Murud Janjira Fort
Located off the coast of the Murud village near the Arabian Sea, Murud-Janjira fort is one of the strongest and beautiful marine forts of India. Around 55 km from the popular town of Alibag in Raigad district, Murud-Janjira fort is a very popular historic fort. With the Arabian Sea on all the four sides, this mighty fort has stood for centuries and is a symbol of the brave Marathas of the region. The fort is around 50 feet in height and is regarded as an ancient architectural marvel.The name Murud-Janjira originates its name from the Arabic word ‘Jazeera’ meaning “Island”. One can take a boat from the Rajapuri Jetty to reach the fort. The fort was originally built by the Sultans and later various modifications were done by the Marathas. The fort was a full-fledged living fort with natural lakes, offices, palaces, religious centers in it. During the times of conflicts, the roof of the fort was used as a watchtower. Now the roof provides a splendid view of the blue, crystal clear water of the Arabian Sea and golden sands of Murud Beach. In the Murud-Janjira Fort, there were around 500 cannons that were used in fights. Now, only a few cannons exist and are very popular among visitors. Other than that, the fort has housed some of the beautiful tombs, water tanks, and a few stone sculptures. The very popular gate of the fort is the entrance gate which is known as “Sher Darwaza” (Tiger’s Door) with a small sculpture of six elephants and a tiger.
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