RAIGAD: ‘The Gibraltor of the East’

This is the very heart of Maratha country -- Raigad, the capital of Shivaji's kingdom. Stories of incredible valor and heroic deeds are etched on every pebble at Raigad. It was here that Shivaji built his capital city in the 14th century, and here that he crowned himself Chhatrapati. For six years upto his death, Raigad remained the capital of the Marathas with its broad gates and magnificent monuments. There was only one pathway leading to the top, and prizes were offered to those who scaled the fort through unconventional methods.

Though parts of Raigad are in ruins, yet they inspire an aura of grandeur. Tourists flaunt Gangasagar lake or worship at the nearby Jagadishwar temple, to pay their respects to the great Maratha warrior at his Samdhi. Raigad was the capital of Marathas, famous for Shivaji's coronation and his monument. Shivaji passed away here in 1680. His statue and other monuments on the fort are very pretty. The fort is almost 2900 ft high but really very difficult to climb. The fort was named as capital because of its toughness and difficult nature. It can be only approached from Pachad, a sleepy village that lies near the base of the mountain. Raigad got its name from the mountain Rairi and it was so inaccessible, the Europeans called it the ‘Gibraltor of the East’.

Historically important, these forts played an important role in history. These forts were strategically located and they were the strongholds wherein was concentrated the power and possessions of the rulers. The forts played a pivotal role in the foundation, preservation and expansion of Maratha rule. Chhatrapati Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire, identified the immense potential of forts as strategically located power centres and he exploited their peculiar architectural facets as weapons of warfare. These forts, captured or built, were designed to be a chain along the hills and formed a strong line of Shivaji defence.

Fort Raigad is much more than a mere tourist spot. It also a sacred place of pilgrimage, which has left an imprint of the grand vision of Hindavi Swarajya as cherished by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. This was considered to be the capital of the most illustrious Maratha sovereign, nurtured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Various landmarks have lent it the credo of 'Shivtirth'. The holy shrine has become vibrant by the valour, courage and patriotism of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The sheer vertical rock face tearing into the sky above, appears defiant and insurmountable. It has stemmed many a foreign aggression and protected the Hindavi Swarajya during those historic times.

Infact, it was at Raigad, that Shivaji's coronation ceremony took place in 1674 AD. Strategically perched atop a wedge-shaped hill, Raigad is split off from the Western Ghats and inaccessible from three sides. The only path that leads to the top starts from Pachad, 24 kms away from Mahad, and is extremely challenging. Once at the top of the hill, visitors can wander through the mile-long market, mansions of Shivaji's eight-member council, elephant stables and the queen's mansions and around Gangasagar lake, said to have been filled by the waters of the sacred river Ganga at the time of the coronation. The Jagadishwar temple and Shivaji's Samadhi, where the remains of this great warrior are enshrined are also popular sightseeing destinations. Steep cliffs surround Raigad, and Takmak cliff and Lingmala rockface are particular favourites with adventurous mountaineers.

Industrial development in Raigad

Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation has identified Raigad as an investment destination. The major industrial areas in Raigad are Patalganga, Taloja, Mahad, Mangaon(Vile Bhagad), addl patalganga and Usar.

The Patalganga industrial area, adjacent to the Mohopada village, is one of the 13 chemical industrial areas developed by MIDC. A historical temple of god Mohopada is situated on the right bank of river Patalganga. The Patalganga Industrial area is under the jurisdiction of Kholapur taluka and under district .Raigad. Ranges of high mountains surround this area.

The Taloja Industrial Area was established in 1970. This area is accessible by road, rail and air and water as it lies on the boundary of Mumbai and within the limits of Navi Mumbai. The area admeasuring 900 hectares is on the old Mumbai-Pune national highway 4, about 10 km from Panvel town. The nearest domestic air terminus and international airport are at Santa Cruz and Sahar, approximately 50 km away. The water transport facility is at Mumbai-Port Trust. The Konkan Railway passes through this area; Navade station, where all passenger trains halt and goods trains headed for JNPT and Konkan pass through, lies at the entrance to the area. Facilities such as hospitals, schools, colleges, entertainment facilities, etc are available within a distance of 10 to 20 km.

The area broadly consists of engineering, chemical and food processing units. The area has been developed in phases: the development of 645 hectares in the first phase was completed in 1986; while the development of 174 hectares in phase two and 74 hectares in phase three is almost complete. Due to expansion and saturation elsewhere, entrepreneurs have chosen the Taloja Industrial Area and the area has registered good growth. The area is situated at the foot of Shri Malang Garh, a religious hill; it offers scenic views, MIDC has acquired 765 hectares of land for the development of industries at Vile Bhagad situated at Raigad district in the Konkan region.

Raigad district, which derives its name from the Raigad fort situated in the region, has a considerable historic significance. This was the fort where the coronation ceremony of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the gallantry Maratha Emperor took place.