Rajgad
Rajgad is a Hill region fort situated in the Pune district of Maharashtra, India. Formerly known as Murumbdev, the fort was the first capital of the Maratha Empire under the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for almost 26 years, after which the capital was moved to the Raigad Fort. Treasures discovered from an adjacent fort called Torna were used to completely build and fortify the Rajgad Fort.
The Rajgad Fort is located around to the south-west of Pune and about west of Nasrapur in the Sahyadris range. The fort lies above the sea level. The diameter of the base of the fort was about which made it difficult to lay siege on it, which added to its strategic value. The fort's ruins consist of palaces, water cisterns, and caves. This fort was built on a hill called Murumbadevi Dongar. Rajgad boasts of the highest number of days stayed by Shivaji on any fort. This Fort, was inscribed in 2025 as a component site of the Maratha Military Landscapes of India, which were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee.
History
The fort has stood witness to many significant historic events including the birth of Shivaji's son Rajaram I, the death of Shivaji's wife Saibai, the return of Shivaji from Agra, the burial of Afzal Khan's head in the Mahadarwaja walls of Balle Killa, the strict words of Sonopant Dabir to Shivaji.The Rajgad Fort was also one of the 12 forts that chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj kept when he signed the Treaty of Purandar in 1665, with the Mughal general Jai Singh I, leader of the Mughal forces. Under this treaty, 23 forts were handed over to the Mughals.