Prabalgad Fort

Maharashtra, India

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Prabalgad Fort, located between Matheran and Panvel in Maharashtra’s Raigad district, stands about 700 meters (2,300 feet) high in the Western Ghats. Originally called Muranjan, it was built by the Bahmani Sultanate to monitor Panvel Fort and Kalyan Fort in North Konkan. Around 1458 AD, Malik Ahmad of the Ahmednagar Sultanate took control of the fort.

After the decline of the Bahmani and Ahmednagar Sultanates, the fort was contested by the Mughals and the Adil Shahi dynasty, and later, Shahaji, father of Shivaji Maharaj, lived here briefly with his family. Shivaji conquered Prabalgad in 1657 after a fierce battle against Kesar Singh, a Mughal commander who put up strong resistance until his death.

The fort features strong defensive walls, multiple gates, and panoramic views of surrounding hills and rivers. It also played a role during the early Indian freedom struggles when freedom fighter Umaji Naik used it as a hideout between 1826 and 1832. Today, Prabalgad is popular with trekkers and history enthusiasts for its natural beauty and rich heritage.