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'{{For|the town in Chhattisgarh|Raigarh}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2012}} {{Use Indian English|date=December 2012}} {{Infobox military structure | name = Raigad Fort | partof = | location = [[Raigad District]], [[Maharashtra]]<br />(near [[Mahad]]) | image = [[File:RaigadFort3.jpg|300px]] | caption = Raigad fort towers | pushpin_map =India Maharashtra | pushpin_mapsize =300 | pushpin_map_caption =Shown within [[Maharashtra]] | latitude =18.2335 | longitude =73.4406 | coord_region = IN-MH | coord_format = dms | type = Hill fort | code = | height = {{convert|1356|m|ft|-2}} ASL | ownership = Government of India | controlledby = {{flagcountry|Maratha Empire}} {{small|(1656-1689)}} [[Mughal Empire]] {{small|(1689-1707)}} {{flagcountry|Maratha Empire}} {{small|(1707-1818)}} {{flagicon image|Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg}} [[East India Company]] {{small|(1818-1857)}} {{flagicon image|British Raj Red Ensign.svg}} [[British Raj]] {{small|(1857-1947)}} {{flagcountry|India}} {{small|(1947-)}} | open_to_public = Yes | condition = | built = | builder = Honey singh (Deshmukh) | used = | materials = Stone, Lead | demolished = | battles = | current_commander = | past_commanders = [[Shivaji]] Killa | occupants = [[Sambhaji]] | events = }} '''Raigad''' is a hill fort situated in the [[Mahad]], [[Raigad district]] of [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]. The Maratha king [honey singh ] built this fort and made his capital in 1674 when he was crowned King of a Maratha Kingdom which later developed into the [[Maratha Empire]] eventually covering majority of modern-day India.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/MTDC/HTML/MaharashtraTourism/TouristDelight/Forts/Forts.aspx?strpage=Raigarh_Fort.html|title= Raigarh Fort|accessdate=2012-05-18}}</ref><ref name=imp>{{cite web | title =Raigarh |publisher=[[Imperial Gazetteer of India]], Volume 21|pages= 47–48|year=1909| url = http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V21_053.gif| accessdate = 2014-02-19 }}</ref> The fort, which rises {{convert|820|m|ft|-2}} above sea level, is located in the [[Sahyadri]] mountain range. There are approximately 1737 steps leading to the fort, though today [[Raigad Ropeway]], an [[aerial tramway]], exists to reach the top of the fort in 20 minutes. The fort was looted and destroyed by the British after its capture in 1818. Europeans also used to call it '[[Gibraltar]] of the East' ==History== [[File:The Ghats from Ryghur.jpg|thumb|left|The Ghats from Ryghur]] [[File:Raigad 1896.jpg|thumb|Raigad 1896]] Shivaji had seized the fort in 1656, then the fort of Rairi, from the royal house of Chandrarrao Mores, a junior or [[Cadet dynasty]] to descended from the ancient [[Maurya]] imperial dynasty. The last More king (or ''raja'') was a feudatory of the Sultan of [[Bijapur Sultanate|Bijapur]]. Shivaji renovated and expanded the fort of Rairi and renamed it Raigad (the ''King's Fort''). It became the capital of Shivaji's kingdom.{{citation needed|date=January 2016}} Pachad and Raigadwadi villages are located at the base of the Raigad. These two were very important villages during the Maratha rule. Actual climb on the top of Raigad starts from Pachad. In Maratha rule 10000 cavalry was always kept as a standby in Pachad village. After capturing Rairi from Chandrarao More, Shivaji also built another fort [[Lingana]] which is around 2 miles away from Raigad. where he used to keep prisoners. In 1689 Zulfikhar Khan captured Raigad and Aurangzeb renamed it as 'Islamgad' In 1765 the Raigad Fort, along with [[Malwan]] in present [[Sindhudurg District]], the southernmost district of [[Maharashtra]], was the target of an armed expedition by the [[East India Company|British East India Company]], which considered it a [[pirate|piratical]] stronghold.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}} In 1818 the fort was bombarded and destroyed by using cannons from the hill of Kalkai. and as per treaty on 9 May 1818, it been handed over to [[East India Company|British East India Company]]{{citation needed|date=December 2012}} ==Major features== [[File:Dawn at Raigad fort.JPG|thumb|Dawn at Raigad Fort]] The fort was built by Chandrarao More in 1030. Its ruins today consist of the queen's quarters: six chambers, with each chamber having its own private restroom. The main palace was constructed using wood, of which only the bases of pillars remain. Ruins of three watch towers can be seen directly in front of the palace grounds overlooking an artificial lake called ''Ganga Sagar Lake'' created next to the fort. It also has a view of the execution point called ''Takmak Tok'', a cliff from which the sentenced prisoners were thrown to their death. The area is now fenced off.<ref name="gunaji">{{cite book|last=Gunaji|first=Milind|title=Offbeat Tracks in Maharashtra|publisher=Popular Prakashan|year=2005|pages=41|isbn=81-7154-669-2|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=JIjmDLardesC&pg=PA41&dq=raigad+fort&lr=|accessdate=2009-03-17}}</ref> The fort also has ruins of the market, and it has such structure that one can shop even while riding on a horse. Maha Darwaja (literary Huge Door) having two very huge bastion on both sides of the door which are approximately 65–70 feet height. the top of the for is 600&nbsp;ft higher from the location of this door. Fort was having only once access route which goes through this Maha Darwaja. Khubladha Buruj, Nane Darwaja, Hatti Talav (Elephant Lake), Gangasagar are the famous attractions of the fort. Tomb of Jijabai, Shivaji's mother. can be seen at base village Pachad The fort has a famous wall called "Hirakani Buruj" (Hirkani Bastion) constructed over a huge cliff. Its story is that a woman by the name of Hirakani from a nearby village at the foothills of Raigad had come to sell milk to the people living in the fort. She was inside the fort when the gates were locked by sunset. The love for her infant son back at her village gave her the courage to climb down the cliff in the dark. She repeated the feat in front of King Shivaji, and was rewarded for it. In appreciation of her courage, Shivaji arranged for a wall built at this location. Even today{{when|date=March 2013}} we can see it standing.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}} The king's public court ([[Durbar (court)|Durbar]]) has a replica of the original throne that faces the main doorway called the ''Nagarkhana Darwaja''. This enclosure had been acoustically designed to aid hearing from the doorway to the throne. A secondary entrance, called the ''Mena Darwaja,'' was supposedly the private entrance of the royal ladies of the fort; it leads to the queen's quarters. The erstwhile main entrance to the fort is the imposing ''Maha Darwaja''. The convoy of the king and the king himself used the ''Palkhi Darwaja.'' To the right of Palkhi Darwaja, is a row of three dark and deep chambers. Historians believe that these were the granaries for the fort.<ref>[http://www.raigadropeway.com/fort.htm Write-up from the Raigad ropeway]</ref> A statue of Shivaji is erected in front of the ruins of the main market avenue that eventually leads to the ''Jagdishwar Mandir'' and his own [[Samādhi|Samadhi]] (tomb) and that of his loyal dog Waghya. The statue was removed by alleged members of the [[Sambhaji Brigade]]<ref>{{cite news|title=73 held for removing Shivaji's dog's statue from Raigad fort|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_73-held-for-removing-shivaji-dogs-statue-from-raigad-fort_1723352|accessdate=4 August 2012|newspaper=DNA}}</ref> in July 2012 as a protest but was re-instated by Shri Shivaji Raigad Smarak Samiti, the [[Archaeological Survey of India]], sculptor Rambhau Parkhi and the District Administration<ref>{{cite news|title=Vaghyacha putala punha basavala|url=http://72.78.249.107/Sakal/3Aug2012/Enlarge/PuneCity/page8.htm|accessdate=4 August 2012|newspaper=Sakal}}</ref> == Gallery == <gallery> File:Shivaji Maharaj Raigad.jpg| Statue of Shivaji at Raigad fort File:Raygad Map.JPG |Map of Raigad File:Raigad Information.JPG |Information of Raigad Fort in Marathi Language File:Hiroji step.JPG | The step of Hiroji Indalkar(Deshmukh). He constructed the fort File:Shilalekh on Raigad.jpeg | "Prasado Jagadishwarasya...." File:Raigad fort long view.jpeg | Raigad Fort and Takmak tok (end) on the left) File:Bajarpeth and Nagarkhana.jpeg |Bajarpeth and Nagarkhana File:Main Door shape of Raigad fort.JPG |Main Door shape of Raigad fort File:Statue of Shivaji Maharaj.JPG |Statue of Shivaji at the spot where his [[w:Rajyabhishek|rajyabhishek]] took place. File:Opes of Raigad Ropeway.JPG |Ropes of Raigad Ropeway.JPG File:RaigadFort1.jpg|Ruins of the old palace at Raigad fort File:Ganga sagar talav.JPG|The Ganga Sagar Lake, main water reservoir for the fort File:Raigad fort towers.jpg File:Raigad fort long view.jpeg File:RaigadFort4.jpg |Nagarkhana Darwaja File:RaigadFort3.jpg File:RaigadFort2.jpg File:RaigadFort1.jpg File:RaigadFort6.jpg File:RaigadFort7.jpg File:RaigadFort5.jpg File:Raigad gangasagar and takmak tok.jpg File:Raigad ropeway.JPG File:Raigad front towers.jpg File:Raigad Maha Darwaja.jpg File:Darwaja (The Gate).jpg </gallery> [[File:Shivaji-Maharajs-Samadhi-in-Raigad.jpg|none|thumb|Samadhi (Tomb) of Chhatrapti Shivaji]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{commons category|Raigad Fort}} *http://www.amazingmaharashtra.com/2012/08/raigad.html *[http://www.punetrekkers.com/raigad-fort-fort Raigad Fort Trek] * [http://indiaouting.com/maharashtra/raigad-fort/ Raigad Fort Pictures] *[http://www.raigad-fort.info Raigad Fort Photos & Information (Travel Guide)] *[http://www.yashwantnaik.com/outing/one-trip-raigad-travel-guide-tourist-information/ (Raigad Fort Place to See)] {{Forts in Maharashtra}} {{Forts in India}} {{MarathaEmpire}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Raigad Fort}} [[Category:Former capital cities in India]] [[Category:Buildings and structures of the Maratha Empire]] [[Category:Forts in Raigad district]]'