Mahim Fort & Shirgaon Fort - Mumbai Cycling Adventures | Part - 3

Mahim fort is in quite neglected state and overgrown with vegetation.
The ramparts are all still intact. There is a pair of stairways that branch out from the center and led up to the ramparts.
According to Gazetteer of Bombay Presidency
As per survey in 1818, the western face of the fort was washed by the sea, or rather the Mahim creek.
The fort was so surrounded by the villages and trees that enemy force could approach it unnoticed . So of later date than the fort, but of the same height an hexagonal battery with ten guns was added to the fort.
As per survey in 1862 it was in good condition and strongly fortified, the strongest fort south of Daman except Arnala.
As per survey in 1881 it was one of the Collector's district bungalows.
We can see the coast from the rampart of the fort, so as the gazetteer mentions the fort must be close to the Mahim creek.
And the hexagonal battery does enforce the idea that this fort was of Military significance.
Then it was about time for us to move to the next fort on our list Sirgaon Fort.
On reaching the fort , we found a heap of rock laying in front of the main entrance. It seems like there were some restoration going on this but we didn’t find any workers.
After checking with few locals we got to know that there were restoration going on before monsoon which has stopped due to rain and the workers were yet to return.
The fort was in very neglected state and there was vegetation everywhere.
History about the fort is that this was constructed by Portuguese rulers to guard the region from enemies approaching from Arabian Sea.
In 1739 Marathas won this fort along with the forts of Dahanu, Kelve and Tarapur.
Afterwards in 1818 Britishers captured it like the other forts
The Fort is rectangular in shape.
There are total five bastions. The four bastions at the four corners 3 of them are octagonal in shape and one is triangle may be because it was facing the Sea while the fifth one at the entrance gate is circular.
This fort was much larger other than other three fort we visited earlier today.

[@a66mehta]

Definitely.. more such videos.. also would like to accompany you..

[@SujitMallick]

Thank you

[@swarnapravamallick1104]

Beautiful place bapa

[@shamlimbore9406]

Beautiful,

[@anupam042042]

I've been here at shirgaon fort....!! But u should have also visited the shirgaon beach.... It's a very clean beach

[@SujitMallick]

yes, most of the beaches on that side are clean.

[@shahajithanage5246]

Yes from me