Rajmachi - the name itself means the fort in the plateau (machi).  It is one of the many historical forts in the mighty Sahyadri mountain ranges popularly known as Western Ghats. Historically, Rajmachi Fort was a strategic fort to control Borghat (the Ghat between Khopoli and Khandala on the Mumbai - Pune route) which was a historical trade route. It was in the possession of the Angre family, the head of the Maratha Navy in the 18th century. It consists of twin fortresses Shriwardhan Ballekilla and Manoranjan Balekilla. A wide plateau surrounds these two fortresses and hence the name Rajmachi (wide plateau). There is a small village named Udhewadi at the foot of forts. There are historical water reservoirs and ruins of fortifications, ramparts and gateways on both the forts. This fort played a strategic role in the First Anglo-Maratha war. The fort was built by the Satavahanas who established their kingdom soon after the Mauryan Dynasty came to an end and ruled the kingdom till 230 BC. The kingdom was recognised when it was conquered by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1657 from the ruler of Bijapur, Adil Shah. Under the rule of Shivaji, the Rajmachi fort was made defensive and a few structures were added for battalion purpose. It was under the rule of Mughals from 1704 to 1705 before the Marathas gained control after their fight with Aurangzeb. It was later taken over by the British when the Maratha Kingdom declined in the 19th century. 

Rajmachi fort is a popular destination for nature lovers, trekkers and for outdoor campers. It is one of the most popular fort in the Lonavla - Karjat region because of the mesmerising views of waterfalls, lush green forests, meadows and silver clouds. Monsoon is the best time to visit this fort and get indulged with the natural beauty of mother earth. The height of the fort from sea level is approximately around 2700 feet. From such a height, amazing view of Sahyadri mountains and the backwaters of Shirota Dam can be observed amidst the cool and refreshing breeze. The mountain top also has a camping site GO. NEE. DA. WADI. This camping site is a Botanic park. There are numerous temples like temple of Kal Bhairava, a local deity lies between the two forts. There are also some ancient Buddhist caves which are present on the western side of Rajmachi plateau, which is known to be carved at around 200 BC. Rajmachi fort is endowed with an amazing natural beauty of deep and green forests. 

HOW TO CONQUER THIS FORT !

Personal Transport 
From Mumbai and Pune head towards Lonavla. Before Khandala Ghat take an exit diversion to Kunhe Gaon ( कुन्हे गांव ). This path will lead you to Udhewadi village which is the base of Rajmachi fort and is around 16 kms long. This village is also known as Rajmachi village. But the suppressing fact is that this muddy road is very uneven. This rough road will give you a driving adventure through puddles and dirt tracks. Skidding of vehicles in this region is very common as the roads are a river of mud. Make sure you take all safety precautions for your vehicle before leaving. many bikers use the 16km road for off-road biking. This road also has diversions and turns for the neighbouring villages. Ask any local resident whether you're travelling on the right path for RAJMACHI KILLA as there are other places with similar names and you can be easily misguided. Once at the Udhewadi village, both the forts are visible which show their pride and huge size. You can also walk on this path all the way from Lonavala to Udhewadi. It would take around 3 hours for novice ones with rest and ease to reach this place if you walk all the way from Lonavala to Udhewadi. From Udhewadi it takes more 1 hour to reach the fort top and enjoy the mesmerising scene at such a height which will give you a chill down the spine. Follow this map for proper navigation from Mumbai to Rajmachi.




My legs are my wheels
If you are a crazy adventurer and like trekking to forts, then this is the best place to analyse your limits. You can trek all the way from Kondiwade ( कोंडिवडे ) to Udhewadi. This is a tough stretch as compared to the earlier mentioned plain roads from Lonavala. You need to board the Karjat bound train and take public transport from Karjat station to Kondiwade. It would be better if you travel in group as the rickshaw or tum-tum driver asks for Rs. 300 to 400 as round-sum for this travel. These drivers drop you one village before kondiwade and you've got to negotiate with them to drop you at Kondiwade village instead. Once at kondiwade, the trek starts from some 15 mins from the village and makes you disappear into the woods. You tend to cross Mugape ( मुगापे ) and Kondhane ( कोंढाणे ) on the way to Rajmachi. Kondhane caves are the very famous caves which has 16 Buddhist caves. These caves were excavated in the 1st Century BC. It has two caves the Chaitya and the Vihara while the other two caves are just ruins at present. This trek takes you through the tranquil hidden landscapes of Maharashtra.



on Hire 
You can also hire a sumo from Lonavala to the fort at the base price of Rs. 2500/- per day (includes return journey to Lonavala) or Rs. 1500/- for one way journey to the fort.

What to look for at Rajmachi?