Raigad

Raigad was known as the mountain of “Rairi” before it was captured by Shivaji Maharaj. Due to its impregnability, Raigad was known as “Gibraltar of East”. In the 16th century, when this was not developed as a fort, it was called by local people as “Rashivata” and “Tanas”. Due to its shape of a tall oil lamp tower, it was also called as “Nandadeep”. The fort was called by 15 different names by different people at different times –
Raigad, Rairi, Islamgad, Nandadeep, Jambudweep, Tanas, Rashivata, Badenur, Raigiri, Rajgiri, Bhivgad, Reddi, Shivlanka, Rahir and Gibraltar of the east.
The fort was initially used to keep prisoners during the Nizamshahi rule. It was then ruled by the More clan of the Javli region. On 6th April 1656, Shivaji Maharaj besieged Rairi and captured it in May. The then Subhedar of Kalyan was transporting the treasure of Adilshah to Bijapur, which was raided by Marathas and utilized to fortify Raigad.
It is mentioned in “Sabhasad Bakhar” how Shivaji Maharaj selected the fort as the first capital –
‘राजा खासा जाऊन पाहता गड बहुत चखोटा. चौतर्फा गडाचे कडे तासिल्याप्रमाणे दिड गाव उंच. पर्जन्यकाळी कडियावर गवत उगवत नाही आणि धोंडा तासीव एकच आहे. दौलताबाद पृथ्वीवर चखोट गड खरा, परंतु तो उंचीने थोडका. दौलताबादचे दशगुणी उंच असे देखोन बहुत संतुष्ट झाले आणि बोलिले, तक्तास जागा हाच गड करावा’.
‘The King observed that mountain of “Rairi” was the best place, steep on all sides and tallest of all, the whole mountain being a seamless rock. Daulatabad is also good, but less tall than this one. This fort is taller and better then Daulatabad and hence the best place for the throne.’
Raigad has been one of the most importance forts, and has been a witness of significant events –
Shiv Raajabhishek (The Coronation ceremony of Shivaji Maharaj) was the most significant event in the history of India. Shivaji Maharaj became the King of the newly formed Maratha kingdom after a struggle of more than 300 years. Shivaji Maharaj took the blessings of Bhavani Mata of Pratapgad on 19th May 1674 and offered a golden umbrella (Chatra) worth Rs. 56,000 to the goddess before the ceremony. The ceremony took place on the auspicious day of 6th June 1674, which was a Saturday.
On 24th September 1674, Shivaji Maharaj underwent another ceremony for coronation for the commoners. This was done by Nischalpuri Gosavi. Kavi Bhushan has aptly written an extended description of this fort in his works.
On 4th February 1675, Sambhaji Maharaj’s thread ceremony took place on Raigad, and on 7th March 1680, it was Rajaram Maharaj’s ceremony. 8 days later Rajaram got married to Prataprao Gujar’s daughter.
On 3rd April 1680, Shivaji Maharaj passed away on this fort, which was the most devastating moment for the Maratha regime. On 16 February 1681, Sambhaji became the crowned king of Maratha Empire.
Aurangzeb started his conquest of Raigad in 1684, and dispatched Shahabuddin Khan with an army of 40000. He plundered the villages in vicinity like other Mughals and returned in 1985 without attacking Raigad. Zulfikarkhan followed suit and besieged Raigad on 25th March 1689. On 5th April Rajaram escaped to Pratapgad. Finally, on 3rd November 1689, Mughals captured Raigad due to treacherous Suryaji Pisal. They renamed the fort as Islamgad. Marathas regained it on 5th June 1733.