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Worli Fort | |
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वरळी किल्ला | |
Worli koliwada, Mumbai, India | |
Coordinates | 19°01′26″N72°49′00″E / 19.0238°N 72.8166°E |
Site information | |
Owner | Government of India |
Controlled by | British Raj (1675-1947) |
Open to the public | Yes |
Site history | |
Built | 1675 |
The Worli Fort is a fort in Worli, Mumbai, India. [1] Though often incorrectly assumed to have been built by the Portuguese, the fort was built by the British around 1675 on Worli Hill. Worli Fort overlooked Mahim Bay at a time when the city comprised just seven islands and was used as a lookout for enemy ships.
The centuries-old village is home to one of the oldest communities of fisherfolk which is still existing in Mumbai. [2]
The area around Worli Hill is also known for its fossils and geology [3]
Worli Fort traces its origins back to the 17th century when it was constructed by the Portuguese as a strategic outpost to protect their territories along the western coast of India. The fort served as a defensive structure guarding the southern approach to the island of Bombay (now Mumbai) and the entrance to the Mahim Bay. [4] [5]
In 1661, control of Bombay was transferred from the Portuguese to the British as part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza upon her marriage to Charles II of England. Subsequently, Worli Fort came under British rule, and it underwent several modifications and reinforcements over the years to strengthen its defenses. [6]
Worli Fort is built using locally available basalt rock, characteristic of many forts in the region. The fortification consists of ramparts, bastions, and gateways, typical of Portuguese military architecture of the time. The fort originally housed barracks, ammunition storage facilities, and living quarters for the garrison.
The strategic location of Worli Fort provides views of the Arabian Sea and the Mumbai coastline, making it a tourist attraction and a favorite spot for locals to enjoy sunsets.[ citation needed ]
Worli Fort played a role in Mumbai's maritime history, serving as a sentinel against potential invasions and attacks from the sea. It was one of several coastal forts that formed a defensive network around the island of Bombay, safeguarding its trading interests and maritime routes. [7]
In addition to its military significance, Worli Fort holds cultural importance as a heritage site that reflects Mumbai's colonial past and architectural heritage.[ citation needed ]
Today, Worli Fort is a tourist destination and a recreational spot for locals. Visitors explore the fort's ruins, walk along its ramparts, and take in the views of the Arabian Sea.[ original research? ] The fort's proximity to the Worli Sea Face promenade makes it accessible to tourists and residents alike.[ citation needed ]
Bandra ([bæːɳɖɾa]) is a coastal suburb located in Mumbai, the largest city of the Konkan division in Maharashtra, India. The area is located to the immediate north of the River Mithi, which separates Bandra from the Mumbai City district. It is the third-largest commercial hub in Maharashtra, after the Bombay city district and Pune, primarily aided by the Bandra Kurla Complex.
Mahim (Marathi: माहिम) is a neighbourhood in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The Mahim Junction railway station on the Western Railway and Harbour Railway of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network is the last station of the city, as neighboring Bandra comes in Mumbai Suburb. Mahim is an ethnically and religiously diverse town and has a Hindu temple, church, mosque and Parsi fire-temple existing within a few meters of each other. The town has a large Rich and Upper Middle class Marathi population.
Juhu is a suburb of Mumbai. It is known for the sprawling Juhu Beach. It is surrounded by the Arabian Sea to the west, Versova to the north, Vile Parle to the east and Santacruz to the south. Juhu is among the most expensive and affluent areas of the metropolitan area and home to many Bollywood celebrities. The nearest railway stations are Santacruz, Andheri and Vile Parle on the Western Line and Harbour Line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway. The nearest metro stations are D. N. Nagar and Andheri West. There are two minor B.E.S.T bus depots in Juhu.
Worli is a locality in central Mumbai in Maharashtra, India. It is one of the four peninsulas of Mumbai with the others being Colaba, Bandra and Malabar Hill. The sea connects it with Bandra via the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. Historic spellings include Warli, Worlee, Varli, and Varel. Originally Worli was a separate island, one of the Seven Islands of Bombay which were ceded by the Portuguese to England in 1661; it was linked up with the other islands in the 19th century.
Salsette Island is an island in Konkan division of the state of Maharashtra, along India's west coast. Administratively known as Greater Mumbai, the Mumbai Suburban district, Mira Bhayander and a portion of Thane district lie within it, making it very populous and one of the most densely populated islands in the world. It has a population of more than 20 million inhabitants living on an area of about 619 square kilometres (239 sq mi).
South Mumbai, colloquially SoBo from South Bombay in Indian English, administratively the Mumbai City District, is the city centre and the southernmost precinct of Greater Bombay. It extends from Colaba to Mahim and Sion neighbourhoods, and comprises the city's main business localities, making it the wealthiest urban precinct in India. Property prices in South Mumbai are by far the highest in India and among the highest in the world.
Kanhoji Angre, also known as Conajee Angria or Sarkhel Angré was a chief of the Maratha Navy in present-day India. Kanhoji became known for attacking and capturing European merchant ships and collecting jakat, seen by Europeans traders and colonists as ransoming of their crews. British, Dutch and Portuguese ships often fell victims to these raids.Despite attempts by the Portuguese and British to put an end to his privateering activities, Angre continued to capture and collect jakat from European merchant ships until his death in 1729. Kanhoji's naval prowess in capturing dozens of European trading ships and avoiding capture has led to many historians to appraise Kanhoji as the most skilled Indian navy chief in the maritime history of India.
Madh Island is a group of several quaint fishing villages and farmlands in northern Mumbai.
Fort Vasai is a ruined fort of the town of Vasai (Bassein), Konkan Division, Maharashtra, Indian Union. The structure was formally christened as the Fort of St Sebastian in the Indo-Portuguese era. The fort is a monument of national importance and is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.
The Mahim Fort is a fort in Mahim in Mumbai, Maharashtra state, India. Strategically located in the Mahim Bay, the fort overlooks Worli to the south, Bandra to the north, and Mahim to the east. The origins of the fort are unclear, but it occupies a strategic location that has been frequently contested. The fort is currently in disrepair, suffering from administrative neglect, encroachment of slums, and exposure to tidal erosion.
Lands End is the southernmost tip of Bandra in Mumbai. The area is notable for being the residence of several Bollywood actors. It is an upmarket area in Mumbai and the properties in this area is one of the most expensive properties in the world. Notable residents include Shahrukh Khan.
The Bandstand Promenade, also known as Bandra Bandstand is a 1.2 kilometer long walkway along the sea on the western coast of Mumbai, India in the neighborhood of Bandra. It is simultaneously a popular hangout spot, a jogging track and a park.
Castella de Aguada, also known as the Bandra Fort, is a fort located in Bandra, Mumbai. "Castella" is a misspelling for Portuguese "Castelo" (castle), although it seems its Portuguese builders actually called it Forte de Bandorá. It is located at Land's End in Bandra. It was built by the Portuguese in 1640 as a watchtower overlooking Mahim Bay, the Arabian Sea and the southern island of Mahim. The strategic value of the fort was enhanced in 1661 after the Portuguese ceded the seven islands of Bombay that lay to the immediate south of Bandra to the English. The name indicates its origin as a place where fresh water was available in the form of a fountain ("Aguada") for Portuguese ships cruising the coasts in the initial period of Portuguese presence. The fort lies over several levels, from sea level to an altitude of 24 metres (79 ft). Castella de Aguada has been featured in several Hindi films, such as Dil Chahta Hai and Buddha Mil Gaya.
Sindhudurg Fort is a historical sea fort located in Arabian Sea near the Konkan region of Maharashtra in Western India. The fort, commissioned by Chhatrapati Shivaji, was constructed between 1664 and 1667. The fort lies off the shore of Malvan taluka of the Sindhudurg District in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, 450 kilometres (280 mi) south of Mumbai. It is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India.
Mahim Bay is a picturesque bay situated in the Arabian Sea, along the western coast of India. It is located in the southern part of Mumbai, the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. The bay was named after the islands of Mahim and Salsette were merged in the early 19th century. The Mithi River drains into Mahim Creek which drains into the Bay, and forms the border between the Mumbai city and its Suburbs.
The Mahim Causeway is a vital link road connecting Mumbai City district/South Mumbai with its Northern and Western Suburbs. The causeway links the neighbourhoods of Mahim to the south with Bandra to the north.
Kolaba Fort located at Alibag beach is an old fortified maritime base in Alibag, Konkan, India. It is situated in the sea at a distance of 1–2 km from the shores of Alibag, 35 km south of Mumbai, in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, India. It is a popular tourist destination and a protected monument.
Indigenous tribals have inhabited Mumbai (Bombay) since the Stone Age. The Kolis and Aagri were the earliest known settlers of the islands. Between the 2nd century BCE and 10th century CE, the islands came under the control of successive indigenous dynasties: the Satavahanas, Abhiras, Vakatakas, Kalachuris, Konkan Mauryas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Silharas & Chollas.
Bombay, also called Bom Bahia or Bom Baim in Indo-Portuguese creole, Mumbai in the local language; is the financial and commercial capital of India and one of the most populous cities in the world. It's also the cosmopolitan city centre of the Greater Bombay Metropolitan Area, and the cultural base of the Bollywood film industry. At the time of arrival of the Portuguese Armadas, Bombay was an archipelago of seven islands. Between the third century BCE and 1348, the islands came under the control of successive Hindu dynasties. The Delhi Sultanate had been ruling the area along with Chaul, New Bombay (Thana) & Damaon, with the administrative centre in Bassein (Vasai) since the raids of Malik Kafur in the Konkan region and across the Indian subcontinent. This territory in North Konkan along with the Bombay islands were later taken over by the Sultan of Guzerat from 1391 to 1534, when he had declared the end of the suzerainty to Delhi, after the Timurid invasion of it. Growing apprehensive of the power of the Moghal emperor Humayun, Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat was obliged to sign the Treaty of Bassein on 23 December 1534; according to which, the seven islands of Bombay, Fort San Sebastian of Bassein in strategic town of Bassein (Vasai), and its dependencies were offered to the Portuguese East Indies. The places were only later officially surrendered on 25 October 1535, by the Sultan of Guzerat.
Panchkalshi is a Hindu community. They are one of the original native communities of Bombay (Mumbai) metropolitan area in the Konkan division of India. Since the 19th century the community has called itself Somvanshi Kshatriya Pathare (SKP).
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