royal raigad Cea) ile aoc Prat Biereris) (oy | several sacred places, an for foes, the fap grails torent in SE SHno re rey rich well-watered country. Pel Invitations were sent to all chiefs ss ind subjects and to every teacher Seed = d priest. Reception and dinin, Reon feces aac eras strongly as its hall with room for thousands of Ste ee) seats [twas decorated with silks and brocade and was carpeted and lined with velvet. The ceiling was text by Brinda Gill rich satin with gold lace. The ee ae throne platform was covered with a Site) rich cloth of gold, and a gilt post was fixed in each comer ... Rich and tastefully decorated canopies were raised in the hall for princes and chiefs.” exults an account of the preparations for the coronation of the Maratha leader Shivaji Maharaj on June 6, 1674, a the hilltop fort of Raigad. Perched at a height of 2,851 feet, with sheer searped sides and spreading summit, Raigad had been a prized possession since ancient times. Adding to its physical attributes, it was also perfectly located with the Deccan plateau to the east, the Konkan strip running along the Arabian Sea to the west and with trade routes in proximity. Furthermore, although formidablein size, contours and a remained indiscernible as it stood mid rugge y. With these b features, the hilltop turned into a trump card that changed hands between ruler Deecan Sultans, il Shahis of Bijapur, till Shivaji wrested it Raigad tales Once in his grasp, the Maratha leader knew it was the best base to cement his rue in the Deccan. With his tough, sure-footed friends, he had long learnt about the hills, the plains, their people and their rhythm of life. Nurtu religious mother Jija guardian Dadaji Kondde spiritual mentor Swami Shivaji was thrust into the complex machinations of politics at a very young age. h saséing f his guardian when he » 20, the subsequent arrest of his and his property taken k Bijapur’s command: for him to Marathas their own Kingdom and capital, to knit them into one identity, to be ar undisputed and dependable leader in their eyes and shoulder the responsibilities he had carved out for himself For this Shivaji tumed to Rajgad, and in 1662 he transferred his eapital from Rajgad to Rairi and sidential and official buildings, we know only from records an lory of the Maratha capital vajts last 16 y mint, granaries, , 300 stone houses, a vast fortron of Raigadmonuments indicate it glory of the organised bazaar and water tanks, apart from fortifications that still remain formidable, were constructed. The mantra “easy for friends, impossible for foes” underscored the construction of Raigad!s solid walls and bastions, its windin gatewayse Yet, some of these stones tell interesting incidents: Chor Darwaza (meaning, thief's gate) reminds us that when the defenses were completed, Shivaji announced aa bag of gokd and a gol bracelet for anyone who could reach the summit and affix flag there. A young man made the ascent, was promptly rewarded and the pach punctuated by this gateway. And then Hirkani Burj (burj meaning bastion) tells us of the milkmaid, who had climbed to the fort to sell milk, was delayed and reached the fort gates after they had been closed for the he- The guards refused to ‘open them for her, and as her desperation grew to reach her infant at home she scrambled down in the darkness along a precipitous path. Her escapade inevitably reached che rulers ears, anda bastion was buile at the vulnerable 126 sens