Rajgad – A Perfect Weekend Gateway For Puneities

April 7, 2019

Located at a distance of 54 km from Pune, Rajgad is an ancient hill fort situated in the Pune district of Maharashtra.

The fort is one of the well known forts Sahayadris and lies at an altitude of 1400 m (4, 600 feet). The fort was initially known as Murumdev and the fort was the capital of the Maratha Empire during the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for 25 years, before moving the capital to Raigad Fort.

The fort was built during the time the treasure was found at Torna Fort. Many historical events are associated with this fort.

Padmavati Machi, Suvela Machi, Sanjeevani Machi, and Balekilla are the four parts in which the fort is divided. The fort is a perfect example of ancient architecture and splendid design.

There are two ways to reach the top of the fort- one is trek via Pali Darwaza- it is a simple climb for 3.5kms and it starts from Pali village. The trek takes approximately 2 hours to reach the fort.

The second route is from bhor which starts from Bhutonde. These treks will take the visitors to Alu Darwaja of Rajdad and it takes near about 3-4 hours to reach there.

Sanjeevani Machi: The three-layer fortification of Sanjeevani Machi is a three-layer fortification and is located on the southwest end. Sanjeevani Machi is extended for approximately 2.5 km along with many cisterns.

Suvela Machi: It is located on the eastern part of Rajgad fort, is a narrow strip that leads to a dead end. On the right od suvela machi there is a Hanuman temple and towards the right of there is a Nedh. It is a giant hole on the rock face about 3 m in diameter carved by years of erosion.

Padmavati Machi: Padmavati Machi was a military base as well as a residential area. This part of the fort has a beautiful lake, a temple and Pali Darwaja, Chor Darwaja, Gunjawane Darwaja, Diwankhana, Daru Kothar, Rajwada, and Ghod Tale.

Balekilla: Balekilla includes caves, water cisterns and palaces. The entrance door of the Balekilla is called as Maha Dwaraja. The whole view of the fort can be easily viewed.

Reaching There:

By car: Get on to NH4 via Nasrapur Phata which is approximately 15 – 20 Kms from Katraj Tunnel and just 5kms and 35 km from Pune Station. After reaching Nasrapur travel westwards to reach the base villages. From the base village, you can decide your route for the trek.

By Train: The nearest railway station is Pune station. There are plenty of buses available from Pune station which will drop you to Nasrapur village and from there after you can depend on their local transport.

By Bus: MSRTC buses ply with good frequency to Nasrapur.

Local villagers do serve water, nimbu paani, corn, and some other local snacks. Yet it is advisable to carry your own water and food.

The fort is an ideal destination for camping and can’t be explored in one day. Hence regular trekkers recommend halting overnight. There are two temples Padmavati and smaller temples where trekkers can stay overnight.

#All images and details are for information only. Readers are advised to check minute details at the locations mentioned. Treks require supervision and safety measures.