India /Maharashtra /Raigad /Raigad
Raigad is famed for its rich heritage, ancient monuments and rocky terrain. Literal meaning of the term Raigad is ‘the king’s fort’. Raigad, a remote locale placed at an altitude of 2851 feet above the sea level, is gifted with a mountainous terrain. Nestled in the Sahyadri mountain range, this lovely place offers breathtaking views of natural splendor. Raigad is distinguished from the nearby mountains by lovely and profound canyons. This deep gorge sprawls on an area of 1.5 kms and houses lush and lustrous vegetation. River Gandhar and River Kal flows through this beautiful valley, giving it a majestic look. A verdant valley with rivers flowing beneath makes the surroundings scenic and tranquil. Lingana Mountain in Raigad is another favourite hot spot of tourists. Located at a height of 4,514 ft, it is one among the interesting trekking points in Raigad. Beside a center of adventurous tourism, this mountain range holds the panoramic view of the Borhatyachi Naal which is a valley lying between the Lingana and Raylingi mountains.An ancient fort built by Sivaji is located here. It is built in order to commemorate Sivaji’s victory over Chandrarao. This gallant fort was a key figure under the Maratha regime. Though in a ruined state, this fort allures the spectators with its rich heritage. Raigad is also famed for its varied and rich cultural heritage, folkarts like Keertan, Koli Dance, Bhajan, and Bharud are very popular among the people. Adorned with a hilly terrain and natural foliage, Raigad’s awesome beauty gained her a prominent place in the tourism sector. Raigad’s serene, calm topography is certainly a solace to those who are coming from a busy city life.
Raigad Fort, Raigad
Quick Facts-Edit
Category : Historical
Time Zone: UTC + 5:30 Hours
Pincode: 402xxx
STD Code: 2141
Info Website: raigad.nic.in
Best Time to Visit: October to March
HistoryEdit
Raigad fort is located around 2850 feets high from the sea level. The fort is situated at highest peak of Sahyadri Mountains and because of that, fort gets the protection naturally. In 1664, King Shivaji declared Raigad as the capital of his empire. Shiv Rajyabhishek (crowning ceremony of King Shivaji) is an important event in the History of India. In April 1680, the King Shivaji passed away and Aurangzeb taken charge of the fort after beating Shivaji’s son Chhatrapati Sambhaji. Again Chhatrapati Shahu’s army gets the fort in 1734. From 1734 to 1758 Peshavas ruled Raigad Fort. British officer Colonel Prarther attacked on Raigad Fort in 1818 and destroyed most of structures including King Shivaji’s and Queen’s palaces. They got around Rs.500,000/- in form of gold coins as hoard.
Places to VisitAdd
How to ReachEdit
By Air : Pune airport is located about 102 km away from the Raigad is the nearest airport. Mumbai Chatrapati Shivaji International airport is another airport, which is 187 km away from Raigad. All the major airlines have service from Mumbai to all major cities in India and many cities abroad including Singapore, Hong Kong, Colombo and gulf countries. Taxis are available from Mumbai and Pune to Raigad and costs about Rs 3,000. Chhatrapati Shivaji Railway Station: 022-22697330.
By Train : The nearest Railway Station from Raigad is Vir Dasgaon Railway Station in Veer, located at a distance of 40 Kms from Raigad. Vir Dasgaon Railway Station is well connected to major cities like Ajmer, Dadar, Diva, Ernakulam and Ratnagiri through Maru Sagar Express, Rajya Rani Express and Diva Swv passenger.
By BUS : State transport offer bus regular and frequent services from Mumbai and Pune to Raigad. Raigad is well connected to all neighboring cities by the public transport buses, including Kolhapur (250 km), Pune (102 km), Mumbai (187 km) and Mahabaleshwar (75 km). Public bus charge is less than Rs 4 per km.
By Taxi : Raigad is well connected by a road network and national highways 17. The tourist can reach to Raigad by taxi. The normal Indian taxi charges of Rupees 8 to 20 will be charged for each km.
By Other : The final adventure to Raigad fort with a fascinating trolley ride taking tourist in clouds with breeze and scenic mountains around. Ropeway charges are very minimal, Just Rs.170/-, Raigad Ropeway Project: 91-02145-202122.
Top HotelsAdd
Budget – Up to Rs. 800
- Kamath Residency ; Highway, 1.5 Km Before Nagothane, Taluka: Roha,Raigad – 402106, ; Ph – 098 69 279937 ; Facilities – Travel Desk , Laundry ,Doctor on Call , STD/ISD Phone .
Economy – Up to Rs. 801 to Rs. 1200
- Prakruti Resorts ; Kashid Village, P.O. Kashid, Murud – Janjira Road, District Raigad. ; Ph – 022 6156 9600 ; Facilities –Travel Desk , 24-hour front desk , 24-hour room service.
Deluxe – Up to Rs. 801 to Rs. 1200
- Rishi Garden Resort ; Mumbai Goa Road, Near Karnala Bird Sanctuary, Kalhegaon, Panvel, Dist,Raigad. ; Ph – N.A. ; Facilities – Travel Desk ,Laundry ,Doctor on Call , STD/ISD Phone.
Top RestaurantsAdd
- Shree Datta Snacks ; Pune to Mumbai Expressway, Raigad, India. ; M – N.A. ; Food Serve : Indian.
Must Eat FoodAdd
- Malvani cuisine – Speed Braker Restaurant ; Sri Niwas Building, Mumbai Goa Highway, Raigad. ; Ph/M – (+91) 9270719800, (+91) 8698767999 ; Cost – N.A. ; Famous for – Malvani cuisine uses coconut liberally in various forms such as grated, dry grated, fried, coconut paste and coconut milk. Many masalas have dried red chilies and other spices like coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin, cardamom, ginger, garlic, etc. Some dishes also use kokum, dried kokam (amsul), tamarind, and raw mango (kairi).
Must Do ActivitiesAdd
Must ShopAdd
Nightlife (Pub / Disc / BAR)Add
SpaAdd
Festival
Shiv Rajyabhishek Sohala
Shiv Rajyabhishek Sohala ; Venue: Durgraj Raigad fort ; Period : 6th June ; Details: Shiv Rajyabhishek Sohala is celebrated every year on 6th June at Durgraj Raigad the Capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Safety / WarningEdit
- Beware of pickpockets as Raigad is a major tourist city in India.
- Beware of fake items. Better to buy from reputable shops even though you have to pay more.
HelplineEdit
- Ambulance : 102
- Fire Brigade : 101
- Police : 100