Raigad Fort - In Raigad

Raigad is a hill fortress situated in the near Mahad, Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. The Maratha king Shivaji made the fort his capital in 1674.

Raigad was the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji's kingdom. 

It was here that Chhatrapati Shivaji built his capital city in the 17th century, and here that he crowned himself Chhatrapati. For six years upto his death, Raigad remained the capital of the Marathas with its broad gates and magnificent monuments. 

There was only one pathway leading to the top, and prizes were offered to those who scaled the fort through unconventional methods. Though parts of Raigad are in ruins, yet they inspire an aura of grandeur.

You can also visit Gangasagar Lake or worship at the nearby Jagadishwar Temple or pay your respects to the great Maratha king at his Samadhi.




The fort, which rises 820 metres (2,700 ft) above sea level, is located in the Sahyadri mountain range. There are approximately 1737 steps leading to the fort, though today an areal tram exists to reach the top of the fort.

Ganga Sagar Lake at Fort

Shivaji Statue at
 Raigad

Rajgarh enjoys a unique position among the hill forts of Maharashtra.  It possesses all the salient features of fort architecture which are peculiar to the Deccan region.  The fort is at a height of approx.  1300 metres from sea-level and comprises three terraces (machis) and a citadel (Balekilla).  There are four gates called Gunjavane, Pali, Alu and Kaleshwari or Dindi gate.  The first two gates lead to the Padmavati machi, the third to the Sanjivani and the last to the Suvela machi.  Rajgarh looks like a winged bird flying in the sky – the Padmavati and the Sanjivani machis forming its two wings and the Balekilla and the Suvela machi its main body.

All the four of the fort have remains of buildings which included residential quarters, sadar or state offices, bazaar or business quarter, granary, armoury, temples, etc.  the fort had ample supply of water through tanks, cisterns and wells.  The water-supply being better on the Padmavati machi, it was major centre of activity on the fort.

Rajgarh, formerly known as Murumdeo, was earlier held by the Nizamshahi and Adilshahi rulers.  By 1648 AD, it was under the firm control of Shivaji, who gave it the new name Rajgarh, the king’s fort.   Shivaji’s construction activities here continued till 1670 AD.  For nearly twenty five years Rajgarh was the pre-coronation capital of Shivaji.  Out of Shivaji’s short life of fifty years (18,306 days) his stay of 2827 days at Rajgarh was the longest.  The fort witnessed a number of major political events of the Maratha period.








Location:- The fort is exact 26 km from Mahad city.

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