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OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION MUMBAI
Ideas and Action for a Better India
F O R T S O F MUMBAI
D R L O U I S A R O D R I G U E SA S S O C I A T E P R O F E S S O R , R A M N A R A I N R U I A C O L L E G E
G R E E N V O Y A G E R SS T U D E N T S C O L L E C T I V E F O R H E R I T A G E A W A R E N E S S , R A M N A R A I N R U I A C O L L E G E
21stJULY 2012
N E W S L E T T E R W R I T T E N B Y
JANKI PANDYA AND MAANSI PARPIANI
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C O A S T A L F O R T S O F M U M B A I :
H I S T O R Y , H E R I T A G E F O R A L L
I T I S E S S E N T I A L T O M A I N T A I N A B A L A N C E B E T W E E N
H E R I T A G E A N D M O D E R N I T Y , A N D T O E N S U R E T H A T
O N E R E A L M D O E S N O T O B V I A T E O R E L I M I N A T E T H E
O T H E R
Dr Louisa Rodrigues
Observer Research Foundation Mumbai or-
ganised a presentation on the Forts of Mum-
bai by Dr. Louiza Rodrigues, Associate Pro-
fessor, Ramnarain Ruia College. She was
joined by a group of enthusiastic students
called the Green Voyagers, who have con-
ducted much of the research on the forts un-
der her guidance. The group is working to-
wards creating historical and environmental
awareness about the heritage of the city.
The presentation was well-structured and ac-
companied by many photographs. Dr Ro-
drigues provided the background of the re-
search project. She explained that the scope
of the project has been restricted to the con-
fines of the city of Mumbai, i.e the limits of
the islands of Bombay as existed under the
possession of the British. In this context, the
Bombay, Sewri, Mazgaon, Dharavi, Sion,
Mahim, Worli and Bandra forts were dis-
cussed. Uttkarsha Dandavate provided the
historical and geopolitical significance of the
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forts. This was followed by an analysis of the
present environmental and ecological status
and usage patterns of the forts by Nandini
Bhattacharya. Ashwini Maslekar outlined
awareness and conservation strategies.
Dr Rodrigues
set the context
of the talk by
describing the
rich heritage
that the city of
Mumbai pos-
sesses. The his-
toricity of the
city (or rather
the islands of
Bombay) can be
traced back to 1st century BC when the
Kanheri caves were constructed by the
Satvahana dynasty. Today, Mumbai is un-
dergoing a rapid metamorphosis with in-
creasing construction activity, the historical
icons in Mumbai being reduced to mere
landmarks or worse. It is essential to main-
tain a balance between heritage and moder-
nity, and to ensure that one realm does not
obviate or eliminate the other, she empha-
sised.
Control over
the 7 islands of
Bombay was
transferred
from the
Potuguese to
the British
Crown, in mid
17th century.
The English
East India Company was handed control
over the islands, that faced threats from ene-
mies from all sides. The Portuguese, the Ma-
ratha powers, the Siddis of Janjira attempted
to attack Bombay a number of times, Dr Ro-
Dr Rodrigues outlining the significance of the coastal forts ofMumbai
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Bandra Fort
drigues asserted. The Company thus con-
structed the coastal forts on the islands, in
order to strengthen defence and supervise
sea traffic. She described the forts as reposi-
tories of knowledge and treasure-troves of
the history of Mumbai, and expressed her
disappointment at the current dilapidated
state of the forts.
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G E O P O L I T I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S I G N I F I C A N C E
Uttkarsha Dandavate provided the back-
ground of the geopolitical and historical sig-
nificance of the coastal forts of Mumbai. She
explained how despite acquiring the islands
of Bombay from the Portuguese, relations be-
tween the two powers remained tense. Fur-
ther, the Portuguese retained control over the
Salsette island, north of the Bombay islands.
The British felt threatened of their rival pow-
ers, the Portuguese, Marathas and Dutch, and
felt the need to fortify the islands.
The Manor house was the the seat of the gov-
ernment of the Bombay Presidency . It was
here that the town of Bombay took birth. In
order to ensure safety of the heart of the
Companys administration on the city, Bom-
bay fort was erected in order to protect all
important buildings and structures from any
potential enemy attack. The construction be-
gan in 1670 and was completed the following
year. St. George fort was built as an extension
of the existing fortification in 1769, and a por-
tion of the wall continues to exist today.
Uttkarsha went on to point out that in early
19th century with the defeat of the Marathas
and the Siddis and reduced security risk, the
Bombay presidency government decided to
bring the major part of the Bombay fort
down. A portion of it still remains and can be
visited on the 1stSunday of every month, she
added.
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Uttkarsha also elaborated on the significance
of the forts on the eastern coast of Mumbai.
The eastern coast was extremely vulnerable
to attack from
the Siddhis of
Janjira who
had their base
in close prox-
imity, in the
northern
Konkan re-
gion. The
Sewri and
Mazgaon
forts were
thus built along this coast. Sewri fort was
built in 1680. It narrowly escaped complete
destruction at the hands of Siddi Ayub Khan.
Fortunately, the fort was renovated within
the following year owing to its strategic im-
portance. It was also briefly used as a prison.
However, she informed the audience that af-
ter a major prison break, it started being used
as a godown.
Even after in-
dependence,
Sewri fort
continued to
be used as a
godown by
the Bombay
Port Trust
(BPT). The
BPT also for-
warded a re-
quest to the government to demolish the fort
and use the land to develop housing quar-
ters. Fortunately, the fort was protected
from any such misfortune, and in 2008, it was
restored to its previous glory, she asserted.
Uttkarsha explaining the geographical location of the different coastal
forts.
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Mazgaon fort remains only in memory,
Uttkarsha remarked. In its place stand the
Mazgaon garden or the Joseph Batista gar-
den. The fort was infact demolished the year
after it was constructed. Like Sewri fort, it
was constructed to protect the Bombay island
from an attack by the Siddhis. He managed
to destroy the fort in his second attempt. The
British were unable to restore it as expenses
in such a restoration projectwas prohibitive.
In 1884, a watertank and garden were built in
its place. Uttkarsha asserted that apart from
the eastern coast, Mahim creek was another
region that was vulnerable from the point of
view of the islands safety. The creek was
much longer than what it appears presently,
after having gone through a number of rec-
lamations. Dharavi, Sion, Mahim, Worli and
Bandra forts were constructed along the
creek to monitor the security situation.
Dharavi fort was built in 1737. Its architec-
ture was very peculiar and did not even have
a proper entrance. The way to enter the fort
was through a ladder that would take the
soldiers to the rooftop, from where they
would keep watch on the northern boundary.
This special feature of the fort has meant that
the fort has been protected from any direct
encroachment even today. Although the fort
is in ruins, there is no inhabitation within the
fort, she added.
She then went on to discuss Sion fort, that is
situated close to Dharavi fort. As Sion fort
was located on the northern most tip of Bom-
bay, it was made the official boundary of
Bombay Island, as possessed by the Portu-
guese and transferred to the British. At thebase of the fort are the Jawaharlal Nehru
Gardens that were used as a military base for
training the soldiers who guarded Sion fort.
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Uttkarsha pointed out that Mahim fort is the
oldest surviving fort in Mumbai. It was built
in 1140 by Pratap Bimb. Mahim was infact
the capital of Mahikawati which was the
holding of the Bimb dynasty. Since Mahim
was an important trading centre, it made the
region attractive to
fortification by the
naval power. Time
and again the Por-
tuguese fought the
Arabs, the Dutch,
the Portuguese and
the British, all of who tried to acquire the fort.
The British were finally the victors and used
the fort effectively uptil the 19th century, to
monitor the security situation over the
Mahim creek.
The task of overseeing the Mahim creek was
shared by Worli fort, Uttkarsha remarked. It
was demolished early on and a near replica
of the original fort was built. However, as the
base of the fort is broad, it was difficult for
the soldiers to scale it.
Bandra fort was constructed for strategic rea-
sons, Uttkarsha stat-
ed. It was located at
the southern most
tip of Salsette island.
The fort was im-
portant not only to
watch over activity
on the creek but also
because it was the only part of the Salsette
island that was under British possession, the
rest being retained by the Portuguese.
In 1739, the Bandra fort was demolished. In
1750, Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy commissioned for
the fort to be restored to its previous glory.
M/s P K Das and Associates was to renovate
THE TOWN OF BOMBAY TOOK
BIRTH AND GREW WITHIN THE
CONFINES OF THESE BOUNDA-
RY SETTING FORTS.
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it further, under a directive by Archeological
Survey of India (ASI) in 2004. The fort start-
ed being recognised as a popular recreational
space; but has never really been seen as an
important historical site as well, Uttkarsha
stated.
The forts of Bombay have served multiple
purposes over the years, that of watchtowers,
of centres of trade and of godowns. Most im-
portantly, they have served the purpose of
housing the town of Bombay within the
spaces between them. The town of Bombay
took birth and grew within the confines of
these boundary setting forts, asserted
Uttkarsha. Without the forts, it is safe to say
that protecting the city would have been dif-
ficult. They withstood multiple attacks and
managed to survive for centuries. The British
used the forts effectively to establish their
supremacy over the islands. The British lega-
cy for the city continues to survive in many
ways, but the forts have faded from public
memory despite their continued physical
presence.
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F O R T S O F M U M B A I : P R E S E N T P R E D I C A M E N T
Nandini Bhattacharya summed-up the pre-
sent state of the various forts of the city thus.
She asserted that the forts of the city can be
classified into those that are well preserved
(Bandra, Worli, Sewri and Bombay cFort) and
those that have not been well preserved
(Dharavi, Mahim and Sion forts).
Bandra fort is maintained by the Bandra
Bandstand Residents Trust. The fort is well-
maintained and gathers substantial crowds of
young people on a daily basis, she said.
However, the walls of the fort have been de-
faced, Nandini remarked. Also, the fort faces
the sea; but the sea front is not well pre-
served. There is a lot of littering in the area.
Further, the waves lash out at the fort walls,
creating substantial erosion.
Sewri fort was restored in 2008 by the Maha-
rashtra State government under the Mumbai
Forts Project. Nandini informed the audience
that the restoration work significantly altered
the original make of the fort. The walls of the
fort are defaced and there are mounds of
garbage in the fort premises. Fortunately
though, she stated the pink flamingos that
migrate to the mudflats for their breeding
cycle in October/November every year have
made the Sewri fort quite popular with lo-
cals and tourists. The fort presents the per-
fect vantage point to observe and photograph
the birds.
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Control over the Bombay fort was entrusted
to the INS Angre post-independence,
Nandini said. They have done a commenda-
ble job of preserving the ruins, though a lot of
the ruins have been lost. The fort is open for
visitors the 1stSunday of every month.
Worli fort was restored in 2008-2009. Howev-
er this work has been shoddy and layers of
cement have been added onto the fort walls.
What remains of the forts facade today is
just a bad imitation of the previous glory of
the fort, she added. Having said this,
Nandini said that the local fishing communi-
ty have taken it as their duty to preserve the
interiors of the fort. They have built a small
temple within the fort and also run a gym in-
side the premises in an attempt to bring more
people to the fort.
These forts have been relatively well pre-
served. There is limited littering and anti-
social activities. However, they are faced
with natural erosion, resulting into the crum-
bling of fort walls.
Mahim fort was the first fort built on the is-
lands. However it has been heavily en-
croached and shanties have been built within
the fort premises. The encroachers have built
a makeshift structure against which shanties
have been built. There existed a cylindrical
exit from the fort, which is now converted
into a passage flanked by shanties on either
side, she added. 200 families, by a conserva-
tive estimate, live within the fort premises.
Borewells and handpumps within the fort
indicate that the encroachers have settled in
the fort since a substantial period of time.
Similar is the fate of Dharavi fort, Nandini
remarked. Infact the original walls of the fort
extended far beyond the present day ruins. A
major portion of the fort has already been
lost. As a result, there is no proper entrance
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into the fort and one has to enter through the
gaps in the fort walls. Also, it is difficult to
reach the inner sanc-
tum of the fort ow-
ing to the garbage
that is left lying eve-
rywhere in the fort.
The fort is also used
for anti-social activi-
ties like gambling,
drinking and hooli-
ganism. It is used as
a lavatory and for
housing livestock,
she added. Nandini informed the audience
that though Sion fort was restored, it is not
well preserved. This, despite the fact that it
houses the Mumbai office of the ASI. The
lower structure of Sion fort was entirely de-
molished and it
made way for the
Jawaharlal Nehru
Public Garden
and library. The
walls of the up-
per structure are
however in poor
condition, ren-
dering the struc-
ture unsafe for
visitors, especial-
ly in the monsoon. Further, the walls are de-
faced and there are wild bushes and creepers
all along them.
T H E A I M I S T O B R I N G
R E C O G N I T I O N T O T H E
C O A S T A L F O R T S O F
M U M B A I A S T H E S Y M -
B O L S O F T H E P A S T , P R E -
S E N T A N D F U T U R E H E R -
I T A G E O F T H E C I T Y
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Sewri Fort
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A W A R E N E S S A N D C O N S E R V A T I O N S T R A T E G I E S
Ashwini Mashlekar outlined strategies to
promote awareness and conservation of the forts.
She pointed
out that
some forts
like Bandra
and Worli
are better
recognised
and more
frequently
visited as
they are
better
maintained.However, she called for an umbrella awareness
and conservation program by the city and state
governments covering all the forts of the city.
While all forts have their individual
characteristics, needs and showcasing points,
they need to
be packaged
and
promoted as
part of a
common
heritage, she
said. An
impediment
to this would
be that all the
forts come
under thejurisdiction of different authorities like the ASI,
the State Department of Archaeology. There is no
single body or no concerted effort on part of the
Ashwini Maslekar elaborating on their suggestions for the way ahead.
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different stakeholding authorities to undertake a
conservation strategy for the forts. Further,
restoration projects have lost out on maintaining
the historicity of the forts. In many cases, the
design of the forts have been drastically changed
for no valid reason, she added.Further, she stressed on the importance of
running awareness campaigns, harnessing on
social media. A majority of Mumbais population
is not aware of the forts historical significance.
Despite their physical existence, the forts are
overlooked and highly neglected by citizens of
the city, on a daily basis. A more actively
involved citizenry would invariably lead to more
attention being invested in the citys forts, she
added.
Cleanliness is another important node in the
strategy for greater recognition for the forts.
Ashwini explained that the forts are not
frequently visited because they are used as
garbage dumps. A direct consequence of this is
that they become hubs of anti-social activities
instead.
Ashwini also stressed on the potential that
tourism would add to the promotion and
protection of the forts. It is imperative that these
forts become part of city tours and must-visitsites for any tourist coming to the city. Sewri fort,
with the flamingos would be the ideal site of an
eco-tourism initiative, she added. Further,
cultural programs and events may be another
tool of promoting the forts. However, it is must
be noted that any such activity not harm the
structure or authenticity of the forts, Ashwini
stated.
Having said all of the above, she stressed on the
importance of improving connectivity and
accessibility to the forts. Location of the forts or
the entrance to the forts is often ambiguous.
There are no maps available for the same and
enthusiasts have to go out venturing themselves.
In many cases, locals help in guiding the visitors
to the entrance to the fort. They can in fact
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become good tour guides as they are aware of the
area and the different routes to the forts, she
added. By taking up a concerted and well co-
ordinated effort, the city government and
Mumbaikars can bring the forts back to the map
of the city as markers of its heritage. They are
important reminders of the citys resilience and
must be respected. The aim is to bring
recognition to the coastal forts of Mumbai as the
symbols of the past, present and future heritage
of the city, she concluded.
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Q a n d A
The audience unanimously appreciated the
rigorous research undertaken by Dr
Rodrigues and the Green Voyagers. Many
among them requested for maps or guided
tours to the
different
forts. They
expressed
their own
wish to visit
the forts and
learn more
about them.
The
presenters
admitted that accessibility to the forts is
difficult in most cases. Google maps also
does not provide any relief as it gives no
details about how to reach the entrance to the
forts. The team said that they would be more
than willing to takeall those interested on a
tour of the forts.
To a question on government initiatives and
public policy, the presenters emphasised that
acceptance
is the first
step to
corrective
measures.
They felt
that most
governme
nt officials
seem to be
in denial
of the forts need for conservation. Further,
they discerned a lack of political will to take
up the cause of the forts.
The discussion deepened further and the
teaching of history as a subject in India was
The presentars addressing questions raised by the audience
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severely criticised. The lack of awareness and
the allied apathy in matters of cultural
history and heritage was traced to the way
Indians and especially Mumbaikars
understand history. The value of
understanding the significance of ones past
must be taught to young Indians, was the
unanimous call of all those present. It is only
with this fundamental step that Mumbai and
other places in India will truly begin to
recognise and respect their heritage.
e structures, the presenters concluded.
Janki Pandya and Maansi Parpiani are Fellows at Observer Research Foundation Mumbai.
Email:[email protected];[email protected]
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A B O U T
T H E S P E A K E R S
Dr. Louiza Rodrigues is Associate Professor of His-
tory at Ramnarain Ruia College. She recently ac-
quired a doctorate in Environmental History of
Western India from University of Mumbai. Her ar-
eas of interest include genealogy, environment his-
tory, art history and world history. Dr. Rodrigues
has been awarded several research projects over theyears by institutions like K. R. Cama Oriental Insti-
tute, Asiatic Society of Mumbai and University of
Mumbai.
Green Voyagers is a group formed by the students
of Ruia College, working towards creating histori-
cal and environmental awareness about the ne-
glected heritage of the city.
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A B O U T
O R F M U M B A I
Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is a leading non-partisan Indian think-tank that seeks to influ-
ence public policy formulation. It was established in New Delhi in 1990 by R.K. Mishra, a widely re-
spected public figure, who envisaged it as a broad-based intellectual platform pulsating with ideas
needed for Indias nation-building.
In its journey of twenty years, ORF has brought together leading Indian policy makers, academics,
public figures, social activists and business leaders to discuss various issues of national importance.
ORF scholars have made significant contributions toward improving government policies. ORF has
produced a large body of critically acclaimed publications.
Until recently, ORFs activities were based mainly in New Delhi. Beginning 2010, ORF Mumbai has
been established to pursue the Foundations vision in Indias business and financial capital. It has
started
research and advocacy in six broad areas: Education, Public Health, Inclusive Development, UrbanRenewal, Youth Development, and Promotion of Indias Priceless Artistic and Cultural Heritage.
Recent reports published by ORF Mumbai include:
Reforms in Medical Education- to Promote Accessible and Affordable Healthcare for All Making the Sewer a River Again... WhyMumbai Must Reclaim its Mithi Moving People: Why Mumbai Needs a BusRapid Transport System (BRTS) NCHER: AMuch Needed Reform that Fails the Test, a commentary on the National Com-
mission for Higher Education and Research Bill; and
Affordable Housing for Mumbais Poor: Possible!Forthcoming ORF Reports include:
Time is Running Out: Does Mumbai Have Enough Water? Mumbais Secret: Maharashtra Nature Park Masked Identities: Safeguarding Indias Intangible Cultural Heritage
ORF Mumbais mission statement is: Ideas and Action for a Better India. It will champion the cause
of balanced socio-economic development and a better quality of life for all Indians. It will also work
towards strengthening Indias democratic institutions to become more responsible, responsive and
sensitive to common peoples needs and concerns, especially those of most vulnerable sections of so-
ciety. Besides conducting diligent research in its six core areas as above, ORF Mumbai also pursueswide-ranging initiatives like the Maharashtra @ 50 Study Centre, the Forum for India-China Citi-
zens Dialogue, the Centre for the Study of Indias Ancient Knowledge Traditions, and the Gurus of
Science Series.
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. For re-publication in whole or in part, please contact:
Observer Research Foundation Mumbai
NKM International House, 5thFloor, Behind LIC Headquarters Yogakshema,
Nariman Point, Mumbai 400020 |Telephone: 022-61313800 | Web: www.observerindia.com