Suvarnadurg Fort Information (In English)
• Location:
Suvarnadurg Fort is situated in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, in Ratnagiri district, near the coastal town of Harnai in Dapoli Taluka. The fort stands in the Arabian Sea, visible from the Harnai port. It is a sea fort (Jaldurg).
• Height:
Being a sea fort, it stands approximately 1400 feet above sea level. The fort’s length is around 480 meters and width is 123 meters. Covering 4 to 5 acres, Suvarnadurg is built on a small island.
• Travel Routes to Reach Suvarnadurg Fort:
1. By Sea:
As Harnai is a coastal port, one can reach the fort by sea from Mumbai, Goa, Ratnagiri and other coastal locations.
2. By Road:
Travel on the Mumbai–Goa highway up to Khed.
From Khed, take a bus to Dapoli.
From Dapoli, travel by bus or private vehicle to Harnai port.
From Harnai port, small private boats take tourists to Suvarnadurg Fort.
3. By Railway:
Travel by Konkan Railway to Khed Station.
From there, take a bus to Dapoli, then to Harnai Port, and finally by boat to Suvarnadurg Fort.
Distances:
Suvarnadurg is 222 km from Mumbai.
It is 200 km from Pune.
Mumbai, Pune and Goa are major international travel points.
• Purpose of Construction:
Suvarnadurg Fort was built to protect the Harnai port. As a part of its defense line, nearby forts such as Goa Fort, Fattegad and Kanakdurg were constructed.
• Places to See on Suvarnadurg Fort:
From the Mumbai–Goa highway, reach Khed by bus or private vehicle, then to Dapoli and further to Harnai port. After parking the vehicle, travellers walk to the jetty. Private boats charge around ₹200 per trip (extra charge for additional waiting time). The boat ride to Suvarnadurg takes about 20 minutes. After getting down near the entrance side, a short walk leads to the fort gate.
The fort stands on an island with rocky shores and a well-built stone fortification.
• Gomukh-Style Entrance Gate:
After walking on the stone steps towards the main gate, the path bends between two bastions in a Gomukh-shaped (cow-face-shaped) entrance. Inside, a massive main gate can be seen.
Gomukh construction is designed in such a way that, like a cow turning back while feeding the calf, the entrance helps defend from direct attacks of enemies and cannon fire.
Near the gate, a Hanuman carving is visible on the bastion wall. The steps are uneven to slow down enemy soldiers and horses.
There is also a faint inscription on a side wall.
The main entrance faces north-east (Purva–Uttarabhimukh).
Devadya (Guard Rooms):
After crossing the main gate and entering inside, on the backside of the frame you can see an aadhana, meaning the slot where the bar used to be placed after closing the door. One side has a small guard room, while the other side is larger, which seems to have been built for guards to stay and rest.
• Ruins of the Fallen Wada:
Inside the fort, you can see the ruins of a collapsed wada. Now only the platforms remain. Remains of the royal palace can also be seen.
• Square Well:
At one place in the fort, you can see a built well/tank, which was constructed to meet the drinking water needs of the fort. As it is not in use now, the water is heavily covered with algae.
• Fort Wall and Rampart:
All around the fort, the strong rampart still appears to be in good condition. This high rampart built on the rocky surface is beautiful to walk around. During high tide, the seawater reaches the wall, due to which the stones at the base appear slightly eroded.
• Secret Door (Chor Darwaza):
On the western edge of the fort, beneath a huge tree growing in the wall, you can see a small built secret passage that leads outside the fort. At the point where this passage opens out, a rope can be seen tied for climbing down. It is difficult to descend from here. This passage was used during emergencies and for supplying provisions.
• Bastions:
The fort appears to have around twenty-four bastions. These bastions are approximately thirty feet high. They were used for patrolling, attacking enemies, and for security.
• Loop Holes and Cannon Slots:
All around the fort, in the bastions, you can see loopholes and cannon slots. The loopholes were used to secretly aim at the enemy with a gun or arrow, while the cannon slots were used for firing cannons.
• Cannons:
At some places on the fort, cannons can be seen. Over time, many of them have deteriorated, and only remains of some cannons are left.
• Temple:
There is currently no temple on the fort. Earlier, the family deity of Kanhoji Angre—Goddess Kalambika—had a temple here. Later, this temple was shifted elsewhere, as understood from the locals.
• Grain Storehouse:
On one side of the fort, a ruined structure has recently been renovated. This place might have been used earlier as a grain storehouse.
• Ammunition Storehouse:
Similar to the grain storehouse, another later-period restored structure made of laterite stone can be seen. It is believed that this must have been the ammunition storehouse.
Historical Information of Suvarnadurg Fort:
• Knowing the importance of Harnai port and its trade, some construction was done here during the Shilahara rule.
• Later, this region was under the control of the Bahamani Sultanate.
• In the early 16th century AD, this region was under the Nizamshahi. Only limited fortification was built at that time.
• After AD 1640, this fort came under the Adilshahi rule.
• In the 17th century, Shivaji Maharaj’s naval officer Darya Sarang Mainak Bhandari and his associates won this fort and brought it under Swarajya.
• In AD 1659, Tukoji Angre came with Shivaji Maharaj. Kanhoji Angre used to stay at Anjanwel during this period.
• In AD 1674, Suvarnadurg Fort was repaired, and the Gomukh-style entrance gate was constructed.
• After Shivaji Maharaj’s death, during the reign of Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj, Achaloji Mohite was appointed as the fort commander.
• In AD 1688, the Mughal commander Siddi Kasim laid siege to the fort. Achaloji Mohite betrayed. When Kanhoji Angre came to know, he killed Achaloji and himself took charge of the army.
Kanhoji attacked the enemy, but he was captured. However, he cleverly escaped and swam back to the fort. He defended the fort once again.
In June, Kasim lifted the siege. Later, Shivaji Maharaj honoured Kanhoji Angre with the title Sar Lashkar and appointed him on Suvarnadurg Fort.
• During the Maratha succession struggle, Maratha naval chief Kanhoji Angre first supported Tarabai. Later, in AD 1713, he joined Shahu Maharaj.
• Till AD 1731, after Kanhoji Angre, his son Sekhoji Angre looked after the administration of Suvarnadurg Fort.
• In AD 1755, the fort was under the control of Maratha naval chief Tulaji Angre. The Maratha power had shifted to the Peshwas. Due to conflict with the Peshwas, they attacked Suvarnadurg with the help of the British.
Ramji Pant Mahadev of the Peshwas attacked from land, and British commander James attacked from the sea.
A cannon attack destroyed the ammunition storehouse. As it became difficult to defend the fort, Tulaji Angre escaped by sea, and Commander James handed the fort over to the Peshwas.
• In AD 1803, Peshwa Bajirao II stayed on Suvarnadurg Fort for some time.
• In AD 1818, when the Maratha Empire fell, English officer John Kennedy took possession of Suvarnadurg Fort.
• After India became independent on 15 August, the fort came under the Government of Independent India.
• At present, the fort is under the Archaeological Survey of India and the Government of Maharashtra. It is now a well-known tourist destination.
• This fort has witnessed the golden era of the Maratha navy. Even today, the fort is in good condition, though some restoration work is occasionally seen.
Suvarnadurg Fort Information (In English)
