Janjira Fort Murud : Among the ancient forts of India, Janjira Fort located in Raigarh, Maharashtra is a fort built in the 15th century. This fort is in Murud village and hence it is also called Murud Janjira Fort. This fort was built on an island in the sea.
Janjira Fort is known for its special architecture not only in India but all over the world. This fort is one of the strongest forts in India and is the only sea fort.
जंजीरा किला मुरुड | Janjira Kila Hindi
Janjira Fort Murud
The word Janjira means harbor or port. Janjira Fort was known as Medkot. Medkot means a bank made of wood. Where this fort is built, earlier fishermen used to live there. In those days, there were a lot of robbers here. Then Ram Patil, the chief of fishermen, got the idea of building a fort here. It was decided that this fort of fishermen would be built with wood on a huge rock. To build the fort, the fishermen had constructed this fort with the consent of Thanedar, the Nizam of Ahmednagar at that time.
History – Janjira Fort Murud
As soon as the construction work of Janjira Fort was completed, Nizam Shah of Ahmednagar Sultanate had asked the fishermen chieftain Ram Patil to vacate the Janjira Fort but the fishermen refused to leave the fort. This fort was an important fort from strategic point of view. The Nizam of Ahmednagar was very impressed by the design of this fort and had understood the importance of the location of this fort from security point of view, so he was determined to capture this fort.
He handed over the responsibility of Medkot fort to his commander Piram Khan. Commander Piram Khan came here posing as a businessman with his soldiers and three ships. Piram Khan introduced himself as a liquor merchant and cleverly befriended Ram Patil, the chief of fishermen. At that time, Ram Patil was the caretaker of this fort and he was an important person for Piram Khan. Piram Khan knows that he cannot understand the fort without the help of Ram Patil.
Finding an opportunity one night, Piram Khan along with his soldiers attacked the fort and took control of Janjira fort. Piram Khan later rebuilt the wooden fort with stone and constructed a very strong fort from strategic point of view.
Meaning of Janjira – Janjira Fort Murud
The word Janjira is a distorted form of the Arabic word Jazeera. Jazeera means island. This fort is built on an island whose height is 90 feet above sea level. Janjira Fort is surrounded by sea on all sides and hence this fort is also known as Island Fort.
Architecture – Janjira Fort Murud
Janjira Fort is a fort built about 350 years ago. Janjira Fort is not called an invincible fort. Surrounded by sea on all sides, this fort was very important from security point of view.
Janjira Fort Murud
The walls of Janjira Fort are about 40 feet high. According to historians, the foundation of this fort is about 20 feet deep. It took about 22 years to build this fort. Janjira Fort is a huge fort spread over 22 acres. Keeping security in mind, 22 security posts are also built in this fort. The walls of Janjira Fort are very strong. This fort is made of black granite. The highest part inside the fort is the royal palace. The highest part inside the fort is the royal palace. There are many mosques, kitchens and houses inside the fort. Pir Panchayat and old horse stables can also be seen in the fort.
Main Gate – Janjira Fort
There are three doors to go inside the fort, out of which two are the main doors and one is called Chor Darwaja. There is no visible way to enter the fort when seen from outside. Among the doors of the fort, one door opens towards the east towards Rajapuri and the other door directly opposite towards the sea. This fort was known in such a way that the fort was visible only when one came very close.
Elephants are shown on the main gate of the fort which are symbols of wisdom and power. The door at the back of the fort was called Dariya Darwaza because it opens towards the sea.
Siddi rulers ruled in Janjira Fort for 20 years. The cannons used by them are still present here. These cannons are kept at every security post. 19 bastions were built in Janjira Fort and there is a gap of more than 90 feet between each bastion.
Canons – Janjira Fort
Among the Rakhi cannons in Janjira Fort, Kalal Bangri, Ladakasam and Chawari cannons can be seen here. Kalaal is a long cannon. The length of this cannon is approximately 18 feet. These cannons located in the fort are the main attraction for the tourists coming here.
Ponds and Lake – Janjira Fort
There are two big water ponds inside Janjira Fort. A city was established in this fort and ponds were built to meet the water needs of the city. One of these ponds is called a freshwater lake. It is surprising how arrangements for fresh water were made in this fort surrounded by salty sea on all sides. There is also a big rampart in the middle of the fort.
Shah Baba Tomb – Janjira Fort
Shah Baba’s tomb has also been built in Janjira Fort.
According to historians, the number of cannons kept in the fort is more than 500. Janjira Fort is also known as the capital of Siddi rulers. The name of the last ruler to rule from this fort was Siddi Mohammad Khan. After Mohammad Khan, the people living in the fort started moving out from here. After independence, this fort was included in independent India.
Invincible Fort – Janjira Fort
This fort is famous not only in India but all over the world for its design. This is the only fort on the west coast of India which Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Maharaj, British, Portuguese etc. tried to conquer but it is said that no one could conquer this fort. That is why this fort is considered an invincible fort. Historians believe that this fort was attacked many times but no one could go inside this fort.
Ticket for Janjira Fort
There is no ticket of any kind to see Janjira Fort. Because this fort is situated on an island in the sea, the only way to reach the fort is by boat. To reach the fort one has to take a boat ticket. You can reach here by taking a boat ticket.
Timings – Janjira Fort
Janjira Fort is open for tourists from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. About 2 hours are required to see the fort completely.
How to reach Janjira Fort Murud
If you are traveling by flight then the nearest airport to reach Janjira Fort is Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport. Janjira Fort is located at a distance of about 100 kilometers from here. On reaching Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivji Airport, one can easily reach here by taxi.
If you are traveling by train then the nearest railway station to Janjira Fort is Roh Railway Station. The fort is 40 kilometers from here.
Even if you are traveling by road to reach Janjira Fort, the coast on which this fort is located has good road connectivity. From Mumbai and surrounding cities, Murud can be easily reached by Maharashtra State Transport bus or private vehicle.
At Present Janjira Fort Murud
Although at present this fort has become quite in ruins but still this fort is very famous due to its special location and structure. Reaching the fort by boat is a big attraction in itself. On going inside the fort, tourists are filled with surprise after seeing the famous cannon here.
Every year a large number of tourists from far and wide come here to see the structure of this fort.
Other tourist places nearby: Other tourist places around Janjira Fort include Garabi Dam, Kasa Fort, Marud Beach, Ahmedganj Palace and Garambi Waterfall.
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