Topic summary
Desh region
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Western Maharashtra (Desh).
Maratha era
In the mid-17th century, the Desh region emerged as the primary geopolitical base for the establishment of the Maratha Empire. Exploiting the rugged topography of the Western Ghats (Sahyadri range) and drawing support from local infantry forces, Shivaji initiated campaigns against both the Adil Shahi authorities and the Mughal Empire, culminating in his coronation as Chhatrapati at Raigad Fort in 1674. The high concentration of defensive hill forts across districts like Pune, Satara, and Kolhapur made the plateau the strategic core of the state.