Sindhudurg Fort (Marathi pronunciation: in̪d̪ʱud̪uɾɡ is a historical fort that occupies an island in the

Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...

, just off the coast of Maharashtra in

Western India Western India is a loosely defined region of India consisting of its western part. The Ministry of Home Affairs in its Western Zonal Council Administrative division includes the states of Goa, Gujarat, and Maharashtra along with the Union ...

. The fort was built by

Shivaji Shivaji Bhonsale I (; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adil ...

Maharaj.The fortress lies on the shore of

Malvan Malvan (also written as Malwan) is a town and ''taluka'' in Sindhudurg District, the southernmost district of Maharashtra State, India, well known for the historically important Sindhudurg Fort. Malvan ''taluka'' consists of villages such as ...

town of

Sindhudurg District Sindhudurg district (Marathi pronunciation: in̪d̪ʱud̪uɾɡ is an administrative district of the Konkan division in India, which was carved out of the erstwhile Ratnagiri district. The district headquarters are located at Oros and the di ...

in the

Konkan The Konkan ( kok, कोंकण) or Kokan () is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, running from Damaon in the north to Karwar in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau in the east. The hinterland ...

region of Maharashtra, south of

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...

. It is a protected monument.

History

Sindhudurg island-fort was built by

, the 17th-century ruler of

Maratha Empire The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian confederation that came to dominate much of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of Sh ...

. Its main objective was to counter the rising influence of foreign (English, Dutch, French and Portuguese) merchants and to curb the rise of

Siddhis In Indian religions, (Sanskrit: '; fulfillment, accomplishment) are material, paranormal, supernatural, or otherwise magical powers, abilities, and attainments that are the products of yogic advancement through sādhanās such as meditation ...

of Janjira. Construction was supervised by

Hiroji Indulkar Hiroji Indulkar was a great architect of 17th century during the reign of Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He is credited with building Raigad, the second capital of the Maratha Empire and the sea fort Sindhudurg. He was also entrusted ...

in 1664. The fort was built on a small island known as the Khurte island.

Structural details

had brought 200 Vaddera people to build this fort. Over 4,000 pounds of lead were used in the casting and foundation stones were firmly laid down. Construction started on 25 November 1664. Built over a period of three years (1664-1667), the sea fort is spread over 48 acres, with a two-mile (3 km) long rampart, and walls that are high and thick. The massive walls were designed to serve as a deterrent to approaching enemies and to the waves and tides of the Arabian Sea. The main entrance is concealed in such a way that no one can pinpoint it from outside. At a time when traveling by sea was banned by scriptures, this construction on an island represents the revolutionary mindset of its engineer. A remain of an iron mould can be seen. The number of permanent residents living in the fort has been in decline since its abandonment. Most residents have moved out due to inadequate employment opportunities but some families remain. The fort is closed for tourists during rainy season due to high tides.

Gallery

Image:Sindhudurg_fort_wall_detail.JPG, Detail of Sindhudurg fort wall Image:Singhudurg_west_wall.JPG, West side of fort showing a small beach and a door in the wall for beach access File:Sindhudurg Fort Concealed Entrance.JPG, The Concealed Main Entrance Gate to The Fort File:Sindhudurg Fort Entrance.JPG, The Main Entrance Gate to The Fort

References

{{Ethnic and social groups of Goa and the Konkan Maratha Navy Buildings and structures of the Maratha Empire Forts in Maharashtra Tourist attractions in Sindhudurg district 1656 establishments in Asia

History

Structural details

Gallery

See also

References