Vairatgad Fort

Vairatgad Fort, located near the town of Wai in Satara district, Maharashtra, is a historic hill fort built in the 11th century by King Bhoj of the Shilahar dynasty. The fort was later incorporated into the Maratha kingdom when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj conquered the Wai region in 1673, using it as a military station.

It features a small top area with remnants of old buildings, cisterns for water storage, a cave, and a Hanuman temple with an idol outside. The fort served as a protectorate of the Wai region and was under the stewardship of sardar Pilaji Gole from 1673 to 1689. It was captured by the British in 1818.

The fort’s ramparts, bastion, and water reservoirs still exist, and it offers panoramic views of surrounding villages. There is also a secret exit gate leading down to a nearby village, and several temples and relics reflect its past significance. The fort is accessible by a trek from nearby villages and remains a site of historical and cultural interest for visitors and trekkers. It takes about one to two hours to explore the fort completely.