Raigad Fort
Raigad fort is located in the Sahyadri mountain range at a distance of about 25 km from Mahad in Raigad district. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj repaired this fort and built it. In the year 1674, it was declared the capital of the Maratha Empire. There is a ropeway to reach the fort, so you can reach the fort in a few minutes.
There is a man-made lake on the Raigad fort and its name is "Gangasagar Lake". The only way to reach the fort is through the "Maha-Darwaza". In the fort, there is a replica of the throne in the state court, which is facing the gate of the city hall. The part near the throne is designed for sound waves so that the words spoken here at the door of the court can be easily heard up to the throne. Raigad fort has a famous bastion built on a high valley and it is called "Hirkani Buruj".
The ancient name 'Fort Raigad' was used for captivity during the Nizam rule. Shivaji Maharaj laid siege to Ryari on 6 April 1656 and annexed Ryari to Swaraj in May. Later, Shivaji Raja came to know that the Subhedar of Kalyan was taking the treasure to Bijapur and he looted it and brought all the treasure to Raigad and used it for the construction of the fort. He made Raigad his capital to make it difficult to climb the geographical evil and to keep an eye on the maritime trade. The fort has about 1435 steps. To the west of the fort is a diamond tower, to the north is Takmak Tok. There are two tall towers in front of Gangasagar lake. The pillars are said to be about five storeys. . The state pavilion where the coronation of the Maharaja took place is 220 feet long and 124 feet wide. Remains of the market can be seen on the fort at that time.
How to reach ?:
By plane
The nearest airports are Lohegaon Airport, Pune and Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
By train
For all tourist destinations, Mumbai (CST), LTT, Kurla Terminus, Pune Railway Station and Panvel Railway Station (in Raigad district) are the nearest railway stations for the main routes of Indian Railways. The nearest railway stations of Konkan Railway in Raigad district are Pen, Roha, Veer etc. Panvel Junction is the most important railway station in the district. It is connected to Mumbai (Harbor Line and Central Railway Main Line), Thane (Trans Harbor Line), Roha, Vasai (Western Railway). There is a "Nero Gauge" railway line from Neral to Matheran, called Matheran Hill Railway.
By road
All major cities and tourist destinations in Raigad district are connected by roads with Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses. Raigad district is connected to Mumbai by Sion-Panvel Expressway. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway and National Highways pass through Panvel, Khalapur and Khopoli. National Highway 17, which starts at Panvel, passes through the entire district via Poladpur.
