Murud Janjira Fort in Maharashtra | The only Fort to reach via Ferry Ride
Those who have not been to Goa, let me tell you there is one more Island near Mumbai which gives you the feel of Goa, guess what? Murud is an Island that exactly looks like Goa. Yes, it is pocket size Island which has a fort in the middle of the Arabain Sea and it is nonetheless than Murud Janjira Fort. It is located off the coastal city Murud in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. Murud Janjira Fort is well known to stay unconquered in any of the battles in history. This is one of those marine forts in the world where you need to take the ferry and reach the fort. There is no other way to reach the fort.
History of Murud Janjira Fort
Located in the middle of Rajapuri Island, Janjira Fort
plays a crucial role in history. According to the record available Siddi had built this fort in the 11th
century.
Originally the fort was a small wooden structure built by the Koli
chief, later it was captured by Nizamshah of Ahmednagar, and further this fort
was strengthened by the Siddi regent of Ahmednagar. Despite their repeated attempt
the Portuguese, the British, and the Marathas failed to conquer. Shivaji Maharaj's attempt to capture Janjira Fort failed. Sambhaji Maharaj also failed to grab
the fort, later Sambhaji Maharaj built another fort within the distance of 9km from
Janjira Fort and it is nonetheless than Padmadurga Fort which is also visible from
Janjira Fort.
How to Reach Murud Janjira Fort?
By Air
By Road
By Train
My Experience of Visiting Murud Janjira Fort
Murud is a small town in the Alibaug region that has a large thing to
offer for their tourist, isn’t it? One fine day I along with my wife and
friends decide to visit the Janjira Fort. Our plan was to do camping on
the beach and head to the fort early in the morning. We reached Alibaug late
evening from Mumbai and headed to the Nagaon beach in the Alibaug district.
Everything was executed as per the plan and we reached Nagaon beach around 8 pm in
the late evening. We had our dinner and went to search for a small space to pitch
the tent. After searching for a good 20 minutes we found a small space on the beach at one corner where we pitched our
tent. I was a little worried that what if the high tide comes and the water level reach our tent point but, the luck was in our favor and we got a small space to
camp.
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| Camping memories of Nagaon beach |
The next day we got fresh up at the beach and started
moving towards the Murud Janjira Fort on bikes. Janjira Fort is 45 km from
Nagaon beach and the road goes via Kashid beach which is the only white sand
beach in the Alibaug region. As we started reaching close to the Kashid beach
the roads are a little curvy and one need to be careful while driving on this
road. The coastal road offers a mesmerizing view of the Arabain Sea. After this
beautiful road drive finally, we managed to reach Murud village. We parked our
bikes in the parking area of Rajapuri Island and head to the ticket counter to buy the tickets for the ferry ride as I rightly mentioned Murud Janjira is one of those forts which
need to be reached by ferry service only. Due to the weekend, there was a long queue at the
ticket counter, and we had no option other than standing in the queue and waiting
for our turn.
The ferry ticket cost is 25 INR per person
After getting tickets in the hand we head to the ferry starting
point and guess what? Another long queue was waiting for us to welcome. This was
my first time at the Murud Janjira Fort and trust me I had no clue that I will
be suffering so much to see the fort. After waiting for a long 25 min we got one
ferry from Rajapuri Island to Janjira Fort. This ferry service was also a kind
of book of the fort for me, yes, the fellows who operate the
ferry will guide you on the main things not to miss on the fort and its importance since they are
the locals from the Murud area. As they started giving information about the
fort, I was literally so curious to know about the fort which stayed unconquered. As our ferry
reached close to the main gate of the fort another headache was waiting for us and that’s
nonetheless than waiting to get out of the ferry. Yes, you heard me right there
were already a few ferries which were waiting to vacant the people to the
entrance gate. The main gate of the fort is narrow and this is the reason it does not accommodate a large group at the same time. After waiting for another good 30 min we got the chance to
vacate the ferry and enter the fort.
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| Ferry from Rajapuri Island to Murud Janjira Fort |
When I entered the fort, I did not even feel that I am in the middle of the Island. For a second I imagined a soldier in the time of history and how they had tried to win the battles of this fort, I was overwhelmed. There are not many things to explore in the fort. Most of the structure of the fort is in ruin condition. Despite being ruined this fort has got a major attraction across the world. The fort has two entrances from which one entrance is where the ferry drops you and another entrance is underground of the sea which was used as an emergency exit in historical times. Currently, only the ferry route is open to the public. It’s been 950 years since that fort was built in the sea. On the ground floor of the fort, there is nothing much to see. Of course, if you are photogenic and want to click some individual pictures of yourself then I would suggest you be around the fort. The best view of the fort is when you go to the top floor of the fort. It offers you a breath-taking view of Rajapuri Island along with Padmadurga Fort. The bastions of the fort are still in strong condition even after 900 years. The major attraction of the forts is the gigantic cannon placed on the top floor of the fort. Out of three canons, one long canon is one of the largest canons in India and it is placed at the Murud Janjra Fort. The main cannon is made up of five metals. Remember not to climb on these cannons for taking pictures. One can get to see the Padmadurga Fort view from the top of the Murud Janjira Fort. Ideally, 45 min is more than enough to see the fort. Murud Janjira Fort is one of those forts where you don’t need to trek like other forts. Many school picnics come here for visit. This is an ideal one-day destination near Mumbai, Pune.
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| Cannon view of Murud Janjira Fort |
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| This is India's largest cannon made up of five metals |
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| Murud Janjira's ruins structure of the fort |
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| Murud Rajapuri Island view from the Janjira Fort |
Ideal Time to Visit the Murud Janjira Fort
A marine fort can be visited during all seasons. The ideal time
to visit the fort is in the winter season from October to February. The climate is
pleasant and more photogenic. Although the cool breeze rolls around this
time. The summertime is a bit hot here and dries too. The temperature can reach
up to 42 degrees. If you don’t have any problems from tanning the skin then it is
good for those. Being settled near the Arabain sea Murud Janjira received heavy
rainfall during monsoon time and it is risky to travel by ferry during monsoon. It is
not advisable to explore the fort during monsoon time.
Places to Stay around Murud Janjira Fort
Murud is one of those well-known towns that offer a different
kind of stay to their visitors. There are so many couple-friendly hotels in
Murud that can give your sea-facing opportunity. The price range varies from
economical rooms to deluxe rooms. The stay booking is also available on Oyo
at cheap rates so budget traveler does not need to worry about fare. If
you have your own camping stuff then this place is environment friendly but the only thing is you need to find a safe and clean space for camping.
Things to Know Before Visiting Murud Janjira Fort
- Remember to reach early for ticket booking for a ferry ride
- The ticket is returned but you need to catch the same company ferry because there are two different ferry service runs from Rajapuri Island to fort
- A washroom is available inside the fort so one does not need to worry
- Parking space is available at Rajapuri Island
- Avoid visiting on weekends rather stay early in the morning to avoid rush
- Carry little snacks to eat inside the fort
- Do not litter the area around.
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