Terekhol fort
Encyclopedia
Terekhol fort, also called Tiracol fort, is a fort in Goa
, India
. Located on the northern tip of Goa at the mouth of Terekhol river, Terekhol fort is reached by a car ferry from Querim, 42 km North of Panaji. The name probably originated from the Marathi
tir-khol meaning "steep river-bank".
The fort was originally built by Maharaja Khem Sawant Bhonsle, the Raja of Sawantwadi, in the 17th century. The site chosen was a hillock on the Northern (right) bank of the river, which gave a commanding view of the Arabian sea. The Bhonsles of Sawantwadi kept a sizeable fleet of native vessels which sheltered in the Terekhol river. The fort initially consisted of 12 guns, a barrack and a chapel.
In 1746, the Portuguese under the 44th Viceroy of Goa, Pedro Miguel de Almeida Portugal e Vasconcelos, conde de Assumar, marquis de Alorna], waged war against the Raja of Sawantwadi. On 16 November 1746, de Almeida brought the Portuguese fleet up to the river Kaisuva, waged a fierce maritime engagement against the naval forces of the Raja of Sawantwadi in which the Portuguese defeated the Sawantwadi forces utterly. Several skirmishes on land followed and Terekhol fort was finally surrendered on 23 Nov 1746 to the Protuguese.
The fort became an important part of Portuguese maritime defenses; being extensively revamped in 1764. It remained in Portuguese control till December 1961 when the last of Portuguese territorial positions in the subcontinent were forcibly annexed by India.
On 17 February 1819, following the defeat of the Marathas, a treaty was signed by Raja Bhonsle Khaima Sawunt of Sawunt Warree who recognised British suzerainity. This treaty effectively abolished the strategic importance of the fort, as it became an enclave in territory controlled by British allies.
During the Portuguese Civil War, the fort served as a rebel stronghold during an uprising in 1825 against the Portuguese led by Dr. Bernardo Peres da Silva, the first Goan born Viceroy of Goa. It was greatly damaged but the fort and the chapel were later rebuilt. A ruthless Commandant, "Tiger-killer" da Cunha entered the fort and ordered the beheading of the entire garrison and the placing of the heads onstakes.
Terekhol fort was a symbolic location where freedom fighters from Goa demonstrated from time to time. On 15 August 1954, Satyagrahis protesting Portuguese rule entered Goa from three different directions - one of which was from the North to Terekhol fort, which was occupied and flew the Indian flag for a day before they were captured and imprisoned.
A Church for the Holy Trinity was constructed in the fort courtyard by de Almeida after its capture. This later became the century old Church of St. Anthony.
Now, in a state of ruins, The Terekhol fort has been converted into a hotel, the Terekhol Fort Heritage. The church is not open to the general public except on certain occasions such as the annual feast that is usually held in May.
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Located on the northern tip of Goa at the mouth of Terekhol river, Terekhol fort is reached by a car ferry from Querim, 42 km North of Panaji. The name probably originated from the Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
tir-khol meaning "steep river-bank".
The fort was originally built by Maharaja Khem Sawant Bhonsle, the Raja of Sawantwadi, in the 17th century. The site chosen was a hillock on the Northern (right) bank of the river, which gave a commanding view of the Arabian sea. The Bhonsles of Sawantwadi kept a sizeable fleet of native vessels which sheltered in the Terekhol river. The fort initially consisted of 12 guns, a barrack and a chapel.
In 1746, the Portuguese under the 44th Viceroy of Goa, Pedro Miguel de Almeida Portugal e Vasconcelos, conde de Assumar, marquis de Alorna], waged war against the Raja of Sawantwadi. On 16 November 1746, de Almeida brought the Portuguese fleet up to the river Kaisuva, waged a fierce maritime engagement against the naval forces of the Raja of Sawantwadi in which the Portuguese defeated the Sawantwadi forces utterly. Several skirmishes on land followed and Terekhol fort was finally surrendered on 23 Nov 1746 to the Protuguese.
The fort became an important part of Portuguese maritime defenses; being extensively revamped in 1764. It remained in Portuguese control till December 1961 when the last of Portuguese territorial positions in the subcontinent were forcibly annexed by India.
On 17 February 1819, following the defeat of the Marathas, a treaty was signed by Raja Bhonsle Khaima Sawunt of Sawunt Warree who recognised British suzerainity. This treaty effectively abolished the strategic importance of the fort, as it became an enclave in territory controlled by British allies.
During the Portuguese Civil War, the fort served as a rebel stronghold during an uprising in 1825 against the Portuguese led by Dr. Bernardo Peres da Silva, the first Goan born Viceroy of Goa. It was greatly damaged but the fort and the chapel were later rebuilt. A ruthless Commandant, "Tiger-killer" da Cunha entered the fort and ordered the beheading of the entire garrison and the placing of the heads onstakes.
Terekhol fort was a symbolic location where freedom fighters from Goa demonstrated from time to time. On 15 August 1954, Satyagrahis protesting Portuguese rule entered Goa from three different directions - one of which was from the North to Terekhol fort, which was occupied and flew the Indian flag for a day before they were captured and imprisoned.
A Church for the Holy Trinity was constructed in the fort courtyard by de Almeida after its capture. This later became the century old Church of St. Anthony.
Now, in a state of ruins, The Terekhol fort has been converted into a hotel, the Terekhol Fort Heritage. The church is not open to the general public except on certain occasions such as the annual feast that is usually held in May.