Janjira fort is one the sea fort in district of Raigad in Konkan region. The majestic island fortress of Janjira was the 16th century capital of the Siddis of Janjira, descendants of sailor traders from the horn of Africa. It is one of Maharashtra’s most commanding sea forts. The forts high walls made it impregnable to everyone, even the marathas. Shivaji tried many times to conquer this fort and failed every time. His son even tried to tunnel through it.
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 word Janjira is not native to India, and may have originated after the Arabic word Jazeera, which means an island. Murud was once known in Marathi as Habsan. Some of the people also split the name as “Jal Jeera” meaning fort in the water. 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.
Specialty of fort is that it is situated deep is the sea 3kms from Murud. The Arabian Sea crashes relentlessly all around the fort battered all the sides by sea waves. Janjira fort is spread over 22 acres. There are two water tanks inside fort and deep well with cold and sweet water. A wonder of nature in middlest of the saline sea provides pure water to thirsty visitors. There are 19 towers and number of turrets in in the fort. Evey tower has huge cannon on it, specially three huge cannons by the names Kalal bangdi, Chavri and Landa Kasam is worth a mention. It is said that these guns could fire at a distance of two Kms. from the fort making it impossible for enemy ships to come near. From the fort you can see the sea fort of Kasa or Padmadurg which was built by Shivaji Maharaj to counter the might of Siddhi.
The fort is an excellent example of fort building architecture and its outer walls are still in a good condition. Now in ruins, the fort in its heyday had all 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.
We are sure you will be awed looking at the fort by thinking how the hell people would have built a fort in the middle of the sea? You have to take a boat ride to go to the fort, and there is a lot to see on the fort.
About location
- District: Raigad
- From Mumbai: Approx 150km – 2 hours 45minute
- Mumbai – Murud via Alibaug, Kashid
- Mumbai – Murud via Nagothane, Roha
- From Pune: approx. 175km – 3 hours 30minute
- Pune – NH4 – Paud – Tamhini ghat – SH97 – SH60 – Kolad – NH17 – Roha – Janjira
Konkan Moto Tours 