Sindhudurg Fort

En un regard

Le château en bref

Off the coast of Malvan, on the rocky islet once known as Kurte, Sindhudurg is the great maritime citadel commissioned by Shivaji to establish Maratha naval power against the Siddis of Janjira, the Portuguese and the European trading companies. Work began in November 1664 under the direction of the royal architect Hiroji Indulkar and was completed within three years. The rampart, some four metres thick and about ten metres high, follows the irregular outline of the rock over nearly forty-eight acres and is lined with some fifty bastions designed for artillery. The entrance, concealed between two bastions, is visible only as a boat approaches, and the surrounding reefs made any landing hazardous. Inside, visitors can see the temple dedicated to Shivaji, founded by his son Rajaram in 1695, the shrines of Mahadev and Jarimai, freshwater wells, and the hand and footprints attributed to the ruler. A few families connected with the service of the temples still live within the walls, and the fort can be reached by boat from the jetty at Malvan.