Sewri Fort
Encyclopedia
The Sewri Fort (Marathi: ) is a fort in Mumbai built by the British at Sewri
. Built in 1680, fort served as a watch tower, atop a quarried hill overlooking the Mumbai harbour
.
. The harbour proved eminently apposite, and the British planned to shift base from Surat
to Mumbai
. The Siddis, who were of African descent and noted for their navies, had allied themselves with the Mughals. The British, under the East India Company
and the Mughals were constantly waged war on each other. As allies of the Mughals, the Siddis also declared the British as enemies.
Faced with relentless attacks by the Siddis in 1672, several fortifications were constructed in Mumbai, and in 1780 the Sewri fort was complete. It stood on the island of Parel, on a hill overlooking the eastern seaboard and Indian mainland. It had a garrison of 50 sepoys and was managed by a subedar
. It was also armed with eight to ten cannons.
In 1689, the Siddi general, Yadi Sakat, with an army of 20,000 men, invaded Mumbai. The fleet first captured the Sewri fort, then the Mazagon Fort
, before sacking the town of Mahim
. The fort was also later involved in a battle that repelled a Portuguese attack in 1772.
After the decline of the regional powers, the fort was subsequently used to house prisoners. It was later converted as a Bombay Port Trust godown.
Architectural highlights include pentagonal room along with a long domed corridor, and linear vaulted structures.
state's Department of Archaeology and Museums. It is classified as a Grade I heritage structure, and efforts are underway under Phase I of Mumbai Fort Circuit Project to restore it.
The restoration involves the creation of two zones. Zone I includes the immediate fort area. The crumbling walls are to be repaired, debris cleared off, roofs rebuilt, steps fixed and a garden created in the complex. A museum is also to be constructed. Zone II renovation consists of the surrounding areas that belong to the Mumbai Port Trust
. In this, a sea-facing promenade is to be created that links the fort to the waterfront, along with the creation of a landscaped garden, food court, and amphitheatre. The total cost for this project in 2008 is estimated to be . The strategic location of the fort would also promote ornithology
as the area overlooks the Sewree mudflats, that are frequented by migratory birds, particularly the lesser flamingo
es.
Sewri
Sewri is a suburb of Mumbai. It is also the name of a railway station on the Mumbai suburban railway.Neighbouring stations: Cotton Green, Wadala Road....
. Built in 1680, fort served as a watch tower, atop a quarried hill overlooking the Mumbai harbour
Mumbai Harbour
Mumbai Harbour , or Front Bay, is a natural deep-water harbor in the southern portion of the Ulhas River estuary. The narrower, northern part of the estuary is called Thane Creek. The harbor opens to the Arabian Sea to the south...
.
History
Up to the eighteenth century, Mumbai consisted of several small islands. In 1661, seven of these islands were ceded by the Portuguese to the British as part of the dowry of Charles II of EnglandCharles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. The harbour proved eminently apposite, and the British planned to shift base from Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
to Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. The Siddis, who were of African descent and noted for their navies, had allied themselves with the Mughals. The British, under the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
and the Mughals were constantly waged war on each other. As allies of the Mughals, the Siddis also declared the British as enemies.
Faced with relentless attacks by the Siddis in 1672, several fortifications were constructed in Mumbai, and in 1780 the Sewri fort was complete. It stood on the island of Parel, on a hill overlooking the eastern seaboard and Indian mainland. It had a garrison of 50 sepoys and was managed by a subedar
Subedar
Subedar is a historical rank in the Indian Army, ranking below British commissioned officers and above non-commissioned officers. The rank was otherwise equivalent to a British lieutenant and was introduced in the East India Company's presidency armies, to make it easier for British officers to...
. It was also armed with eight to ten cannons.
In 1689, the Siddi general, Yadi Sakat, with an army of 20,000 men, invaded Mumbai. The fleet first captured the Sewri fort, then the Mazagon Fort
Mazagon Fort
The Mazagaon Fort was a British fort in Mazagaon, Mumbai, in the India state of Maharashtra, built around 1680. The fort was razed by the Siddi general, Yakut Khan in June 1690...
, before sacking the town of Mahim
Mahim
Mahim is a neighbourhood in Mumbai. It is also the name of a railway station in Mahim area, on the Mumbai suburban railway on the Western Railway railway line. In ancient times, the area was known as Maijim, Mejambu, Mahikawati....
. The fort was also later involved in a battle that repelled a Portuguese attack in 1772.
After the decline of the regional powers, the fort was subsequently used to house prisoners. It was later converted as a Bombay Port Trust godown.
Architecture
The fort was built primarily for defence, and embellishments are absent. It is bordered by high stone walls, including an inner ring for added protection. It is landlocked on three sides, and sits atop of sheer cliff of about 60 m (197 ft). The entrance is a stone doorway that leads into a courtyard. To prevent a frontal assault from the main entrance, the inner entrances were placed perpendicular to the main entrances.Architectural highlights include pentagonal room along with a long domed corridor, and linear vaulted structures.
Conservation
The fort is currently owned by MaharashtraMaharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
state's Department of Archaeology and Museums. It is classified as a Grade I heritage structure, and efforts are underway under Phase I of Mumbai Fort Circuit Project to restore it.
The restoration involves the creation of two zones. Zone I includes the immediate fort area. The crumbling walls are to be repaired, debris cleared off, roofs rebuilt, steps fixed and a garden created in the complex. A museum is also to be constructed. Zone II renovation consists of the surrounding areas that belong to the Mumbai Port Trust
Mumbai Port Trust
Mumbai Port, earlier known as Bombay Port, lies midway on the West coast of India, on the natural deep-water harbor of Mumbai. The harbor spread over is protected by the mainland of Konkan to its east and north and by the island city of Mumbai to its west...
. In this, a sea-facing promenade is to be created that links the fort to the waterfront, along with the creation of a landscaped garden, food court, and amphitheatre. The total cost for this project in 2008 is estimated to be . The strategic location of the fort would also promote ornithology
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
as the area overlooks the Sewree mudflats, that are frequented by migratory birds, particularly the lesser flamingo
Lesser Flamingo
The Lesser Flamingo is a species in the flamingo family of birds that resides in Africa and in southern Asia...
es.
See also
-
- History of MumbaiHistory of MumbaiThe history of Mumbai recounts the growth of a collection of seven islands on the west coast of India, becoming the commercial capital of the nation, and one of the most populous cities in the world. Although human habitation existed since the Stone Age, the Kolis, a fishing community, were the...
- List of forts in Maharashtra