In the fore- ground is the sea-fort of Kolaba, with its temples, ruined palaces, and trees; beyond is the long line of palms broken only by groups of still higher casuarinas, beneath which may be distinguished the houses of the European residents.
It is one of the fort built by Shivaji in the middle of 17th century, when he had started his naval operation in Konkan by winning panvel, southern Kalyan region. In 1662 Shivaji rebuilt and strengthened Kolaba and made the harbour one of his chief naval stations. The command of his naval fleet was under Darya Sarang and Maynak Bhandari.
To put a stop to the ravages by the Maratha navy, the Portuguese from Chaul nearby, sent their ambassador to visit Shivaji to refrain from molesting their coasts and shipping. Shivaji agreed on the terms of the supply of gunpowder and cannons. There was no interlude on the fort Kolaba until it came to Angrians.
In 1690 Kanhoji Angria was appointed second in command of Rajaram's fleet, and in 1698 succeeded to the command on the death of the admiral Sidoji Gujar. Kanhoji Angria soon showed himself a most daring and enterprising leader. As in the time of Shivaji, Kolaba continued the one of the principal base of the Maratha fleet. In 1713 Peshwa, Balaji Vishvanath gave, Kolaba and several other forts, to Angria.
In 1722 the Bombay governer of English factory in Mumbai placed a joint operation with the help from Portuguese in Chaul and Goa against Angrians. Colonel Mathew from Gujrat had joined the governor on the company’s request. This joint operation failed even though it was well prepared and planned.
Later on Kanhoji died in the year 1728 and the region was succeeded by his two sons Sakhoji and Sambhaji. Sambhaji Angria kept the eldest of his three half-brothers with him at Gheria in Ratnagiri, appointed the other two Yesaji and Manaji to the charge of Kolaba. Yesaji the elder brother had civil controls, while Manaji commanded the army and navy.
Before long Manaji quarrelled with his family, and, with the help of the Portuguese to whom he promised land near Revdanda, escaladed Kolaba and carried it sword in hand. He put out Yesaji's eyes and confined him first at Poynad and then at Alibag.
As soon as the Portuguese retired, Sambhaji attacked Kolaba, but, with the help of the Peshwa Bajirav, Manaji forced Sambhaji to raise the siege.
In 1737, as Manaji had failed to give them the districts he had promised, the Portuguese joined Sambhaji against him. Manaji sent to the Peshwa, who agreed to help him on condition of his paying a yearly sum of £700 (Rs. 7000), and presenting the Raja of Satara with European and Chinese articles worth about £300 (Rs. 3000).
With the Peshwa's help Manaji succeeded in repelling the Portuguese attack. Three years later, in 1740, Sambhaji, taking advantage of the absence of a large body of the Peshwa's troops in Hindustan, laid siege to Kolaba and cut off the garrison's supply of fresh water. Manaji applied to Balaji Bajirav the Peshwa's son, then on his first active service, who sent 500 men to support the garrison, and, under orders from Chimnaji Appa, repaired to Kolaba in person and applied for help to the Governor of Bombay.
In 1747, the Sidi of Janjira sent a strong force against Kolaba, but with the Peshwa's help the Musalmans were completely defeated between Thal and Navgaon (Nagaon) a few miles north of Alibag. Manaji died in 1759 and was succeeded by Raghoji the first Angria of that name, the eldest of Manaji's ten sons.
In 1776 Raghoji Angria seized the Sadashiv Bhau, who landed on the Kolaba after his defeat with Sindia’s. Imprisoned Sadashiv bhau was sent to Poona, where he was trampled to death by an elephant.
Raghoji died in 1793. Anandibai the mother of the infant Angria gathered few troops, and captured the Kolaba fort. The troop imprisoned Jaysing. His chief advisors were executed. After four months Jaysing escaped, and, collecting some followers, besieged Hirakot in Alibag.
Anandibai led an army against the Jaising. After a huge battle, she defeated jaising who faced heavy loss.
After Anandibai's death, Jaysing inarched on Alibag and took Hirakot. Meanwhile Peshwa had promised to help Manaji hence, Jaysing applied for aid to Baburav, Chief commander of Sindia. Baburav agreed to help but after reaching Alibag, he turned to treachery and took over the command of Hirakot.
About the fort:
The water citadel of Kolaba lies almost a km on a rock line in the Arabian from the mainland of Alibag, which lies on low rocky island, spreading 850 to 900 feet from north to south, and, at the broadest, about 350 feet from east to west. One can reach at the fort by 15 minutes walk during low tide hours. Else regular services of motor boats are the only option.
On the beginning of the north side is the Sarjekot, which is a defensive fortified outwork and said to have built to protect the main entrance of kolaba from the artillery of Hirakot on the mainlands of Alibag.
The fortification has with two gates, a main gate in the north-east and a small gate in the south, and seventeen bastions, four in the corners, five on the sea face, four on the land face, three on the north face, and one on the south face namely Nagar-khani, Ganesh, Madi, Topkhani, Surya, Hanumant afterwards known by the name of Hagrya, Bhavani, Pira, Golandaj, Darukhani, Eshvantdari, Nala, Ghanchakra, Fatya, Darya, Manohandra, and Babdev.
The fortification has with two gates, a main gate in the north-east and a small gate in the south, and seventeen bastions, four in the corners, five on the sea face, four on the land face, three on the north face, and one on the south face namely Nagar-khani, Ganesh, Madi, Topkhani, Surya, Hanumant afterwards known by the name of Hagrya, Bhavani, Pira, Golandaj, Darukhani, Eshvantdari, Nala, Ghanchakra, Fatya, Darya, Manohandra, and Babdev.
The whole of the outer fortification or stonework (masonry) is of large squared blocks of trap fitted without mortar. This is a must see technique used by architects at the time of Shivaji. The idea of building the wall without mortar is to let the water in, during the tides and again pass back in the sea avoiding the wear of stones.
Like the rest of the fortifications it is built of big blocks of trap, about three feet by two, put together without mortar.
On the north-west, is a raised platform, which was used for stabling horses and storing grass. The small building at the south end is called the powder-magazine.
To the south a line of big rough stones, forming a causeway, about five feet high thirteen and a half feet broad and ninety paces long lead to the tower named Manik Chavda. Then comes the outer defence of the main fort well built with the same great black stones.
At the north-east corner of the main fort is the chief gateway known as Maha Darvaza of double doorway with a pointed arch and a keep (Two towers adjacent to the Main entrance). The outer door-way has a peaked arch and which had a teak door armed with iron spikes. Inside of the outer door is a three-cornered space, with a wall across the inside in which is a flat gateway with side posts. On the Maha darwaja two sharabhas facing each other are sculpted, below which is Ganesh ans two elephants.
After entering the fort on the south is a rough figure of Gulbai or Mahishasurmardini, the buffaloe-slayer, with a buffalo lying in front. Gulbai is represented with one head and four hands. Her upper left hand holds a discus and her lower left grasps the buffaloe's tongue; her lower right smites the buffalo with a trident and her upper right twists its tail.
The north wall of the main fort has a central tower entered from the north by a sloping pavement. The west or sea face is about twenty feet high with a curtain wall of four feet more. In the west face besides at the corners are five towers.
Inside of the inner gateway, in the north wall, is a square room or talghar with four domes supported by round stone pillars. According to one account in front of this room were two store-houses, one for rice, the other for butter, oil, molasses, sugar, and wheat. On the right, close to the inner gate, is Padmavanti's shrine, a ruined tiled shed with a small figure of a woman.
The small tiled house on the left is the shrine of Bhavani and the house of an Agri, one of the two ministrants who are in charge of the fort temples. In Bhavani's shrine are a bust of Bhavani and images of Vetal and Ganpati.
To the south of the stables are the ruins of a house and granary. The buildings on the left are the ruins of two palaces. The first or more northerly is known as the Nani Saheb's.
It is said to be called after Lakshmibai, or Nani Saheb, the widow of the great Kanhoji Angria (1690-1731). Next comes the chief palace of the Angria's, roofless and ruined. To the east of the palace were store-houses and other outbuildings.
In the palace enclosure is a small step well. To the south of the palace, entered by a brick gate-way, is a cement lined stone reservoir about 115 feet by 105. In Angria's time only one potful a day of this water is said to have been allowed to each person. In a niche in the reservoir are images of heavenly damsels or apsaras.
Overlooking' the reservoir there is said to have been a small dwelling and near it five houses belonging to Angria's officers, the minister or divan, the head revenue officer or daftardar, the secretary or chitnis, the registrar or phadnis, and the treasurer or potnis.
On the right, nearly opposite the reservoir, in a walled enclosure, is the chief temple. It is known as the Ganpati Panchayatan, because it contains the five images of Ganpati, Shamb or Mahadev, Vishnu, Surya, and Devi. It was built by the elder Raghoji (1759-1798).
Like the rest of the fortifications it is built of big blocks of trap, about three feet by two, put together without mortar.
On the north-west, is a raised platform, which was used for stabling horses and storing grass. The small building at the south end is called the powder-magazine.
To the south a line of big rough stones, forming a causeway, about five feet high thirteen and a half feet broad and ninety paces long lead to the tower named Manik Chavda. Then comes the outer defence of the main fort well built with the same great black stones.
At the north-east corner of the main fort is the chief gateway known as Maha Darvaza of double doorway with a pointed arch and a keep (Two towers adjacent to the Main entrance). The outer door-way has a peaked arch and which had a teak door armed with iron spikes. Inside of the outer door is a three-cornered space, with a wall across the inside in which is a flat gateway with side posts. On the Maha darwaja two sharabhas facing each other are sculpted, below which is Ganesh ans two elephants.
After entering the fort on the south is a rough figure of Gulbai or Mahishasurmardini, the buffaloe-slayer, with a buffalo lying in front. Gulbai is represented with one head and four hands. Her upper left hand holds a discus and her lower left grasps the buffaloe's tongue; her lower right smites the buffalo with a trident and her upper right twists its tail.
The north wall of the main fort has a central tower entered from the north by a sloping pavement. The west or sea face is about twenty feet high with a curtain wall of four feet more. In the west face besides at the corners are five towers.
Inside of the inner gateway, in the north wall, is a square room or talghar with four domes supported by round stone pillars. According to one account in front of this room were two store-houses, one for rice, the other for butter, oil, molasses, sugar, and wheat. On the right, close to the inner gate, is Padmavanti's shrine, a ruined tiled shed with a small figure of a woman.
The small tiled house on the left is the shrine of Bhavani and the house of an Agri, one of the two ministrants who are in charge of the fort temples. In Bhavani's shrine are a bust of Bhavani and images of Vetal and Ganpati.
To the south of the stables are the ruins of a house and granary. The buildings on the left are the ruins of two palaces. The first or more northerly is known as the Nani Saheb's.
It is said to be called after Lakshmibai, or Nani Saheb, the widow of the great Kanhoji Angria (1690-1731). Next comes the chief palace of the Angria's, roofless and ruined. To the east of the palace were store-houses and other outbuildings.
In the palace enclosure is a small step well. To the south of the palace, entered by a brick gate-way, is a cement lined stone reservoir about 115 feet by 105. In Angria's time only one potful a day of this water is said to have been allowed to each person. In a niche in the reservoir are images of heavenly damsels or apsaras.
Overlooking' the reservoir there is said to have been a small dwelling and near it five houses belonging to Angria's officers, the minister or divan, the head revenue officer or daftardar, the secretary or chitnis, the registrar or phadnis, and the treasurer or potnis.
On the right, nearly opposite the reservoir, in a walled enclosure, is the chief temple. It is known as the Ganpati Panchayatan, because it contains the five images of Ganpati, Shamb or Mahadev, Vishnu, Surya, and Devi. It was built by the elder Raghoji (1759-1798).
Next to Ganpati's temple is a temple of Mahadev and to the north a shrine of Maruti. To the south of the enclosure of Ganpati's temple, on the right are the ruins of a temple of Kanoba, and, on the left, was the jail.
Further south on either side, are ruined guard-rooms, and, beyond the guard-rooms, is the Yashvant Gate or Darya Darwaja with a peaked arch and side recesses. Outside is the shrine of Yashvandari, the guardian of the gate, a white stone marked with red. South of the fort wall, the open raised space, which is a ship dock, this dock was used most of the times for repairing works like water proofing of the base of ships etc.
In addition to the buildings mentioned above, there was the sadar or court where the chief held his office, a small palace built by Esoji Angria, and a building known as the karkunmandalivada for the use of court officers and clerks when they went on duty to the fort.
In the north-west corner of the wall, on the parapet, are a sentry-box and two old guns, which, during the stormy months (June-September), are fired as signals if a vessel is seen dangerously near shore.
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