Murud-Janjira
Encyclopedia
Murud-Janjira is the local name for a fort situated on an island just off the coastal village of Murud, in the Raigad district
of Maharashtra
, India
. It was occupied by the Siddi
s and is famous for being the only fort along India's Western coast that remained undefeated despite Dutch
, Maratha
and English East India Company attacks.
word Jazeera, which means an island. Murud was once known in Marathi as Habsan ("of Habshi" or Abyssinian). The name of the fort is a concatenation of the Konkani and Arabic words for Island, "morod" and "jazeera". The word "morod" is peculiar to Konkani and is absent in Marathi.
. Janjira is considered one of the strongest marine forts in India. The fort is approached by sailboats from Rajapuri jetty. The main gate of the fort faces Rajapuri on the shore and can be seen only when one is quite close to it. It has a small postern gate towards the open sea for escape.
The fort has 19 rounded bastions, still intact. There are many canons of native and European make rusting on the bastions. Now in ruins, the fort in its heyday was a full-fledged living fort with all the necessary facilities, e.g., palaces, quarters for officers, mosque, a big fresh water tank, etc. On the outer wall flanking the main gate, there is a sculpture depicting a tiger-like beast clasping elephants in its claws. This sculpture, its meaning difficult to interpret, appears on many fort-gates of Maharashtra
. The palace of the Nawabs of Janjira at Murud is still in good shape.
Originally the fort was a small wooden structure built by a Koli
chief in the late 15th century. It was captured by Pir Khan, a general of Nizamshah of Ahmednagar
. Later the fort was strengthened by Malik Ambar, the Abyssinian-origin Siddi
regent of Ahmednagar kings. From then onward Siddis became independent, owing allegiance to Adilshah and the Mughals as dictated by the times.
When Sambhaji
also failed, he built another island fort, known as Padmadurg
(or Kansa), just 7km north of Janjira. The Janjira state came to an end after 1947 with the merging of the princely states of the region with the Indian Union.
Raigad district
Raigad District , also known as Raigarh District, is a district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is located in the Konkan region. The district was renamed after Raigad, the fort which was the former capital of the Maratha leader Shivaji, and is located in the interior regions of the district,...
of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It was occupied by the Siddi
Siddi
The Siddi, Siddhi, or Sheedi , also known as Habshi, are an Indian and Pakistani ethnic group of Afro-Arab and/or Black African descent. The Siddi population is currently estimated to be 20,000–55,000, with Gujarat and Hyderabad in India the main population centre. Siddis are mainly Sufi Muslims,...
s and is famous for being the only fort along India's Western coast that remained undefeated despite Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Maratha
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
and English East India Company attacks.
Origins of the name
The word Janjira is not native to India, and may have originated after the ArabicArabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
word Jazeera, which means an island. Murud was once known in Marathi as Habsan ("of Habshi" or Abyssinian). The name of the fort is a concatenation of the Konkani and Arabic words for Island, "morod" and "jazeera". The word "morod" is peculiar to Konkani and is absent in Marathi.
Major features
Murud-Janjira Fort is situated on an oval-shaped rock off the Arabian Sea coast near the port town of Murud, 165km south of MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. Janjira is considered one of the strongest marine forts in India. The fort is approached by sailboats from Rajapuri jetty. The main gate of the fort faces Rajapuri on the shore and can be seen only when one is quite close to it. It has a small postern gate towards the open sea for escape.
The fort has 19 rounded bastions, still intact. There are many canons of native and European make rusting on the bastions. Now in ruins, the fort in its heyday was a full-fledged living fort with all the necessary facilities, e.g., palaces, quarters for officers, mosque, a big fresh water tank, etc. On the outer wall flanking the main gate, there is a sculpture depicting a tiger-like beast clasping elephants in its claws. This sculpture, its meaning difficult to interpret, appears on many fort-gates of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. The palace of the Nawabs of Janjira at Murud is still in good shape.
Originally the fort was a small wooden structure built by a Koli
KOLI
KOLI is a radio station serving Wichita Falls, Texas and Vicinity with a country music format. It operates on FM frequency 94.9 MHz and is under ownership of Cumulus Media. It is the radio flagship station for the Wichita Falls Wildcats hockey team....
chief in the late 15th century. It was captured by Pir Khan, a general of Nizamshah of Ahmednagar
Ahmadnagar Sultanate
The Ahmadnagar Sultanate سلطان احمد نگر was a late medieval Indian kingdom, located in the northwestern Deccan, between the sultanates of Gujarat and Bijapur. Malik Ahmad, the Bahmani governor of Junnar after defeating the Bahmani army led by general Jahangir Khan on 28 May 1490 declared...
. Later the fort was strengthened by Malik Ambar, the Abyssinian-origin Siddi
Siddi
The Siddi, Siddhi, or Sheedi , also known as Habshi, are an Indian and Pakistani ethnic group of Afro-Arab and/or Black African descent. The Siddi population is currently estimated to be 20,000–55,000, with Gujarat and Hyderabad in India the main population centre. Siddis are mainly Sufi Muslims,...
regent of Ahmednagar kings. From then onward Siddis became independent, owing allegiance to Adilshah and the Mughals as dictated by the times.
History
Despite their repeated attempts, the Portuguese, the British and the Marathas failed to subdue the Siddi power and take over this fort. All of Shivaji’s attempts to capture Janjira fort failed due to one reason or the other.When Sambhaji
Sambhaji
Sambhaji Raje Bhosle was the eldest son and successor to Emporer Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha empire.- Early life :...
also failed, he built another island fort, known as Padmadurg
Padmadurg
Padmadurg, also known as Kasa fort, is a fort in Maharashtra, India. It was built by the great Maratha ruler King Shivaji to the northwest of the fort Janjira. It was built mainly to conquer the fort Janjira, although it is not as big as Janjira. Due to incomplete construction, and bombardment...
(or Kansa), just 7km north of Janjira. The Janjira state came to an end after 1947 with the merging of the princely states of the region with the Indian Union.
See also
- Maharashtra - Murud Janjira Forts Official Govt. Page
- List of Indian Princely States
- List of forts in Maharashtra
- Khokari TombsKhokari TombsThe Khokari tombs are three 500-year-old massive stone tombs of early Janjira rulers in western India, near Murud in Maharashtra state.-History:The largest is the tomb of Sidi Surul Khan, who was chief of Janjira from 1707 to 1734...
- MurudJanjira.com