Raigad – Unravelling the Maratha Capital
Raigad, the king of all the forts ever conquered by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj back in 17th Century holds vital pieces of historical evidence showing how great the Marathas were!
A complete guide about Raigad, which not only talks about the place and how to get there but also touches on some parts that hold great historical value.
For all the ‘historophiles’ out there, here’s a place that you can’t miss. The amount of historical importance this fort holds is well known by any historian who has studied the Maratha History.
Located in one of the most strategic positions, it is guarded by the Sahyadris on all of its sides. At a height of about 820 mts (2700 ft.), the fort was safe from major attacks from the enemies.
The immense height also made it difficult for the soldiers and the villagers trudge the terrain.
How to get there?
Raigad can be accessed by almost all of the major ways to commute, be it Car or buses or trains.
Private Car / Bike: you can drive all the way long but then make sure to not tire yourself with the drive itself if you’re planning on trekking all the way up to the fort.
Mumbai: 165 KM
Pune: 135 KM
Bus: Mahad Bus Stop is at a distance of 24 Km away from the fort.
Trains: Mangaon Railway station is the closest railway station to the fort, almost 40 KM away.
The Trek
Difficulty Level: Moderately difficult / majorly for Amateur Trekkers
The trek is extremely tiresome and difficult and not recommended for beginners. It’s not that the road is not good for the walk, the pathway is decently supportive for the trek but the time that it takes to reach the fort is about 2 hours and hence many trekkers avoid the troubles. But as they say,
The actual fun is in the climb itself!
You can definitely climb but if you are a first-timer or are visiting as a tourist and not as a trekker, then it is highly recommended that you take the ropeway, which needless to say is a much less tedious option to get to the fort.
The trek has about 1500 steps and needs almost 2 hours to get to the fort from the foothills.
The Ropeway
One of the best moves Maharashtra Government has played is setting up the ropeway. With the help of the ropeway, many old and aged people who have the wish to visit the fort can get to the top, without much effort.
The ropeway journey is breath-taking. It is a heavenly experience as you literally move through the clouds. Since the fort is located at a really greater height, the ropeway gets you closer to the clouds.
The feelings of the ropeway is best experienced in the rains when the clouds are actually at a lower altitude and you can see fort hide amidst the fog. As you move towards the fort, you start to see clouds and fog around, when you reach a significant height the humidity and cold weather gives unforgettable chills!
Imagine being surrounded by clouds on all the sides? Eternal!
The ropeway then drops you near the ‘Mena Darwaza’.
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| Mena Darwaza |
The Fort
The fort is humongous and takes more than half of the day to view every loop and corner of the fort. The fort has three major entrances: Mena Darwaza, Mahadarwaza & Nene Darwaza.
The Ropeway drops you at the Mena Darwaza and the trekkers enter the fort from the Mahadarwaza.
The fort holds great pieces of history in almost every structure residing within it. There’s a lot to see within the fort and you’ll receive loads & loads of history if you dive deep into the making of those structures.
But here in this article, we’ve also gathered some vital pieces of information about a few locations worth pondering:
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had 8 wives and the fort has a separate ‘Mahal’ for each of them.
Hirkani Buruj
(A story that touched our hearts and the reason why this place is named so!)
It is said that a lady named Hirkani from the village located at the foothills of the fort, was stuck inside the fort after the gates of the fort were closed & the guards refused to open the doors and let anyone out until the following morning. But this lady was worried and anxious for her child who was left all alone back at her home down in the village. She couldn’t resist her emotions and decided to climb down the fort late at night. Despite all of the problems she successfully, climbed down the entire height of about 840 mts, which clearly indicates that how a mother can put her life on the line for her kids!
Shivaji Samadhi
The greatest loss for the entire Maratha Empire was the Death of the emperor, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on 3rd April 1680. A small tomb located in the fort symbolizes the efforts of the brave warrior.
Asthapradhan Karyalay
As you move further into the fort, you’ll come across many broken down pieces of architecture that somewhat seem like a foundation for some huge structures. These are almost 8-10 in row. These buildings were initially for the important court members. These palaces were the storehouses of all the paperwork about all the forts and territories of the Maratha Empire.
Gangasagar Lake
There is also a small lake in the fort that held waters from 7 seas and 7 rivers. Gagabhat was a renowned priest who had got the waters from different water bodies for the auspicious coronation ceremony of the king.
Throne
Though the throne is not there as of the present time, but it is believed that it was a place where 32 Mhan Gold throne was placed.
Rajyasabha
Walking further into the fort, you’ll come across a demolished structure, where on 6th June 1674 (Saturday), the auspicious Coronation Ceremony of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was performed.
There’s a funny story that is associated with the coronation ceremony too! It is said that there were elephants too involved in the celebrations. An Englishmen was highly astonished to see elephants at such a greater height, he was dazzled by the thought of getting such huge animals to a height of 2700 ft. His doubt was cleared when the king told him that the elephants were brought up on the fort when they were still babies.
Holi Mahal
It is said that the Holi Mahal was the palace where during Holi celebration, Holi was burned the first and then everywhere else. The king used to throw coconuts in the fire and the brave villager who could fetch the burning coconuts out of the fire would be rewarded.
Other places to see on the fort are-
Dhanyache Kothar
Palkhi Darwaza
Rajmahal- two-floor buildings
Royal Mint
Underground Khalbatkhana
Sachiwalay
Sadar
Praveshdwar / Nagarkhana
Kushawart Lake
Wadeshwar Temple
Hatthi Talav
Hanuman Talav
Bazar Peth
Wadeshwar Temple
Waghya Statue
While walking across the entire area, you’ll come across a pillar that has a statue of a dog on top it. It is said the Shivaji Maharaj had a Dog named Waghya who was so dear and loyal to the king that after the king died when the king was cremated. Waghya, the dog jumped into the burning flames and died along with the king!
Takmak Tok
The most intriguing places on the fort is ‘Takmak Tok’. It literally translates to a rough-terrain edge. Which stands true for how this place this. Takmak Tok is extremely rough and has a valley which is almost 2600 ft deep. The winds are strong over the edge. The feeling at the end is eternal.
The view of the mountains from the edge is pretty as a picture and with strong misty winds blowing around, it adds to the beauty of this place. The photos don’t do enough justice to the beauty of this place. You need to be here to witness the sheer strength of nature.
Backpack
As such there’s no special need to pack a bag for a visit to Raigad. Since, most the items, including food, water everything is available at your service outside and inside the fort. But if you are on a trekking expedition, make sure to carry stuffs more than you need, cause the two-hour-long trek though is worth the efforts but you’ll be completely famished at the end of your journey.
What you need to know?
Raigad is open to tourist all around the year but the best time to visit this beauty is monsoon and there’s a reason behind it. If you’re visiting Raigad in monsoon then please go to the fort by the ropeway.
The ascend is mesmerizing and literally the feel of moving through the clouds will leave you speechless.
Everything that looks good has some downside as well, the ropeway is an easy way to get the fort and so the majority of the people opt for this method. So there are chances that you may have to wait for really long before you get to board the cable car.
Lastly, Takmak Tok has strong winds blowing over it so be careful while reaching out for the end.
In conclusion, the fort along with the history that surrounds it, is amazing and an unforgettable experience for us. We were dazzled by the scenic beauty of the foggy ridges around us. The sense of understanding the deep roots of our culture was just like a cherry on top of the cake. It is a ‘go-to’ place for all those trekkers who have an urge to learn more and more about the rich heritage of our Country!
Thanks to our references:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2Z5VLlvTqY
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