Rajgad
Hill fort in Pune district, Maharashtra, India
title: "Rajgad" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["forts-in-pune-district", "former-capital-cities-in-india", "buildings-and-structures-of-the-maratha-empire", "maratha-military-landscapes-of-india"] description: "Hill fort in Pune district, Maharashtra, India" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajgad" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Hill fort in Pune district, Maharashtra, India ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox military installation"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Rajgad Fort |
| partof | on Maharashtra |
| location | Pune District, Maharashtra |
| pushpin_map | India Maharashtra#India |
| pushpin_mapsize | 300 |
| pushpin_map_caption | Shown within Maharashtra |
| coordinates | |
| type | Hill fort |
| height | 1376 m |
| architect | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj |
| ownership | *Maratha Empire (1656–1689; 1707–1818) |
| open_to_public | Yes |
| mapframe | yes |
| mapframe-wikidata | yes |
| mapframe-zoom | 16 |
| module | {{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| child | yes |
| Part_of | Maratha Military Landscapes of India |
| ID | 1739-006 |
| Year | 2025 |
| Criteria | Cultural: iv, vi |
| image | Suvela machi,Rajgad fort, Maharashtra,India July2015.jpg |
| caption | Rajgad Fort |
| :: |
| name = Rajgad Fort | partof = on Maharashtra | location = Pune District, Maharashtra | pushpin_map = India Maharashtra#India | pushpin_mapsize = 300 | pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Maharashtra | coordinates = | type = Hill fort | height = 1376 m | architect = Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj | ownership = *Maratha Empire (1656–1689; 1707–1818)
- Mughal Empire (1689–1707)
- East India Company (1818–1858)
- British Empire (1858–1947)
- Government of India (1947–present) | open_to_public = Yes | mapframe = yes | mapframe-wikidata = yes | mapframe-zoom = 16 | module = {{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site |child = yes |Part_of = Maratha Military Landscapes of India |ID = 1739-006 |Year = 2025 |Criteria = Cultural: iv, vi | image = Suvela machi,Rajgad fort, Maharashtra,India July2015.jpg | caption = Rajgad Fort Rajgad (literal meaning ruling fort) is a Hill region fort situated in the Pune district of Maharashtra, India. Formerly known as Murumbdev, the fort was the first 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 called Torna were used to completely build and fortify the Rajgad Fort.
The Rajgad Fort is located around 60 km to the south-west of Pune and about 15 km west of Nasrapur in the Sahyadris range. The fort lies 1376 m above the sea level. The diameter of the base of the fort was about 40 km 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 Shivaji on any fort. This Fort, was inscribed in 2025 as a component site of the Maratha Military Landscapes of India, which were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee.{{cite web |title=Maratha Military Landscapes of India inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List |url=https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/maratha-military-landscapes-india-inscribed-unesco-world-heritage-list-indias-44th-world-heritage-0 |publisher=UNESCO |date=27 July 2025 |access-date=19 January 2026
History
The fort has stood witness to many significant historic events including the birth of Shivaji's son Rajaram I, the death of Shivaji's wife 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.
The Rajgad Fort was also one of the 12 forts that chatrapati 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.
List of chronological events
::data[format=table]
| 1818 | The Rajgad Fort passed into the hands of the British. | |
|---|---|---|
| :: |
Tourism
The fort is a significant tourist destination and is most sought after especially during monsoon. Visitors prefer to stay overnight on the fort considering the fort itself is huge and cannot be explored in a single day. The Padmavati temple on the fort can accommodate around 50 people. Water tanks provide fresh water all throughout the year. Villagers from the foothills of Rajgad sell local antiques and items to these tourists.
Gallery
File:Gadancha Raja, Rajancha Gad.jpg|Suvela machi File:Rajgad 28.JPG|Main door bastion File:Rajgad Fort.jpg|Bastion File:Rajgad 30.JPG|steps File:Rajgad 37.JPG|Pali darwaza File:Rajgad3.jpg|Duba File:Rajgad5.jpg|Duba view File:Rajgad012.jpg|Fort mountain File:Bali Khila Rajgad Maharashtra.jpg|Bale Killa of Rajgad File:Ballekilla, Rajgad.jpg|Ballekilla, Rajgad File:Sanjivani Machi-view from Rajgad Mahadwar.jpg|Suvela Machi view from Rajgad balekilla Mahadwar File:.... Rajgad 16.JPG|Sanjeevani machi File:Nedha- TheNeedle Head of Fort Rajgad 01.jpg|Nedha at Suvela machi
References
References
- Prof. A. R. Kulkarni. (1 July 2008). "Medieval Maratha Country". Diamond Publications.
- "Rajgarh Fort History". Travelomy.
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