Sindkhedraja is a taluka town in the Buldhana district of Vidarbha. This taluka consisted of Shivaji Maharaj’s mothers' village. This place was important in the province of Raje Lakhojirao Jadhav. Jijau was born in the fort of Lakhuji Jadhav at Sindkhedraja, so this place has a special significance. In Sindkhedraja village, along with the fort of King Lakhojirao Jadhav, there are many historical monuments and structures like Kala Kot, Rangmahal, Nilkantheshwar Temple, Sajna Barav, Rameshwar Mandir, Samadhi of Lakhuji Jadhav and his sons, Putla Barav, Chandni Talao, and Moti Talao. It takes half a day to see all these monuments and structures. Sindkhedraja city is at a distance of 80 km from Buldhana city and only 30 km from Jalna city. After seeing the Sindkhed fort, to see the Kala Kot in this city, you should come to the main road in front of the fort. ... This road leads to an alley on the left at a distance of about 500 meters towards Jalna. At the beginning of this road, directional signs are displaying Kala kot and Rangmahal. A little further along this path, you can see the ramparts and bastions on the right. This square-shaped structure spread over an area of about two and a half acres is known as Kala Kot. The ramparts of the fort have four bastions at the four ends and the main gate is on the east side. As the work on the fort is incomplete, the reason behind the construction of this fort cannot be determined as a ground fort or a residential fort. The interior is flat and the Archaeological department has built a museum inside the ramparts. 15 minutes is enough to see the Kala Kot. A little further on, there is a four-story building called Rangmahal on the right side. On the outside of the building there are horse stables and on entering the main gate of the palace and there are guard porches on the inside. This porch has a staircase leading to the roof of the palace. The Department of Archeology has undertaken the conservation work of this building and is trying to bring this building back to its original form. There is a basement under the quadrangle structure of the Rangmahal and there are two small doors to enter it from the Wada Chowk. This door leads to the basement as well as to the horse shed outside the Rangmahal. There is a large deep well of stone construction in the ground at the back of the Rangmahal and water should be supplied to the Rangmahal from this well. There are some carved stones on the edge of the well. During the Nizamshahi and Adilshahi periods, some Maratha dynasties emerged on their own merits and prowess. Sindkhedkar Jadhavrao was one of them. In the year 1576, Lakhuji Jadhavana became the chief of Sindkhedraja, and the prosperity of Sindkhedraja began. Lakhuji Jadhav built a fort in Sindkhedraja and established a market. Jijabai, the mother of Shivaji Maharaj, is the daughter of Lakhuji Jadhavrao. Jijau was born on 12 January 1598 to Lakhuji Jadhav's wife Mhalsabai. Also, Jijabai’s marriage to Shahaji Raja in 1610 took place at Sindkhedraja, these two important events took place in Sindkhedraja. The importance of Deulgaon increased when Raja Lakhujirao's grandson Ravjagdevrao Jadhavrao shifted his administration from Sindkhed to Deulgaon during 1690 AD. The construction of the Kala Kot at Sindkhed began during his reign, but the fort was only partially built due to the emperor's prohibition. The fort was under construction on July 25, 1629, when King Lakhuji Jadhav, his two sons Achaloji and Raghoji, and grandson Yashwantrao were assassinated at the court of Devagiri. However, due to the assassination of King Lakhuji Jadhav, this work was stopped and this fort was referred to as an anonymous structure. Later the main Thane was shifted to Deulgaon and the construction of this building remained incomplete forever.
© Suresh Nimbalkar