Murud Janjira
It's a coastal fort in the Raigad district of
Maharashtra, India. Situated at a
distance of 42 km from Alibag, Murud is a tourist destination.
Janjira is a sea fort built in the 16th century CE by the Siddis. This fort can
be visited from Mumbai or Pune in a day, however overnight stay at Murud is
highly recommended in order to visit many interesting places nearby.
The forts are in fairly good condition to this date despite lack of
attention from the government for restoration, renovation and maintenance.
Murud-Janjira
Fort
It Built on an island, 500
m offshore on an oval shaped rock near the port town of Murud, Janjira is one
of the strongest marine forts of India. On the way towards Murud Janjira
there is a Kashid beach with golden sand. The weekend rush often cause traffic
jams on this narrow road. The Janjira fort is further 3 Kms to the south from
Murud town. The approach is through Rajpuri, a fishing village from where
sailboats are available to reach the fort which is about a kilometer inside the
sea. It can be reached only by boat from Rajpuri port. The boats depart daily
from 7 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and give visitors 45 minutes to explore the fort ,
Boat charges Rs 50 per person.
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| Boats
The majestic Janjira fort is one of the most formidable
sea fort on the Konkan coastline of Maharashtra. It has a 500 year old legacy
of remaining invincible despite best efforts by the Marathas, Portuguese and
the British to conquer it. Janjira was the capital of Siddis who ruled the
princely state of Murud-Janjira. Situated on an oval rock near the coastal town
of Murud, it is about 165 km south of Mumbai. Along with Janjira fort, the
town of Murud is famous for its beach hemmed with coconut palms and attracts
large crowds especially on weekends.
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Spread over 22 acres, Janjira has 22 bastions which,
despite the ravages of time, still stand intact. The fort’s main gate faces
Rajpuri and can be seen only when one is quite close to it. It has a small gate
which opens to the sea and was used for escape and evacuation.
There are two fresh water cisterns inside the fort and a
deep well. The fort was defended by several cannons of which the most
celebrated canon was called Kalal Bangdi which had a range of 20 miles
according to folklore. Kalal Bangadi, 3rd Largest Cannon in
India At Janjira Fort, Another fact about this cannon is even in the hottest weather the
cannon remains cold and it is heaviest cannon with a weight of 22 tonnes. In
its heyday, the fort had palaces, mosque, markets and quarters for officers.
The most decorated palace was the seven storeyed Sheesh Mahal palace which lie
in ruins today. There is a Secret
Tonnel inside the Janjira Fort, which was used by their army to travel Rajpuri
port during war. It was a Secret underwater tonnel from Janjira fort to Rajpuri
port. Which is now been closed by the Government.
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| Kalal Bangadi, 3rd Largest Cannon in India At Janjira Fort |
According to legend, its name ‘Janjira’ is a corruption
of the Arabic word Jazira which means island. The first
fortified structure was built in 15th century by a Koli chief as defence
against pirates. The fort was captured by a general of Nizam Shah of
Ahmednagar. The Siddis captured it back from the Nizam Shah and later declared
independence and in turn owed allegiance to the Adilshah and the Mughals.
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| Kasa Fort (Padmadurg) |
Distance
From Mumbai – 160
km
From Navi Mumbai –
136 km
From Pune – 180 km
From Roha – 33 km
From Raigad – 54 km
Where to stay?
Murud has good choice of hotels, the Swankier Golden Swan
Beach Resort is a 3-star property that is bang on beach. Sand Piper resort and
Sea Shell resort are some other good options for a relaxing stay with family.
Hotel Murud Plaza near the promenade is also a good stay option at budget
prices. Hotel Aman palace is also good for a short stay. There are many
bungalows and homestays available on per day rent in and around Murud at
nominal cost.
Places to
Visit in Murud
Janjira Fort – The reason to visit Murud is to see the majestic Janjira fort. Start early from your hotel around 7 to reach Rajpuri jetty. Take a sailboat to Janjira fort. Explore the fort within 45mins.
Murud Beach – Spend a wonderful evening at Murud beach which is flat, wide and long. There’s no dearth of options for having fun at the beach – have a refreshing dip in to the sea which is safe for swimming despite no lifeguards around. Other options are a horse ride, horse buggy ride, ATV ride and Parasailing.
Datta Mandir – Is a temple of Shri Dattatreya on a hillock which can be reached by climbing about 200 steps. It is 1.5 Kms. on the outskirts of Murud town.
Eidgah – Is the highest point in Murud which can be reached by road. Eidgah is a beautiful open air Mosque atop a hill overlooking the Murud town and the Arabian sea. It is 1.5 Kms on the outskirts of Murud on the same hill as that of the Datta Mandir at an higher elevation.
Khokari Tombs – Are a cluster of three tombs of the erstwhile Siddi rulers of Murud Janjira – Surul Khan, Yakub Khan and Khairiyat Khan. These tombs are 5 Kms. to the south of Murud Janjira, they are built in Indo Saracenic style.
Nawab Palace –The palace was built in 1885 for administration purposes. The palace is still owned by the descendants of the Nawab and is a private property. Nawab Palace is one of the popular historic places which is located at a distance of 6 Kms from Murud Janjira and is also known as Ahmedganj Palace.
Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary – is a protected forest reserve about 15 Kms north of Murud and is home to diverse flora and fauna – birds, snakes, foxes, leopards, porcupine, hyena, wild boar, giant squirrel and barking deer.
Kasa Padmadurg – Is an incomplete sea fort in ruins about 9 Kms into the sea visible from Murud beach. It was built by Chhatrapati Sambhaji to subdue the Siddis of Janjira.
Where to eat?
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| Patil Khanaval is famous for Fish Thali. |
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