Lakhuji Jadhavrao Palace

Lakhuji Jadhavrao Palace, also known as Bhuikot Palace or Gadhi, is a 16th-century fortified mansion in Sindkhed Raja, Maharashtra. It is historically significant as the birthplace of Rajmata Jijabai, mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, born here on January 12, 1598. The structure features a massive stone gate with a Nagarkhana, underground chambers, and the plinth of the original royal palace. Currently under the care of the Archaeological Department, it stands as a key monument of Maratha heritage.

Visitors can explore the preserved north-facing entrance gate adorned with decorative carvings and a three-story gatehouse containing a Nagarkhana (drum house). Inside, the six-foot-high stone plinth of the royal palace remains, with the south-western room revered as Jijamata's birthplace housing statues of her and young Shivaji. Underground cellars beneath the plinth are accessible via staircases and feature carved niches. The site also includes a restored Darbar hall, guardrooms, and a newly developed garden with a statue of Jijamata outside the fortification walls.

Built in 1576 by Lakhuji Jadhav after he was granted the Deshmukhi of Sindkhed, this fortified mansion served as the principal seat of the Jadhav family. It is most renowned as the birthplace of Jijabai (1598), who later married Shahaji Raje Bhosale and became the mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The site witnessed the prosperity of Sindkhed under Lakhuji until his murder in 1629, after which the family's prominence shifted to Deulgaon Raja around 1690.

The palace is a revered symbol of Maratha heritage and maternal legacy in Maharashtra. The south-western room on the palace plinth is venerated as the exact birth spot of Rajmata Jijabai, making it a site of cultural pilgrimage. Annual celebrations of Rajmata Jijau Janmotsav are held here on January 12th, reinforcing its status as a center of regional identity and historical memory.