माहिमचा किल्ला ( मुंबइ)

 मुंबईत असलेल्या किल्ल्यामध्ये सर्वात पुरातन किल्ला म्हणजे माहीमचा किल्ला होय. मुंबईच्या पूर्व-पश्चिम किनार्‍यांना जोडणार्‍या व माहीमच्या खाडीचे रक्षण करणार्‍या ह्या किल्ल्याला जलमार्गाचा द्वाररक्षक म्हणून ओळखले जात असे.
इतिहास :
मुंबईच्या बेटांना मुख्य भूमीपासून विभक्त करणार्‍या महकावती उर्फ माहीमच्या खाडीच्या मुखावर इ.स ११४० मध्ये प्रतापबिंब राजाने माहीमचा किल्ला बांधला आणि आपली राजधानीही तेथेच वसवली त्या ठिकाणी नाना जातीच्या व नाना प्रकारचे व्यवसाय करणार्‍या लोकांना बोलावून व्यापार, उदीम, शास्त्र व संस्कृतीची बीजे मुंबई बेटावर रुजवली.
हा किल्ला इंग्रजांच्या ताब्यात आल्यावर इंग्रज स्थापत्यकार जेरॉल्ड ऑगियर ह्याने सध्या अस्तित्वात असलेला किल्ला नव्याने बांधला. इ.स १६७२ मध्ये पोर्तुगिजांनी माहीमच्या किल्ल्यावर हल्ला केला. त्यावेळी किल्ला १०० सैनिक व ३० तोफांनी सज्ज होता; त्यामुळे पोर्तुगिजांना तो जिंकता आला नाही. त्यानंतर १४ फेब्रुवारी १६८९ रोजी जंजिर्‍याच्या सिध्दी याकूत खानाने २५०० सैनिकांनिशी मुंबईवर हल्ला केला. त्यावेळी माहीमचा किल्ला जिंकून त्याने वर्षभर या भागात धुमाकूळ घातला, लुटालुट केली त्यानंतर किल्ला परत इंग्रजांनी जिंकून घेतला.
पहाण्याची ठिकाणे :
चारी बाजूंनी भक्कम तटबंदी व बुरुजांचे संरक्षण लाभलेल्या ह्या किल्ल्याचे प्रवेशद्वार ब्रिटीश स्थापत्यकलेची साक्ष देत उभे आहे. त्यावरील कलाकुसर व दोन्ही बाजूचे उठावदार खांब पहाता येतात. किल्ल्यात झालेल्या अतिक्रमणामुळे बाकी काहीही पहाता येत नाही.
पोहोचण्याच्या वाटा :
पश्चिम रेल्वेवरील माहीम(पश्चिम) स्थानकावर उतरुन मोरी रोडने माहीम समुद्र किनार्‍याकडे चालत गेल्यास १० मिनीटात समुद्रावरील माहीमच्या किल्ल्यावर पोहोचता येते.

माहिमचा किल्ला :- हा मुंबई बेटांमधला सर्वात जुना किल्ला. हा किल्ला पोर्तुगीज, ब्रिटिश किंवा मुसलमानांनी बांधलेला नाही. ११४० ते १२४१ अशी जवळजवळ शंभर वर्षं टिकलेल्या राज्याची स्थापना करणा-या आणि केळवे माहिमची राजधानी म्हणून स्थापना करणा-या प्रतापबिंबाने हा माहिमचा किल्ला बांधला आहे. प्रतापबिंबाच्या सुरुवातीच्या राज्यकाळातच त्याला त्याच्या शत्रूंनी केळवे माहिम प्रांतातून हुसकावून लावलं. तेथून निघून त्याने साष्टीच्या दक्षिण टोकाशी असलेल्या बेटावर दुसरे माहिम निर्माण करून तेथे हा किल्ला बांधला. १३४६ ते १५३४ या कालखंडात हा किल्ला गुजरातच्या सुलतानांच्या ताब्यात होता. आता दिसत असलेल्या किल्ल्याचं बांधकाम हे बहुधा याच कालखंडात झालेलं आहे. त्यानंतर त्यात पोर्तुगीजांनी व ब्रिटिशांनी आपापल्या गरजांनुसार फेरफार केले आहेत. मात्र किल्ल्याच्या मूळ ढाच्याला त्याचा उपसर्ग झालेला नाही. १७३९ मध्ये या किल्ल्यात कस्टम्स हाऊस स्थापण्यात आलं ते अगदी १९६० सालापर्यंत येथे होतं.

(४) माहिम किल्ल्याचे प्रवेशद्वार – गूगलवरून साभार

या किल्ल्यात आणि सभोवती असलेल्या झोपड्यांमुळे आम्हाला आत प्रवेश  करणे शक्य झाले नाही. पण समुद्राच्या लाटा ज्या तटबंदीवर आदळतात त्याची केलेली बांधणी मात्र  आपली स्थापत्यकला वाटत नाही.

 ike in the by lanes of Mahim area.

Black Pearl parked at Mahim fort

It was now a task for us to search the entrance of the fort in the cramped slum area that has surrounded the fort. “Farhan” the local boy came to our rescue.

Farhan

He was astonished to see us in differently dressed attire. He came to us and asked, “What are you searching?” Ruchira answered “Entrance to the fort”. He said, “May I tour you?” We were more than happy to accompany him and get a guided tour. (Please note: the guidance here was just a mere chance to interact with locals and to explore their feelings, thoughts and mindset about the fort and to get the insights of the area) He was agile and swift and was also very responsive.

Though he was not aware about the history of the fort but was fully aware about the geography of the fort and knew each and every route, entrance of this small fort.

Big wall of Mahim Fort

(Limited mention of history can be read out here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahim_Fort#History)

I felt so sorry and sad after seeing the condition of the fort. Damaged and feeble walls, powerless ramparts, broken entrances and fragile plinth of fort devastated my mind. The fort is counting its last moments of life unless some intervention is done by authority. The fort is fully encroached people and their shanties.

Encroachment at Mahim Fort

If you want to see this fort you better hurry and need not wait for retirement as the fort might fall in due course of time. A good local movement might work in favor of the fort where at least some documentation of fort might get done. It hardly took us 30 minutes to explore all sided of the fort thanks to Farhan who also took us inside the some of the houses which are built in the fort. He also showed us the escape gate of the fort.

Escape Gate of Mahim Fort

 

The Mahim fort located in Mahim Bay

Bastions of the Mahim fort
Ruins inside the fort
One of the doors of the fort opening into the sea

This fort is located on the seashore near Mahim(Mumbai). It is currently in dilapidated condition and slums have made their way into the fort. Most of the walls are in crumbling condition. This fort is supposed to be built as early as 1716 or before when Portuguese tried to capture this fort from the British. The area around this fort is strewn with garbage, excreta and what not making it a bad place. The Archeological Survey of India has done nothing to restore this fort.

I believe the fort was built by the Sultan of Gujarat way back in the mid 1300's and not by any of the European colonist, either the British or the Portuguese may have renovated it.

 MAHIM FORT
Location: Mahim
Significance: Used as a watchtower and as defensive fortifications
In 1138, Pratabh Bimb brother of King Gowardhan Bimb of Champaner, started campaigning towards Northern-Konkan, which brought him to Mahim, Thana, Madh and Vesaway (Versova). It was during his rule that the Mahim Fort was constructed. In 1516, Portuguese commander Dom Joao de Monoy entered the Mahim Creek and defeated the commander of the fortifications and it remained under Portuguese control until 1661 when the Portuguese ceded the island of Mahim as dowry to Charles II of England. After the English gained control of the fort, it became a strategic watchtower against possible Portuguese attacks, and later from the Marathas.
In 1684, Sir Thomas Grantham strengthened the fort further because of which they were able to successfully repel the Portuguese attack in 1772. Mount Mary’s Basilica was also damaged during this encounter. Soon, its importance began to dwindle till the citadel came to be ignored completely.
Till the beginning of 20th Century it was under the Custom Office, and later on, up to 1960 became the residence of the Custom and Collector’s Officer. Due to lack of attention, the mushrooming of slums and encroachment around the fort, its condition has only worsened.
Did you know? Many believe that the Mahim Fort was built by the first governor of Bombay, Gerald Aungier but in reality it had been existing for years before the British came to India.