Janjira Fort

One of the strongest marine forts in India, Janjira fort is situated
on an oval shaped rock near the town of Murud. It is at a distance
of about 165km to the south of Mumbai. The fort can be reached
from Rajapuri jetty by sailboats. When one is close to the shore,
the main gate of the fort can be seen which is facing Rajapuri.
It has a posterior gate facing the open sea. It has 19 round bastions
that are intact till date. A sculpture, depicting elephants being
clasped by a tiger-like beast can be seen flanking on the outer
wall over the main gate. Initially, in its original condition, the fort
was a small structure made of wood, built by a Koli Chief in the
15th century. The Siddis overpowered the fort and strengthened it.
The Portuguese, the British and the Marathas failed to empower
the Siddis. The state of Janjira came to an end after the year 1947,
but the palace of the Nawabs of Janjira is still in good shape. The
fort has a sweet-water tank that is huge and the stone wall near the
water line has been scooped away by the sea water.