Sindhudurg
Sindhudurg Fort (Marathi सिंधुदुर्ग किल्ला) is a fort that occupies an islet
in the Arabian Sea, just off the coast of Maharashtra in Western India. The fortress lies on the shore of Malvan town of Sindhudurg District in the Konkan region of Maharashtra,
450 kilometers (280 mi) south of Mumbai. It
is a protected monument.
History:-
This
fort was constructed by Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Chhatrapati of the Maratha
Empire. The construction was done under the supervision of Hiroji
Indulkar, in the year 1656.
Structural Details:-
Over
4000 mounds of iron 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 (1664–67), the sea fort is spread over 48 acres (190,000 m2)
with a two-mile (3 km) long rampart, and walls that are 30 feet
(9.1 m) high and 12 feet (3.7 m) 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 Samudra Gaman (travelling by sea) was banned by scriptures, this
construction on an island represents the revolutionary mindset of its engineer.
A remain of an iron mold can be seen on the fort.
Permanent residents:-
The
number of permanent residents staying in the fort has been in decline since the
fort's abandonment. Most of the residents moved out because of inadequate
employment opportunities, but over 15 families remain in the fort. The Sakpal
Naik family (the original 'killedars') still resides in one of the 16 houses in
the fort. However, Dr Sarang Kulkarni's underwater discoveries have led to the
establishment of the Indian sub-continent's only well-established scuba-diving
industry. This has provided the local residents with some employment. Sindhudurg fort is a popular
summer destination for Indian and foreign tourists to explore the island and go
scuba-diving and snorkelling to view the coral reef on the outskirts of the
island.
How to reach Sindhudurg:-
Sindhudurg
town lies in the Sindudurg district to the north of Goa, about 490 km
south of Mumbai (Bombay).
Sindhudurg can be reached either by train or by bus from Bombay,
Goa and Mangalore.
The Konkan railway has a railway station at
Sindhudurg, but only few trains stop there. Kudal, Kanakvali and Sawantwadi are
major railway stations in Sindhudurg district. There are Maharashtra state
government (MSRTC) buses running from Mumbai, Pune, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Kolhapur and
Goa state government buses (Kadamba Transport Corporation) running from Panaji, Madgaon,
Vasco and Pernem to
Sindhudurg. Nearest airport is Dabolim
Airport in Goa, which is located at approx. 90 km away
from Sawantwadi City (major tourist attraction) of Sindhudurg.
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