Kolaba Fort
Kolaba Fort
(
sometimes KulabaFort
)
is an old militar
y
fortification in India. It is
(
)y
situated in the sea at a distance of 1–2km from the shores of Alibag, 35km south of
Mumbai, in the Konkanregion of Maharashtra. The fort was built by ChatrapatiShivaji
Maharajin 1652 to keep a check on the activities of the foreign naval powers of
English, Portuguese and the Siddhiof Janjira.
The avera
g
e hei
g
ht of the fort walls is 25 feet. It has two main entrances
, one on the
gg,
sea side and the other towards Alibag. An interesting feature of this fort is that it has
freshwater wells in its premises even though it is a seaside fort. In the monsoons, the
fort can be reached by wading through waist‐deep water at low tide. However, at high
tide, boats must be used to reach it.
The Siddhivina
y
aktem
p
le inside the fort was built b
y
Ra
g
ho
jiAn
g
rein 1759.
y
py
gj
g
.
Khanderi
Underi
Alibaug
Kolaba
Un spoilt
Un hurried
Un touched
Un confined
Un expected
Un conquered
Unparalleled Un
paralleled
Un matched Unstressed
Standin
g
as silent sentinels to histor
y
are the 350‐odd forts of Maharashtra. Beaten b
y
Un
stressed
Un limited gy
y
the sea waves, lashed at by the torrential Deccan rains, or scorched in the blazing sun,
stand imposing ramparts and crumbling walls , the last lingering memories of
Maharashtra's martial times. Nowhere in the country would you encounter such a
profusion of forts. And such variety. Sited on an island, or guarding the seas or among
the Sahyadri hills, whose zig‐zag walls and rounded bastions sit like a scepter and
crown amidst hills turned mauve.