Ghodbunder Fort

Ghodbunder Fort
घोडबंदर किल्ला
Ghodbunder, Thane District, Maharashtra
Ghodbunder Fort courtyard
Ghodbunder Fort Ghodbunder Fort (Mumbai)
Coordinates	19°17′46″N 72°53′18″E / 19.2962°N 72.8883°E / 19.2962; 72.8883
Type	Fortress
Site information
Owner	, Maharashtra
Open to the public	Yes
Site history
Built	c.1550-1730
Built by	Portuguese

Ghodbunder Fort is a fort located in Ghodbunder Village, Thane, Maharashtra, India, on the hill just south of the Ulhas River. It was built by the Portuguese and then occupied by the Maratha Empire, before being used as the East India Company's district headquarters. The place was called Ghodbunder because it was where the Portuguese used to trade for ghode (horses) with the Arabs. Hence the name Ghodbunder: ghode (horses) & bunder (port).

History

In 1530 the Portuguese arrived in Thane, and began fortifying the hill area as early as 1550. There are many old maps and texts which mention continual attempts by the Marathas to capture the fort, which the Portuguese had named 'Cacabe de Tanna'. The Portuguese were able to successfully defend these attacks for many years,^[1] including an attack in 1672 by the powerful forces of Chhatrapati Shivaji. The fort as it seen today was completed in 1730 and the church in the fort still stands,^[2] and is now used as a hotel. The fort remained under Portuguese rule until the Maratha Empire, under military commander Chimaji Appa, successfully besieged the fort and took it over from the Portuguese in 1737.^[1][3] Following its capture, Shahu I ordered the strengthening of the fortifications, initiating the construction of the tower.^{[citation needed]}

In 1818, the British occupied the fort and made it the headquarters of the district administration for the East Indian Company, with a district collector stationed in Thane.^[4]

Although the fort currently lies in ruins, the government of India set out plans for its renovation in 2014, including the beautification and landscaping of approximately 4 acres of surrounding land.^[5] The fort itself is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).^[5]

Restoration

Under the Government of Maharashtra; Department of Cultural Affairs; Directorate of Archaeology and Museums' 'Adopt the Monument Scheme' the fort was adopted by the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation. The State Archaeology appointed SANKRAMAN Design Studio as the heritage conservation architect. They are empanelled architects with Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation & also empanelled as heritage conservation architects with the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums. There have been multiple interventions during the restoration process. On 22-Jun-2024 a new discovery was made when an unknown and lost underground chamber was discovered^[6][7]. The scientific excavation is on-going.

References

Forts in India