Rajgad Trek

Pune, Maharashtra (One Day)

Rajgad is a hill fort situated in the Pune district of Maharashtra, India. Formerly known as Murumdev, the fort was the capital of the Maratha Empire under the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for almost 26 years, after which the capital was moved to the Raigad Fort. Treasures discovered from an adjacent fort was used to completely build and fortify the Rajgad Fort. The Rajgad Fort is located around 60 km (37 mi) to the south-west of Pune and about 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Nasrapur in the Sahyadris range. The fort lies 1,400 m (4,600 ft) above the sea level. The diameter of the base of the fort was about 40 km (25 mi) which made it difficult to lay siege on it, which added to its strategic value. The fort's ruins consist of palaces, water cisterns, and caves. This fort was built on a hill called Murumbadevi Dongar (Mountain of the Goddess Murumba). Rajgad boasts of the highest number of days stayed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on any fort.

The fort has stood witness to many significant historic events including the birth of Chhatrapati Shivaji's son "Rajaram Chhatrapati", the death of Shivaji's Queen Saibai, the return of Shivaji from Agra, the burial of Afzal Khan's head in the Mahadarwaja walls of Balle Killa, the strict words of Sonopant Dabir to Shivaji Maharaj. The Rajgad Fort was also one of the 17 forts that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj kept when he signed the Treaty of Purandar in 1665, with the Mughal general Jai Singh I, leader of the Mughal forces. Under this treaty, 23 forts were handed over to the Mughals.

There are different ways to reach Rajgad, one of the easiest but the longest is via Vajeghar-Pali. One of the most frequently trekked routes is from Gunjavane Village via the Chor Darwaza to Padmavati Machi which takes around 2 to 3 hours. There is another route from Gunjavane village that enters the fort through the Gunjavane Darwaza, but this is tricky as it involves rock climbing and an expert guide. Another interesting route is from Bhutonde village that enters the fort via Alu Darwaza. This route, however, cannot be taken during monsoon as it becomes difficult to reach Bhutonde village which is in the foothills of Rajgad, after crossing the Bhatghar dam.