Murud Janjira Fort

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Sight Address : Murud is a village in Raigad district, south to Alibag. It is just 45 Kms. from Alibag. Edit

Detail InformationEdit

One of the strongest marine forts of India, the citadel of Janjira was the capital of Siddis who ruled the princely state of Murud-Janjira. Situated on an oval rock near the port town of Murud, it is about 165 km south of Mumbai in Raigad district of Maharashtra. A small fishing village, Murud is famous for its beaches too. Glittering sandy coastline and the village with beaches hemmed with coconut groves attracts large crowds especially on weekends. The fort can be approached only by sailboats from Rajapuri jetty. The fort remained unconquered despite the best efforts by the Portuguese, the British and the Marathas. Spread over 22 acres, the fort has 19 bastions which, despite the ravages of time, still stand intact. The fort’s main gate faces Rajapuri 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. There are two water tanks inside the fort and a deep well. The well is a marvel of nature as it contains sweet water. The fort was defended by several cannons. In its heyday, the fort had palaces, mosque, fresh water tanks, markets and quarters for officers.

Murud Janjira Fort

HistoryEdit

Janjira is derived from the Arabic word Jazeera which means island. The Siddis are believed to have originally hailed from Abyssinia and were called Habshis. Murud Janjira is surrounded by the remnants of Portuguese rule. 30 kms north of Murud Janjira at Revdanda. Chaul, Korlai one can see huge walls of the Fort & the church built by the Portuguese. Korlai FortIn October 1531, the Portuguese, erected a massive square stone fortress at Chaul (Revdanda, Korlai) which contained a church and dwelling houses, the fortress was named “Santa Maria do Castello”. In April 1592, the Moors, began a new seige of Chaul, but after a hard battle, the Portuguese succeeded to repel the assault. In 1594, the Portuguese, conquered the adjoining fortress of the “Morrode Chaul”. Owing to the repeated attacks by the Moors against Chaul, in 1613, new works of defense were carried out. The Portuguese power declined and Chaul, slowly lost his importance. In March 1739, Chaul and the fortress of “Morro de Chaul” were beseiged by the Marathas (Angres), but after some months, in October,the Angres raised seige. On 18 September 1740, the conclusion arrived, Chaul was ceded by treaty to the Marathas. Of Chaul, today are still visible: the ruins of the town-walls with his powerful ramparts, the ruins of the church “Matriz”, the church and the convent of the Augustinian, the Franciscans church’s, the “Misericordia”, the Porta do Mar”.Morro of Chaul : The adjoining fortress of the “Morro of Chaul” show, still today, the remains of the walls.In Korlai, a few kilometers from Chaul, there is a community of people (900) that still today speak a Creole form of Portuguese.

Must SeeEdit

Popular

Visiting TimeEdit

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Best Season to VisitEdit

October to March.

Best Time To VisitEdit

Morning, Afternoon, Evening.

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

2-3 Hours.

Ticket Required : No Edit

Individual National Adult Rs. : N.A.

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Individual Foreigner Adult Rs. : N.A.

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Still Photo Camera Rs. : N.A.

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Guide Required : No Edit

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Restaurants NearbyAdd / Edit

Patil Khanaval ; Murud, Murud, India ; Ph/M – N.A ; Food Serve – Cuisines: Indian

How to ReachEdit

Taxi : Taxis are another way to get around town. They can be hired from nearby cities and used for local transport as well. Taxis charge around Rs 1500 per day. A/C taxis and SUV’s such as Toyota Qualis are also available.

BUS : By bus : MSRTC buses should be available from various parts of Maharashtra. If you are leaving from Mumbai, then you have an option of boarding MSRTC buses, leaving every 30 mins – 1 hr from the Mumbai Central Bus Station. Though they might be uncomfortable, they top in terms of punctuality. Remember to grab a window seat!
Private buses can be chartered – a good option if you are going in a large group.

Train : The nearest station is at Gholvad Station (2 km) from which one can take bus, taxi or rickshaw to Alibaug. Train services between Mumbai and Surat stop at this station. Panvel is another nearest station which is at a distance of 49 kms from Alibaug.

Air : The nearest airport is Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport, which is 179 km away.

Others : By boat : There are ferries and catamarans available from the Gateway of India, Mumbai. The journey takes 2 hours. However, service is suspended during the rains, i.e. May-October. The ferry takes you to Rewas and you are taken on a bus to Alibag. The cost of the bus trip is usually included in the ferry fare. This is the recommended way of getting to Alibag.