Fort Anjediva
Encyclopedia
Fort Anjediva, built on the Anjadip Island
Anjadip Island
Anjadip Island is an island in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Canacona in the South Goa district, Goa, India. Legally and constitutionally, it remains a part of Goa, although there is a widespread misconception that it is a part of the Karnataka state off whose coast it lies.-History:Anjediva,...

, off the coast of the Indian state of Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...

 but under the administrative jurisdiction of the Indian state of Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...

, was once under Portuguese rule. It has also in its vicinity an ancient church on the island called the Church of Our Lady of Springs
Church of Our Lady of Springs
The Church of Our Lady of Springs is located in the vicintiy of the Fort Anjediva on the Anjadip Island, off the West Coast of India under the administrative control of Goa, India. Initially, in 1502 AD, it was built as a small thatched chapel, but later, in 1506 AD, was made into a more...

 built in 1505. The Chapel of St Francis D’Assissi is also located here but it is in ruins. Though the fort has a rich history linked to Portuguese
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...

 rule, it is also presently in ruins. Both the fort and the church are located in the island of Anjadip, which covers an area of 1.5 square kilometre.

Anjediv—the name means "fifth island"—(see image in infobox), is the largest of an archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...

 of five islands (known as the Panchdiva chain of five islands); the other four islands are the Kurnagal, the Mudlingud, the Devgad and the Devragad. Because of its strategic importance in the sea faring route to India and also as a watering destination for ships, a fort was built on this island by the Portuguese to enhance their military presence and control of trade route.

The fort island was also known as Agiadvipa (clear butter), Angedvpa (some isles), Agadvipa (derivative from goddess Aja
AJA
Aja or AJA may refer to:In anthropology:*Aja people, a people living in Benin**Aja language , the language of the Aja people, part of the Gbe dialect continuum*Aja , an ethnic group living in Sudan...

) and Adiadvipa (Ancient Island). It was called Aigidias by the Greek geographer Ptolomey. Etymology of Anjediv is also attributed to the name of the local Goddess
Goddess
A goddess is a female deity. In some cultures goddesses are associated with Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses also rule over war, death, and destruction as well as healing....

 Ajadurga Devi.

History

In March 1505, Dom Francisco de Almeida came to India as Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

 monarch Emanuel's
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...

 Viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...

 and was the first permanent representative in the East
East
East is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.East is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of west and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the right side of a map is east....

. He had a “Regimento” or mandatory orders to establish four forts in India, which included the fort at Anjadip island, off the West Coast of India (the other three forts were proposed at Cannanore
Kannur
Kannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...

, Cochin and Quilon
Quilon
Quilon may refer to,* Venad, a former state on Malabar Coast, India* Kollam , Kerala state, India* Kollam district, Kerala state...

) where seafaring merchant vessels from Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

, Arabia, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

, and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

 would stop for water on their way to and from the East carrying valuable goods, such as spices from India.

The decision to build the fort was dictated by the fact that Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...

 had stopped on this island in 1498, on his return from Calicut
Kozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...

 to Portugal, (after exploring the sea route to India) not only to repair his ships but also to collect water from the springs on the island (considered of good water quality). He had again stopped here in 1502. It is stated that Vasco Da Gama had appreciated, from his earlier visits to this island, that Angediva would be a good place not only to collect fresh and safe water but would also be a perfect safe site for docking ships during the south west monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...

 season in India. In fact, Vasco Da Gama and Gaspar da Gama
Gaspar da Gama
Gaspar da Gama was a merchant of Jewish origin who acted as interpreter and provided many services to the Portuguese, since he first approached Vasco da Gama fleet returning from the first travel from Europe to India. He was known to speak several East and West languages...

 (a Jewish trader who was converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...

 in Cochin) recommended to the King of Portugal to establish a naval fort at Angediva, which eventually could help Portuguese to get control of the neighbouring island of Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...

.

Almeida took up the task of building the fort so seriously that he even declined an invitation from King of Bisnaga (Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara is in Bellary District, northern Karnataka. It is the name of the now-ruined capital city "which was regarded as the second Rome" that surrounds modern-day Hampi, of the historic Vijayanagara empire which extended over the southern part of India....

), a staunch ally of the Portuguese. As soon as he landed in Angedipa on 13 September 1505, he started building the fort with enthusiasm. The Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara is in Bellary District, northern Karnataka. It is the name of the now-ruined capital city "which was regarded as the second Rome" that surrounds modern-day Hampi, of the historic Vijayanagara empire which extended over the southern part of India....

 emperor or his local vassal, the chieftain of Gerosopa, did not object to the fort building activity. Construction materials such as timber, cane, palm leaves and lime were readily supplied by the local people. An ancient temple on the island is said to have been demolished to extract stones for use on the fort. Its completion time has been recorded variously; as 21 days and also as three months. It was also claimed that during excavations of the foundations for the fort a stone bearing a Cross
Cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire, although the arms of a saltire need not meet...

 was found, which was interpreted to mean that the island was once a habitat of Christians.

Hydrographic conditions
Further, the hydrographic conditions at the island location of about 1 miles (2 km) length, and 2 miles (3 km) from its shore to the Karwar
Karwar
Karwar is the administrative headquarters of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka, India. It is a seaside town situated on the banks of the Kali river which is on the west coast of the Indian peninsula. The town lies about 15 kilometres south of the Karnataka–Goa border and 519 km north-west...

 head southwards, favoured building a safe fort as water depth of 6 to 7 fathom (11 to 12.8 m) in the channel between the fort wall and the shore line was noted. At the outer sea side of the fort, the water depth was reported to be 10 to 12 fathom (18.3 to 21.9 m). A further 4 miles (6 km) away, the depth of water was reportedly 14 fathoms (25.6 m).

Fort construction and use
The fort wall was built on barren and rocky surface and fortified by towers. The fort was built at a huge cost, as it provided military defence fortifications to defend the Portuguese colonial interests in India. The fort walls were mostly built with clay and stone, since there was shortage of lime stone and other materials on the island. Still, the fort as built was considered a good base for the military exchanges with the enemy. The military operations launched from this location helped Almeida subdue initial enemies like Timoja (a Hindu privateer who served the Vijayanagara Empire and later became of great help for the Portuguese). Subsequently, when Adil Shah
Adil Shah
Adil or Adel Shah Afshar or Ali Qoli was Shah of Persia from 1747 until 1748.Subsequent to the assassination of Nader Shah in Fathabad , his nephew Ali Qoli declared himself Adil Shah , and shah of Persia...

 of Bijapur
Bijapur, Karnataka
Bijapur Urdu:بیجاپور city is the district headquarters of Bijapur District of Karnataka state. Bijapur city is well known for its historical monuments of architectural importance built during the rule of Adil Shahi dynasty...

 attacked with a large force, there was intense bombardment and fierce strategic attacks in which the Viceroy’s son D. Lourenço also took part. After four days of intense fighting, Adil Shah of Bijapur retreated. But in the bargain, the Portuguese had suffered losses and even Almeida was injured. Subsequent to this victory, there was a rethink on the utility of the fort as a defence structure and was, therefore, abandoned. But a story that Almeida demolished the fort in 1506, as it was built on the 13th September, an inauspicious day, is not borne out by the fact that the fort was revived as a Portuguese defence establishment during Viceroy Albuquerque’s (successor to Almeida) time and the fort ruins are still seen in the island. The decision to abandon the fort in 1506 was because the garrisons were better placed at Cannnaore and Cochin forts, which could ensure adequate protection to the trade. Another factor considered in abandoning the fort was on account of maintenance problems (operating from Cochin as the base), bad weather here and fear of enemy attack from Goa.

After the fort was built, Portuguese used it mainly as a military establishment and as a regular watering stop for their ships.

The fort was refurbished in 1682 by the Viceroy Count of Alvor
Count of Alvor
Count of Alvor was a Portuguese title of nobility granted by king Peter II of Portugal in 4 February 1683, to Francisco de Távora, second son of António Luís de Távora, 2nd Count of São João da Pesqueira....

. It was populated by about 600 people with facilities of a seminary, a Jesuit college and a Portuguese school. In 1768, it was under the administrative control of a governor when 350 people lived here. In 1812, the inhabitants counted 782 (including convicts). But, when the fear from any kind of enemy threat receded, in 1843 the Portuguese abandoned the fort once again.

Anjediva fort, when it was a Portuguese
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...

 territory, was used by the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...

s and Hindus of the mainland as a refuge during the invasion by the coastal kingdom of Bednore
Keladi Nayaka
Keladi Nayaka Kingdom were an important ruling dynasty of post-medieval Karnataka, India. They initially started to rule as a feudatory of the Vijayanagar Empire...

, and by Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...

.

The island and the fort became a part of India on December 19, 1961, with the success of "Operation Vijay
Invasion of Goa
The 1961 Indian annexation of Goa , was an action by India's armed forces that ended Portuguese rule in its Indian enclaves in 1961...

", a military operation in which the Portuguese were evicted from their colony in Goa, as well as their other Indian colonies.

Archaeological findings

Excavations carried out in the area by the Department of Archaeology and Museums (Goa) has revealed pillars, stones, pots of the 11th and 12th century with the artistic work of Kadambas
Kadambas
The Kadamba Dynasty was an ancient royal family of Karnataka that ruled from Banavasi in present day Uttara Kannada district. The dynasty later continued to rule as a feudatory of larger Kannada empires, the Chalukya and the Rashtrakuta empires for over five hundred years during which time they...

 and Chalukyas. From this, it has been inferred that the findings could be the remnants of the ruined temple of goddess Aryadurga Devi.

Access

The Fort on the island is located 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south of Baticala, the ancient kingdom of Garsopa, the present day Karwar
Karwar
Karwar is the administrative headquarters of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka, India. It is a seaside town situated on the banks of the Kali river which is on the west coast of the Indian peninsula. The town lies about 15 kilometres south of the Karnataka–Goa border and 519 km north-west...

. Karwar is approached conveniently by road on the National Highway NH 17. From Karwar, a 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) causeway leads to the Officers (Sea Bird) gate and then to the historic fort. In the past, the approach involved a seaward journey of one hour by trawlers and then by a canoe to the island. It is also approachable by boat ride from the Binga beach.
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