ShivrajyaAbhishek Sohla , well this is the day when our Great Hindu King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was Coronated. The purpose of my Blogs is to Spread Positivity and Chhatrapati Shivrai is a perfect role model of positivity. Actually, need a separate Blog to write about the Great King and his gigantic achievements. Today being the historic day of ShivrajyaAbhishek I am sharing a small write-up of my Raigad Visits.
I have been to Raigad for ShivrajyaAbhishek Sohla for at least 4 to 5 occasions. This year due to the Covid19 outbreak, the function is a private affair. Talking about our Raigad Trip for ShivrajyaAbhishek there is a fixed schedule we guys follow. Mostly our group members are from Mumbai & Pune… Our plan is to reach Raigad fort a day before the Coronation ceremony. We take an ST Bus from Mumbai till Mahad. The average time we board the Bus from Mumbai is at around 8 to 9 AM. We reach Mahad at around 2 PM where a group of Punekars meet us. After having lunch together we move towards Raigad. The Pune group most of the time brings their vehicle to the base of the Fort also known as (Paitha)…
We Mumbaikars board a ?Tum..Tum? or take a lift from some ongoing Truck or Tempo and would join the Pune Team at the base of the fort. After taking Darshan of Jijamata Samadhi which is at the base village of Pachad we head towards the base of the fort. After having Tea & dry snacks we begin our climb to Raigad fort. First 15 to 20 Min is a real Test of Fitness levels, however, our worship towards Maharaj, the glorious history of the Fort & the natural surroundings makes a fort climb a really joyous affair. Also, our large group of around 8 to 10 guys discussing various Topics (focus mostly is Politics) also helps to make a tough climb a joyous affair. For us, it takes around 2 hours to reach the top of the Fort.
Normally, its late evening post-sunset when we are at Raigad Fort. When we reach the Top of the Fort everything looks so different. If feels that we are surrounded by the Great History of Shivaji Maharaj… Everything from Jagdishwar Mandir to Wagh Darwaja to the Raj Bhavan looks so divine & full of positivity. We can literally experience the great Maratha History happening in front of our eyes by looking at these monuments. After having a ?Pithla ? Bhakari? at one of the homes on the fort we take a few hours of rest. I remember one year it was raining very heavily & by god?s grace we had put up a Tent in which 4 to 5 of us were cramped together. All those special memories never get deleted from the Database of your Brain.
The early morning of ShivrajyaAbhishek begins with unfurling the huge Saffron Flag. The atmosphere at the Fort is really electric. You can see thousands of people having Saffron Flags with them in large groups and chanting the sacred chant of ?Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai?. After some time we reach the Raj Bhavan which is packed to rafters to catch a Glimpse of ShivRajyaAbhishek Ceremony. After worshipping our Lord ?Chhatrapati Shivray? we visit other spots around the fort. Tak Mak Tok & Wagh Darwaza … the spots we visit often & it takes lots of physical efforts to reach those destinations. At around 12 to 1 PM at noon we have some food on the fort which is usually a ?Khichadi or Bhakri Something? & begin to climb down the fort. Climbing down is easier & is less strenuous than climbing up the fort & being in Shivaji Maharaj?s fortress for some time is enough to charge us up & we really enjoy the activity of climbing down the fort. It normally takes around an hour and a half to reach the base.
At around 3 PM something, we are at the base of the fort. Pune group heads back to their destination in their vehicle and we Mumbaikars reach Mahad ST Depot. If luck is shinning we get a bus quickly & normally we do & reach Mumbai around midnight. The experience is simply amazing & memorable. And yes, there is something at Raigad which charges you up… Maybe the legacy of the Great Hindu King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj & the great Maratha History.. You can feel the bravery, courage & valor in the air once you are at Raigad #JayBhavani #JayShivaji