About Raigad Fort:

• It is a hill fort situated in the Raigad district in Maharashtra.
• The British Gazette states the fort was known to early Europeans as the Gibraltar of the East.
• Its distinctive feature is a mile and a half flat top, which has adequate room for buildings. In its prime, the fort had 300 stone houses and a garrison of 2,000 men.
• Brief history of Raigad Fort:The fort, which was earlier called Rairi, was the seat of the Maratha clan Shirke in the 12th century.
• The fort changed hands a number of times from the dynasty of Bahaminis to the Nizam Shahis and then the Adil Shahis.
• In 1656, Chhatrapati Shivaji captured it.
• The fort not only helped Shivaji in challenging the supremacy of the Adil Shahi dynasty but also opened up the routes toward Konkan for the extension of his power.
• In 1662, Shivaji formally changed the fort’s name to Raigad.

Importance of Raigad Fort

• Raigad fort became the seat of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s government by 1664.
• Also, Shivaji was coronated as Chhatrapati at Raigad by Gagabhatt.
• Now the Maharashtra Government is also seeking the World Heritage Site tagfor Raigad Fort along with 13 other forts from the era of 17th century Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the theme of Maratha Military Architecture in Maharashtra.

Source: Architecture of India