Towering above the valleys of Maharashtra, Raigad Fort carries the echoes of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s reign. Once the capital of his flourishing Maratha Empire, this hilltop stronghold carries with it the stories of bravery, innovation, and heroism. Each stone of Raigad echoes the remarkable courage and visionary tactics of Shivaji Maharaj, whose leadership transformed this fort into a symbol of strength. Today, it continues to inspire, reminding generations of the extraordinary deeds that shaped the history of an empire.
The “Sabhasad Bakhar” (Ancient letter) reflects how Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj selected the Raigad fort as the capital of the Maratha Empire. It mentions, “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj observed the potential of the hill or Rairi, which has steep escarpment and is the tallest of all mountains and hills in the region. The seamless and unbroken nature of the rock was a great potential. The fort of Daulatabad is also a good fort, however, it is not as good as Raigad, as this is taller and better, hence will be most suitable as a capital and a throne for the king.”
Raigad, surrounded by valleys shaped by the Kal and Gandhari rivers, stands as an isolated massif without connections to neighbouring hills. Its impregnable nature, attributed to physiographic features like steep cliffs and 1500-foot escarpments, is underscored by innovative military defence tactics.
Grant Duff, a British historian of the Maratha period has drawn parallels between Raigad and the Rock of Gibraltar. He has gone to the extent of labelling Raigad as the Gibraltar of the east.
The fort of Raigad is part of the 12 forts nominated for UNESCO World Heritage under the title “Maratha Military Landscapes of India”. Among the 12 nominated forts, Raigad is the classic example of Maratha architecture and best representation of the capital fort on a hill, well integrated with the physiography of the hill with the most developed typologies of structures within the fort.
The theme of the backdrop of this year’s Rashtriya Ekta Divas celebrations at Kevadiya, Gujarat is the Raigad Fort. A replica of Raigad Fort has been made as backdrop at the venue of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade in Kevadiya to showcase the stories of incredible valour, heroic deeds and innovative warfare techniques of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
