Padmadurg - Kansa Fort

India / Maharashtra / Murud /
 island, place with historical importance, historical building, sea fort
Kansa Fort is surrounded all the sides by sea which is about 20 ft deep at its outer periphery. This is the Padmadurg Fort or the Kasa Fort as is known in the local language. This fort is built by the great Maratha King Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the year 1676. The fort was built as a launchpad for an invasion of Janjira. Shivaji explained the importance of the fort in a letter written in 1677 to Jivaji Vinayak, who was responsible for providing logistical support for building Padmadurg. Kanhoji Angre, the first notable chief of the Maratha Navy in the 18th Century, was first associated with this fort in major English documents. This fort was built as a bulwark against the irrepressible Siddhis who posed a potential challenge to the rising Maratha naval power in this area. The Padmadurg Fort has witnessed many fierce naval battles between Siddhis and Maratha for maritime supremacy on the western coast of Maharashtra. After Shivaji's son, Sambhaji, the fort was taken over by the rulers of Janjira, the Siddhis, who changed the fort's architecture according to the Siddhis style. Thus, some of their water tanks, cannons and bastions can also be seen in the fort. After the Siddhis, the British occupied Padmadurg and constructed their barracks. This fort was used for imprisoning the political offenders in the 19th century. Now the Padmadurg is desolate, lonely and abandoned, drifting some where in the dreams of the bygone era. It can be seen that the high outer walls of this fort now in shambles, were once guarded by six bastions. A lot of tourists visit Padmadurg for picnics. The fort had as many as 70 to 80 cannons in the past. However, only 42 remain, since shockingly many a time visitors throw them off the fort top, into the sea below. Also, the existing cannons have rusted due to the humid climatic conditions. One also finds about five to six cannons buried under years of mud and dust. Also, on the southern part of the fort, a fortification wall of 100 metres has collapsed. Cracks in the wall as well as copious vegetation and debris add to the miserable condition
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   18°19'18"N   72°55'56"E

Comments

  • Padma durg build by Sambhaji Bhosale (Chava)
  • its a fort build by sambhaji maharaj to conquer janjeera fort .............when it was under construction ...mughals attack on swarajya so sambhaji maharaj call up all resources against mughals.. after death of shambhaji maharaj no other ruler...gets any concentration on such strategic location
  • padmadurga fort was built in front of rajapuri in order counter siddhi's power
This article was last modified 8 years ago