rajgad

Unchallengeable,UndisputableandUnconquerable g , p q . , Elevation 1276 m(4,250ft) Location Pune Rajgad KingofForts

Rajgad RajgadfortwasrecognizedasfirstpoliticalbaseofHindavi Swarajya.Rajgadwasinitially knownasMurumbdevduringtheBahamani regime.TheMurumbadevmountainstands adjacenttothevally formedduetoNire,Velvandi,Kanandi andGunjavani rivers.Itis48km FromPunetowardsSouth Westdirectionand24kmNorth WestofBhor. From Pune towards SouthWest direction and 24 km NorthWest of Bhor ToexpandboundariesofHindavi Swarajya withinMaval region,twofortsviz.Rajgadand Torna wereconsideredtobeataprimepositionthen.Although,boththefortswereequally unchallangable,RajgadfortscoredanedgeoverTorna fortprimarilybecauseofitshugesize. AlsotheapproachtoRajgadmadeitmoreuniqueasonehastoeithercrossamountainora rivertoreachRajgadfort.Inviewoftheabovefactors,ShivajiMaharajselectedRajgadasa capitalfortandpoliticalbaseofHindavi Swarajya.RajgadhasthreeMachis`andoneCitadel. JamesDougals inhisBookofBombaywrites,RajgadandTorna occupyanunchallangable positionandareuncongquerable thusfacilitatingHinduKingShivajiMaharajtohaveawide scopetoexpandboundries ofhiskingdom. SakiMustaodakhan inhisnovelcalledMasire AlamgirenarratesaboutRajgadas: Averytallfortwhichjustifiesitsposition andexcellenceamongstall.Itshugesizecoversa diameterofalmost24milesatitsbase.Onecannotimagineitshughness andstrength.Itis believedthatonlywindcanroamaroundandwatercanpassthroughthethickforest believed that only wind can roam around and water can pass through the thick forest surroundingthefort.Else,itisverydifficultforanybodytopassthroughthethickjungles.

WaystoclimbRajgad ViaSecretdoorway(GuptDarwaja): FromPune,boardaStateTransportBustoRajgadandalightatVajeghar village. ThereafterfromBabuda zapa weproceedtowardsRailinginapproxanhour.Fromthereit takesminimumtimetoreachRajgad.Usingthisroute,onecanreachRajgadin3hours. RajgadviaPaliDarwaja: FromPune,boardaStateTransportBustoVelhe andthereafterfromPabe villageafter crossingKanad riverwecandirectlyreachPalidarwaja.Thisstaircasewalkwayisquiteeasy andonecanreachRajgadin3hours. SuvelaMachiviaGuptDarwaja: FromGunjavanevillage,awaythroughtheforestleadstoGuptaDarwajafromwhichone canreachSuvela Machi. RajgadviaAlu Darwaja: WecanreachAlu darwaja eitherviaBhutonde oreventhroughShivtharghal. RajgadviaChorDarwaja: OnPuneVelhe StateTransportBusroute,alightatMargasani village.Thereafteronecan reachGunjawne villageviaSakharvillage.FromGunjavanevillage,onecanreachRajgadin2hrs.

Sanjivani Machi Suvela Machi S l M hi Balekilla FromGunjavane Padmavati Machi

Mumbai Pune Expressway Vinzar Punebypass Sakhar Gunjavane Rajgad Gunjavane Nasrapur

Gunjavane Sakhar kh FromNasrapur

Gunjavane

ParkingPlace P ki Pl HanumanTemple behindthecaronleft

GoodFood.Also servesatthefort

Soumya Adarsh

Yuvraj

Crotalariaretusa (Dingla,Khulkhula) (Dingla, Khulkhula)

Nedhe (Orifice)

PadmavatiMachi Padmavati Machi ByChorDarwaja

From Gunjavane PadmavatiMachi Padmavati Machi

Celosiaargentea (Kurdu,Kombda)

ToBaleKilla To Bale Killa

Balekilla Darwaja Kothar Gunjavane Rajwada Darwaja

Duba SuvelaMachi

BaleKilla Darwaja

Rajeev,Soumya andAdarsh (Standing) Yuvraj andSandesh (sitting)

Rajwada on Padmavati Pali Marg

Sanjivani Machi

Daru K th D Kothar

PaliDarwaja

ToSuvelaMachi To Suvela Machi

SuvelaMachi

Balekilla fromDuba

SuvelaMachi fromDuba

Duba (L),Balekilla (C)andPadmavatiMachi(R)and Gunjavane(Extremeright)fromSuvelaMachi

Duba (L),Balekilla (R) fromSuvelaMachi

Adarsh

Nedhe (Orifice)

ToSanjivaniMachi To Sanjivani Machi

SanjivaniMachi

PaliDarwaja

SanjivaniMachi fortification,Balekilla andDuba fromSanjivaniMachi

SanjivaniMachi fortificationand Balekilla fromSanjivaniMachi

Doublewallconstruction

Unspoilt Unhurried Untouched Unconfined Unexpected Unconquered Unparalleled Un paralleled Unmatched Unstressed Un stressed Unlimited Standingassilentsentinelstohistoryarethe350oddfortsofMaharashtra.Beatenby g y y theseawaves,lashedatbythetorrentialDeccanrains,orscorchedintheblazingsun, standimposingrampartsandcrumblingwalls,thelastlingeringmemoriesof Maharashtra'smartialtimes.Nowhereinthecountrywouldyouencountersucha profusionofforts.Andsuchvariety.Sitedonanisland,orguardingtheseasoramong theSahyadrihills,whosezigzagwallsandroundedbastionssitlikeascepterand crownamidsthillsturnedmauve.