New Delhi: The Murud-Janjira is one of those forts in India which was extremely difficult to breach in the medieval age. Located on an island off the coastal town of Murud in Maharashtra’s Raigad, the fort was constructed by Malik Ambar. The fort was a stronghold of the Sidis and it withstood several invasion attempts by the Mughals, the Marathas and Portuguese forces.
Who was Malik Ambar?
Malik Ambar was a slave from modern-day Ethiopia whose fate brought him to India. After arriving in this country, by dint of his hard work and intelligence, Ambar became a military leader and statesman who served as the Peshwa of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate and its de facto ruler from 1600 until he passed away in 1626. It was he who constructed the Murud-Janjira Fort when the Nizam Shahi Sultan of Ahmednagar, his overlord, wanted to capture the region for strategic reasons. Originally, the fort was called Jazeera Mahroob Jazeera.
What makes the fort special?
The Janjira Fort is special for its location and invincible status. The fort is located on an oval-shaped rock off the Arabian Sea coast near the port city of Murud and is one of the strongest coastal forts in the country. It has a staggering 26 artillery towers with many native and European cannons. It was a living fort on an island and had every necessary facility, like barracks, quarters for officers, a mosque, freshwater ponds etc. The fort has three mammoth cannons named Chavri, Landa Kasam and Kalaal Baangadi which had deadly shooting ranges.
Notably, the Portuguese, the British and the Maratha repeatedly tried to subdue the island fortress but failed in their attempts. The Siddi rulers of the fort were allies of the Mughal Empire. The fort, during its history, was ruled by men like Sidi Hilal, Yahya Saleh and Sidi Yaqub. During one of the Maratha attacks, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj tried to scale the 12-meter-high granite walls but failed and later his son and successor Sambhaji tried to make a tunnel into the fort. But his attempt became unsuccessful when a Mughal army attacked the Maratha capital city and Sambhaji was forced to withdraw his siege. Notably, Janjira would remain unconquered throughout its history despite the downfall of the Siddi rulers.
Located on an island off the coastal town of Murud in Maharashtra’s Raigad, the fort was constructed by Malik Ambar. The fort was a stronghold of the Sidis and it withstood several invasion attempts by the Mughals, the Marathas and Portuguese forces. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
