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Raigad was the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji's kingdom. It is a hill fortress situated in the Raigad District of Maharashtra, India. It was constructed by Chhatrapati Shivaji between 1657 and 1670.
Chhatrapati Shivaji had seized the site, then the fortress of Rairi, from the royal house of the mores, a junior or Cadet dynasty descended from the Maurya imperial dynasty that once ruled large swathes of the subcontinent. Chhatrapati Shivaji renovated and expanded the Fortress of Rairi and renamed it Raigad, or the King's Fort, the name he gave it when he selected it for his capital when he was in the process of assuming the royal character.
The site is located on the outskirts of the historic city of Mahad, on Mumbai Goa highway. There are 30 caves carved out in three different layers of volcanic rock. These structures include Chaityas (Buddhist prayer halls) and Viharas (assembly halls) carved out in the rock. Many of these caves are dated back to the early centuries of the Common Era. The archaeological evidence suggests Buddhist monks lived at this site till the 7th-8th century CE. Typical of any Buddhist cave site, there are numerous water cisterns excavated in rock to store the rainwater. An inscription in the cave here mentions the name of regional prince Vishnupalita as a donor. Most of the other caves are given in donations by merchants. This site is located on the trade route linking coastal ports of the historical city of Mahad with the commercial centres on the Deccan Plateau.
Shivthar Ghal, also known as Sundarmath is a cave, about 34 km from Mahad, near Barasgaon. Samarth Ramdas dictated Dasbodh to Kalyanswami. Samarth Ramdas lived here for about 22 years. It is believed that this is where the first meeting between Shivaji and Samarth Ramdas took place.The cave was discovered by Shri Shankarrao Deo of Dhule in 1930. The cave and surrounding area was renovated a Shivthar Ghal, also known as Sundarmath is a cave, about 34 km from Mahad, near Barasgaon.
You can also visit Gangasagar Lake or worship at the nearby Jagadishwar Temple or pay your respects to the great Maratha king at his Samadhi.