Forts of Maharashtra


Maharashtra is home to the largest number of military forts in India – many of them over 300 years old. But most of them are falling apart.

The forts in Raigarh, Maharashtra could be an ideal location film producers or hotel chains.

But the indifference of the Maharashtra government and the Archaeological Survey of India, which is in charge of the forts, has ensured these forts are crumbling.

The Padmadurg fort is yet another a serene location on the west coast of Maharashtra. Here one can clearly see the western part of ramparts are totally fallen and are in dilapidated condition.

Speaking about the forts’ situation, writer and journalist Kiran Batham says, “Yeh quila hai. Log aate hain, dekhte hain aur aason baha ke chale jaate hain. Aise haal mein quial hai (People visit the fort and go away feeling sad because of the state it's in)."

The cannons at the Padmadurg fort are the vital evidence of history. There are hundreds of such cannons in the fort.

This is the western bastion of Padmadurg fort and the moment these ramparts are falling these cannons are going down to the inter tidal zone of the sea.

The Archaeological Survey says it has a plan in place but needs time to implement it.

Superintending Archaeologist, ASI Mumbai Circle P S Narasimhan says, “We need the manpower and time even if we conceive a proposal to actually realise it. We will take 2 to 3 years.”

Underi is another fort, which is also in controversy since it was to be sold out to a private party.

The local villagers who owned the land sold off the 300-year-old piece of history to a private developer.

Thal Underi village sarpanch Sheshnath Koli says, “kisi ne bhi socha nahin ki kyon paryatak nahi aate, sarkaar ne bhi sacha nahi ki quila paryatak ke layak hai. to humne socha ki quile ka kuch achcha ho. (The government never even thought about making the fort a tourist attraction.) "

The government stalled the sale of this heritage structure. But the neglect of existing forts, including many from Shivaji's era, continues. Ironically, the government now says it wants to build a modern fort for Sivaji at a cost of Rs 100 crore.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil says, “Chatrapati ki history puri duniya ko maloom honi chahiye isiliye smarak banane ki koshish kar rahein hain (We are building a memorial for Shivaji because we feel the whole world should know about him).”

In their election manifesto the ruling parties in Maharashtra has promised for a Rs 100 crore memorial of Chatrapati Shivaji Mahaaraj but looking at the remains of this Capital fort of Shivajis Kingdom it seems those promised money can be of much help to restore and develop the facilities over here.