The climb till the top of the fort starts right from Pachad itself. During the rule of Shivaji, a 10,000-strong cavalry division was always on guard at the Pachad village. Shivaji also built the Lingana Fort approximately two miles away from Raigad. It was used for accommodating prisoners.

Zulfikhar Khan captured Raigad in 1689 and Aurangzeb changed its name to Islamgad. Siddi Fathekan captured the fort in 1707 and held it until 1733. After this period, the Marathas captured the Raigad Fort once again and kept it till 1818. The Fort is nestled in the current Sindhudurg District of Maharashtra and the British East India Company targeted it as a major political epicenter. Cannons from the hill of Kalkai ravaged the Raigad Fort in 1818, destroying it. On May 9, 1818, a treaty was executed and the British East India Company obtained control of the same.

See also: Rajasthan’s historic Ranthambore Fort could be worth more than Rs 6,500 crores

Raigad Fort: Key facts

• Raigad Fort was built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
• The chief architect and engineer was none other than Hiroji Indulkar.
• The central palace was built with wood and only the base pillars remain today.
• The main fort has the queen’s quarters, private restrooms and six chambers in all.
• Ruins of three watch towers still exist on the palace grounds. There are ruins of a market, which was accessed by horseback riders once.
• The fort overlooks the Ganga Sagar artificial lake.

• The sole pathway to the Raigad Fort goes through the ‘Huge Door’ or ‘Maha Darwaja’ which was earlier closed at sunset. It has two massive bastions on both sides, going up to 65-70 ft in height. The top of the Raigad Fort is approximately 600 ft above the door.
• The King’s Darbar still contains a replica of the original throne, which faces the ‘Nagarkhana Darwaja’ or main doorway. This enclosure was acoustically tailored to help hearing right from the doorway till the throne itself.
• ‘Mena Darwaja’ is the secondary entrance and a private one for ladies.
• The king and his convoy used the notable ‘Palkhi Darwaja’. The right has a row of three deep chambers which may have been granaries.
• ‘Takmak Tok’ is the execution point and cliff from where prisoners were thrown to die. The area is fenced-off today.

• A statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj stands before the ruins at the main market. The market goes up to ‘Jagdishwar Mandir’ and his samadhi along with the samadhi of Waghya, his loyal dog. The Pachad village has the samadhi of Shivaji’s mother, Jijabai.

Also read all about Karnataka’s Bellary Fort

• Other attractions include ‘Nane Darwaja’, ‘Khubladha Buruj’ and ‘Hatti Talav’ or Elephant Lake.
• The Royal Bath has its own magnificent drainage system that has impressed historians and architecture lovers greatly. It leads till an underground cellar, which was used for secretive activities in the past including storing treasures garnered from wars, secret conversations and prayers and so on.

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