The Great Maratha Legacy

Forts in
Maharashtra

Explore the majestic forts of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Witness history etched in stone — Sinhagad, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad & Sindhudurg.

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छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराज

Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj

Founder of the Maratha Empire

The great warrior king who established Hindavi Swarajya. Known for his military genius and progressive administration, he built an impregnable defense system across the Sahyadri range.

Born

19 Feb 1630

Coronation

6 June 1674

Our Collection

Explore All 12 Forts

The most majestic fortifications of the Maratha Empire — each with rich history, trek guides & itineraries.

Sinhagad Fort

Pune

Sinhagad, the Lion's Fort, rises 1,312 metres above the rolling Bhuleshwar range, roughly 30 km southwest of Pune. Once known as Kondhana, the citadel has guarded the western approaches to the Deccan for more than two thousand years, changing hands between the Yadavas, the Bahmanis, the Mughals, and the Marathas. Its name was rewritten on a single February night in 1670, when Tanaji Malusare scaled the western cliff with a monitor lizard and a band of Mavalas to recapture it from Udaybhan Rathod for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Tanaji fell in the assault, prompting Shivaji's lament that gave the fort its present name. Today the ramparts open onto sweeping views of Khadakwasla and Panshet reservoirs, the tomb of Tanaji, the samadhi of Rajaram Maharaj, and a constellation of bastions, dargahs and granaries quietly braided into the basalt. The trek begins at Atkarwadi or Donje village and climbs through laterite steps shaded by karvy and bamboo. Monsoon turns the slopes emerald, winter clears the horizon to the Western Ghats' last ridge, and weekend mornings draw Punekars up for kanda bhaji, pithla bhakri and clay-pot curd at the summit stalls.

Moderate 2 hours

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Raigad Fort

Raigad

Raigad — Durgaraj — was the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Hindavi Swarajya and the site of his coronation in 1674. Perched 820 metres above the Konkan, this monumental hill fort holds the Maharaj's samadhi, the Nagarkhana Darwaja, the royal court and panoramic ramparts that once watched over an empire.

Moderate 3 hours

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Shivneri Fort

Pune

Shivneri rises 1,170 metres above the town of Junnar in northern Pune district, a triangular hill fort whose name is forever linked to the birth of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on 19 February 1630. Built atop a much older Buddhist cave complex carved between the 1st century BCE and the 3rd century CE, the fort guarded the ancient Naneghat trade route that connected Kalyan port to the Deccan plateau. The Yadavas, Bahmani Sultans, Nizam Shahis of Ahmednagar and finally the Mughals each held the citadel before it returned to Maratha hands. Jijabai chose Shivneri for her son's birth because of its near-impregnable defences — seven successive gates, sheer scarp walls and the protected Badami Talav cistern within. Today the fort preserves the Shivai Devi temple from which Shivaji took his name, the Shivkunj pavilion marking the birthplace, the perennial Ganga-Jamuna water tanks, and panoramic views across the Junnar plain to Naneghat and Lenyadri. The trek from Junnar town is gentle by Sahyadri standards, climbing stone steps through all seven gates in roughly two hours. Monsoon drapes the basalt in moss and pours waterfalls over the western cliffs, while winter mornings reveal the entire Kukadi valley in crisp detail.

Easy 2 hours

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Rajgad Fort

Pune

Rajgad, meaning 'King of Forts', served as the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Hindavi Swarajya for 26 years. Perched at 1376 meters in the Sahyadri range, it is a testament to Maratha pride and architectural brilliance. The fort features three Machis (Padmavati, Suvela, Sanjivani) and the Balekilla, offering panoramic views and a rich historical experience.

Moderate 3 hours

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