And soon hopped into the bus. 100+ participants with the majority being youngsters was the highlight. None wore shorts, perfume as clearly advised. It felt like proper professional trekking of a 14km trail. Soon we reached a village base where the organisers had plans to make tea & poha. All village headman , hamlets are well known to Dugad sir since he is organising treks for a long time & are cooperative. Immediately people amongst us started chopping onions, coriander & made poha, tea and milk made with lemon grass which was new for me. I met new friends there- one was a homemaker with krigins from Gujarat but settled in pune & another was a final year mbbs student from Cooper hospital,mumbai. After the instructions by trek guide & Shiv Garjana we started trek by 10am. Shiv Garjana is the traditional roaring invocation/chant in praise of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and it is commonly performed by trekking groups before or during Sahyadri fort treks.
Raireshwar Fort — History
Raireshwar (रायरेश्वर) is historically important mainly because of its association with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the early idea of Swarajya.17th century: Raireshwar was a strategic hilltop in the Sahyadri region, overlooking the Bhor area. Its location made the surrounding forts and valleys militarily significant.Around 1645: According to the traditional historical account, young Shivaji Maharaj, around 16 years old, took an oath of Swarajya at the Raireshwar temple, along with his companions.The oath is remembered as a symbolic commitment to establish self-rule (Swarajya) rather than remain under the control of the prevailing Deccan powers.Shivaji subsequently began consolidating forts and territory in the Pune region, with Torna (Prachandagad) being among his earliest major captures.Raireshwar itself was not simply the “birthplace” of Swarajya—the oath story is important because it represents the ideological beginning of Shivaji Maharaj’s Swarajya movement.The Raireshwar temple on the plateau remains the central historical landmark associated with this tradition.
Why Raireshwar was strategically importantRaireshwar sits on a high plateau surrounded by the Sahyadris. From the area, several important forts—including Kenjalgad and Kamalgad—can be approached or viewed. Control of these hilltops helped control movement through the valleys around Bhor and Wai.
Interesting fact: The famous oath is traditionally associated with the words “Swarajya” and the determination to establish an independent kingdom, making Raireshwar one of the most emotionally significant historical sites connected with Shivaji Maharaj.
Raireshwar is a historic hill fort/plateau in Bhor taluka, Pune district, at roughly 4,500 ft (1,370 m) elevation.
Difficulty: Easy to moderate, depending on weather and route time: roughly 1–2 hours to reach the plateau
Base village: Korle
The final ascent has metal ladders/steps, making the climb relatively straightforward.
Monsoon makes the rocks and ladders very slippery, so good-grip trekking shoes are important.
What is special?
1. Raireshwar Temple – historically associated with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
2. Swarajya oath – tradition holds that young Shivaji Maharaj took the oath of Swarajya at the Raireshwar temple.
3. Raireshwar plateau – huge open plateau with beautiful monsoon greenery.
4. Seven-coloured soil – one of the distinctive attractions of the plateau.
5. Views toward Kamalgad, Kenjalgad and surrounding Sahyadri ranges.
Best time
Monsoon and immediately post-monsoon are particularly beautiful, with greenery, waterfalls and wildflowers. The plateau is also popular around the post-monsoon flowering season. It’s approximately 80–85 km from Pune, depending on the route.
My strava didn’t work for the initial 1hr so some distance maybe 1km was not recorded. I had a charger , usb cable , power bank and 70% charged phone & wore a poncho. The rains were coming and going & not constantly raining with force. With poncho, it felt hot so I removed it. The trek had an age group from 10 to 70 years. People were amazed at how shivaji maharaj took the oath of Swarajya at the age of 16 years at this place !! I had with me CTR shoes, walking pole so I didn’t slip or feel uneasy like previous treks. Every trek adds on to one’s gear. Post this trek I decided to buy a bag cover. The 7 coloured soils, wild flowers and mini waterfalls were the highlight of this trek. People posed in front of a mini waterfall eager to get drenched at the big main waterfall.
LOCATION- Google Maps
PHOTO- Google Maps
REVIEW- Google Maps
