Prabalgad, Mountain fortress in Raigad district, India

Prabalgad is a mountain fortress in the Raigad district located in the Western Ghats, rising around 2,300 feet above sea level. Stone walls, several towers, and water storage structures are scattered across its hilltop, forming the core of what remains today.

The Bahmani Sultanate built this fortress in the 15th century as a strategic outpost to control the surrounding region. It was positioned to monitor activity between other key fortifications in North Konkan.

The fort's name changed from Muranjan to Prabalgad after Shivaji's Maratha forces took it. In October 1657 its Mughal governor Kesar Singh died defending it; Shivaji let his mother and grandchild leave unharmed. In 1826 the freedom fighter Umaji Naik and his associates are said to have stayed here.

The fortress can be reached through a three-hour trek starting from Shedung village, with the nearest railway station at Panvel. The trail climbs through wooded slopes, so sturdy footwear and water are essential for the hike.

The fort's earlier name, Muranjan, was replaced after Shivaji's forces took it in 1657. Its sister fort is Irshalgad, and the steep Kalavantin pinnacle rises just to the north on the edge of the Prabal plateau.