Sadashivgad

Last updated

View of Sadashivgad Hill fort from the Kali River Bridge. View of Sadashivgad Hill fort from the Kali River Bridge.jpg
View of Sadashivgad Hill fort from the Kali River Bridge.

Sadashivgad is a village located in Karwar, Uttara Kannada district, in the state of Karnataka in India. Significant and picturesque, it is now a popular tourist destination located by the Kali river bridge, which has been built at the confluence of the river and the Arabian Sea.

Contents

Geography and structure

The fort was built on an old fortified site on the north bank of Kali River where it meets the sea. It had about 8 meters high ramparts which were about 2 metres wide at the top. There were towers and openings for guns. The citadel was at the highest point. An outwork was on the west, near the sea at the base of the cliff and was appropriately called Pani Killa. There was another outwork on the eastern slope. The citadel had single arched gateway.

Samvargad was a very small fort, about 60 metres by 20 metres on top of a hillock east of Sadashivgad. It was a satellite fort guarding the former on its east and northeast. Very few ruins remain.

History

Sadashivgad Fort and Kali River Bridge view from Nandangadda village. Kali bridge view from Nandangadda village.jpg
Sadashivgad Fort and Kali River Bridge view from Nandangadda village.

Etymology

The fort was named Sadashivgad by Basavlingraj after his father Sadashivlingraj in 1715. They were chieftains of Sonda who assumed the title of 'Raja' after incorporating Chittakula, Simveshwar (Angadi), Kadra, Kadwad, Ankola and some other parts of Canara. The old Karwar fort was pulled down and its material used to build Sadashivgad.

Early history

Cintacora as known to the Portuguese was a very old port and was also known as Chitrakul(Chittakula) and Sindpur. When Sadashivgad was built in this area, the village also came to be known by that name.

A fort existed at Cintacora which was captured and burnt by the Portuguese in 1510. They called it Pir fort due to the Muslim Dargah(Tomb of a Sufi Saint Shahkaramuddin) they found there - and was known in Portuguese language as Forte de Piro or Pito.

The creek at the mouth of the Kali River was a trading center from early days. It came into greater prominence after Sadashivgad was built and the Portuguese realized the advantages of its sheltered harbor.

Early trade

In 1638 a rival English trading body, the Courteen Association, established a factory at Karwar. Muslin was the chief commodity purchased but Karwar was also a source for pepper, cardamom, cassier and coarse blue cotton cloth. Situated on India's west coast, 50 miles south-east of Goa, Karwar was noted for its safe harbour. In 1649 the Courteen Association united with the Company and Karwar became a Company factory.

Maratha influence

Having marched from Bednore in the south, visiting on his way the sacred temple at Gokarna, Shivaji seized Ankola and the next day came to Karwar (then known as Kadwad). [1] Both the East India Company and Sher Shah, the sardar of Bijapur, were very much alarmed at this sudden development. They collected huge amount and offering it to Shivaji, prayed that they may be spared. Satisfied at the recognition of his authority, Shivaji crossed the Kali River and conquered Sadashivgad on 21 February 1665;

Portuguese and East India Company rule

Owing to the hostility of the Raja of Sonda, the factory was closed in 1720 and was not reopened until 1750. War broke out in the meanwhile between the Portuguese and the Raja of Sonda. The Raja of Sonda had helped the English establish a factory in Karwar. This was not liked by the Portuguese. In May 1752 the Portuguese sent a fleet and captured the Sonda fort, Sadashivgad but was given back on restoration of peace when the Portuguese were allowed to build a fort at Bhatkal. The Portuguese claimed the monopoly of the Karwar trade and as they were in a position to enforce their claim, the English agent was withdrawn.

It passed on to Tipu Sultan in 1793 and finally to the East India Company in 1799 after the Battle of Seringapatam in which Tipu died.

Current condition

The fort is in ruins as most of it was pulled down by East India Company General Matthews in 1783. A road now runs between it and its satellite fort Samvargad.

Midway on the Sadashivagad hill is the many centuries old Shantadurga Temple, known for its serenity. From the peak of the hill people view the Sun setting in the Arabian Sea. The 17th century Dargah also attracts a lot of Muslim pilgrims.

At a distance of approximately 2 km northwards a village lies by name Shiveshvar which got Fortress Kot Shiveshvar (mentioned in the Mangalore treaty between Tipu Sultan and the East India Company, as well as in earlier historical accounts) built exclusively for guarding the northern borders of Canara. It was built by the Bijapur Sultanate and subsequently, its fortunes were connected to the Sadashivgad Fort. This fort is in a shambles but the eastern gate, a Muslim graveyard, well and tunnel can still be seen.

Another important village is Kadwad situated on the banks of tributary of the Kali River, from which the name 'Karwar' has been derived. At this location the British used to have a factory and it was an important trade port in earlier days. It also had a large Muslim population and a larger mosque which was frequented by traders from Arabia and Africa.

The National Highway NH-66 continues on a bridge built over Kali River and the road splits the Sadashivgad granite hill to connect Karnataka to Goa.

Reaching Sadashivgad

By train

The closest railway stations are Karwar and Asnoti; though transport facilities are better available at the larger station of Karwar.

By road

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses as well as Goa state owned Kadamba Transport Corporation buses ply regularly on the NH-66. Apart from State transport, a number of private operators run their bus services on the same route.

Trivia

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uttara Kannada</span> District of Karnataka, India

Uttara Kannada is a district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a major coastal district of Karnataka, and is the third largest district in Karnataka. It is bordered by the state of Goa and Belagavi districts to the north, Dharwad District and Haveri District to the east, Shivamogga District, and Udupi District to the south, and the Laccadive Sea to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Konkan</span> Region of Southwest India

The Konkan is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, bound by the river Daman Ganga at Damaon in the north, to Anjediva Island next to Karwar town in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau to the east. The hinterland east of the coast has numerous river valleys, riverine islands and the hilly slopes known as the Western Ghats; that lead up into the tablelands of the Deccan. The region has been recognised by name, since at least the time of Strabo in the third century CE. It had a thriving mercantile port with Arab tradesmen from the 10th century. The best-known islands of Konkan are Ilhas de Goa, the site of the Goa state's capital at Panjim, and the Seven Islands of Bombay, on which lies Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra and the headquarters of the Konkan Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kanara</span> Region in Karnataka, India

Kanara or Canara, also known as Karavali is the historically significant stretch of land situated by the southwestern coast of India, alongside the Arabian Sea in the present-day Indian state of Karnataka. The subregion comprises three civil districts, namely: Uttara Kannada, Udupi, and Dakshina Kannada. Kassergode was included prior to the States Reorganisation Act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Konkani language</span> Indo-Aryan language spoken in India

Konkani is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Konkani people, primarily in the Konkan region, along the western coast of India. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages mentioned in the Indian Constitution, and the official language of the Indian state of Goa. It is also spoken in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat as well as Damaon, Diu & Silvassa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karwar</span> City in Karnataka, India

Karwar is a seaside city, taluka, and administrative headquarters of Uttara Kannada district lying at the mouth of the Kali river on the Kanara coast of Karnataka state, India.

Ankola is a Town Municipal Council and a taluka in Uttara Kannada district of the Indian state of Karnataka. The name of the place is derived from a forest shrub Ankola grown on the coastal hill side and worshiped by the Halakki Vokkaligas as a totem. The town is around 33 km (21 mi) from Karwar and 86 km (53 mi) from Sirsi.

Mangalorean Catholics are an ethno-religious community of Latin Christians from the Diocese of Mangalore and the erstwhile South Canara area, by the southwestern coast of present-day Karnataka, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Karnataka</span> Overview of tourism in Karnataka, India

Karnataka, the sixth largest state in India, has been ranked as the third most popular state in the country for tourism in 2014. It is home to 507 of the 3600 centrally protected monuments in India, second only to Uttar Pradesh. The State Directorate of Archaeology and Museums protects an additional 752 monuments and another 25,000 monuments are yet to receive protection.

Chandgad is a Small city and tehsil headquarters of chandgad taluka, of Kolhapur district that is in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kali River (Karnataka)</span> River in Karnataka, India

The Kali River or Kaali Nadi is a river flowing through Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka state in India. The river rises near Kushavali, a small village in Uttar Kannada district. The river is the lifeline to some 400,000 people in the Uttara Kannada district and supports the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people including fishermen on the coast of Karwar. There are many dams built across this river for the generation of electricity. One of the important dams build across Kali river is the Supa Dam at Ganeshgudi. The river runs 184 kilometers before joining Arabian Sea.

Konkani may refer to:

The Captivity of Mangalorean Catholics at Seringapatam (1784–1799) was a 15-year-long imprisonment of Mangalorean Catholics and other Christians at Seringapatam, in the Carnataca region of India by Tippu Sultan; who was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore following its usurpation. Estimates of the number of captives range from 30,000 to 80,000, but the generally accepted figure is 60,000, as stated by Tippu himself in the Sultan-ul-Tawarikh. The captivity was the most disconsolate period in the community's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Anjediva</span>

Fort Anjediva, built on the Anjadip Island, off the coast of the Indian state of Karnataka but under the administrative jurisdiction of the Indian state of Goa, was once under Portuguese rule. The island of Anjadip has an area of 1.5 square kilometres (0.58 sq mi).

Asnoti is a village in Karwar Taluka, Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka, India. It is close to the historic fort of Sadashivgad located on Kali river. Konkani is spoken as a local language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canarese Konkani</span> Regional language between Goa and Mara

Canarese Konkani are a set of dialects spoken by minority Konkani people of the Canara sub-region of Karnataka, and also in Kassergode of Kerala that was part of South Canara.

Konkani is a southern Indo-Aryan language belonging to the Indo-European family of languages spoken in the Konkan coastal region of India. It has approximately 3.6 million speakers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Karnataka</span> Overview of and topical guide to Karnataka

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Karnataka:

Mudgeri is a village in Karwar Taluka, Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka, India. It is close to the historic fort of Sadashivgad located on Kali river. Konkani is spoken as a local language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karwar railway station</span> Railway station in Karnataka, India

Karwar railway station is one of the main railway station in Uttara Kannada, Karnataka. Its code is KAWR. It is the headquarters of the Karwar Division of Konkan Railway(Pernem-Thokur). It serves Karwar city. The station consists of two platforms. Karwar has three nearby railway stations: Karwar, Asnoti and Harwada. A 1.69 km (1.05 mi) railway bridge on Kali River falls before Karwar Railway Station while travelling from the side of Goa. The town of Karwar is situated beside Kali River.

Kali River Bridge was constructed over the Kali river in the city of Karwar in Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka. It was built in 1983. The bridge connects the state of Karnataka with Goa by road. The Sadashivgad Fort of Sadashivgad is located next to this bridge.

References

  1. Raghuram, M (23 April 2012). "The Great Maratha Warrior Shivaji's Karwar link". DNA. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  2. "Project South Asia". Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 11 August 2009.

14°50′25″N74°10′55″E / 14.8403°N 74.1819°E / 14.8403; 74.1819