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Goa Forts
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As the Portuguese gradually extended their empire to east from Lisbon they built a series of coastal forts to protect their essentially seaboard possessions and to dominate the Arabian sea and East Indies. With their superior naval power, they could blow most ‘country boats’ out of water. The purpose of Goa was to supervise the Malabar coast. The forts are small compared with even the modest Indian forts, due the small number of expatriate Portuguese manning them. There were inland forts at Chandor, Bicholim and Alorna in the North east corner of the state. Alorna was acquired by the Portuguese from the Bhonsla in 1746 and lies in a ruined pile on the northern banks of the Chapora river.

 

Tiracol Fort
Tiracol Fort is the most northerly of the forts and stands on the northern side of the Teracol river estuary. Like all the other forts it is situated on a piece of high ground. Fortified from attacks from the sea, the walls on the land side, rise from a dry moat. The view across the estuary is very picturesque. The church inside the fort has a classic Goan façade and is large enough to have catered for the occupants of the fort and the surrounding settlements.

Tiracol Fort Goa


Chapora (Shapur) Fort

Chapora (Shapur) fort, now in ruins, stand on the S bank of the Chapora River and dominates the estuary. It was originally built by the Adil Shah. Aurangzeb’s son Akbar used it as his headquarters.

Reis Magos
Reis Magos is 2.5 km east along the north bank of the Mandovi from Fort Aguada and faces Panaji across the river. It is a small town of some charm with a fort that was constructed in 1551 by Don Alfonso de Noronha. It was intended as a second line of defence should an enemy manage to sail past Aguda and Cabo on the headlands. The turreted walls are in almost perfect condition and house a local prison. The Franciscan Church of Reis Magos (1550) stands alongside and is one of the first Goan churches. Both stand quite high above water level and are approached by a flight of steep steps.

Cabo de Raj Niwas

Cabo de Raj Niwas stands opposite Fort Aguada and was begun as early as 1540. A Franciscan monastery was built alongside. During the Napoleonic Wars British troops were garrisoned at Cabo and built themselves barracks which were subsequently demolished by the Portuguese. Later the Archbishop of Goa was given the monastery as his residency which later became the governor’s residence of Raj Bhawan. The second line of defence on this side of the estuary was Gaspar Dias near Miramar Beach, 2 km from Cabo de Raj Niwas. It was destroyed during the mutiny of 1835.

 

Aguada Fort
Aguada Fort on the northern tip of the Mandovi estuary with the neerul river to the east, was the strongest of the Portuguese coastal forts, completed in 1612. A channel was excavated to make the headland an island and a large well and a number of springs, provided the fort with drinking water (agoa) as well as to passing ships. The main fortifications are still intact, particularly at the water’s edge. Seventy nine guns were placed to give the fort all round defensive fire power and the Church

Aguada Fort Goa

of St Lawrence stood in the centre of the fort. A 13 m high lamp lit on the birthday of Queen Maria Pia of Portugal. During World War II German prisoners of war were interned in the fortress which later served as the Central Jail. The Taj Holiday Village, Fort Aguada and Hermitage now occupy the area and have been constructed with great architectural and environmental sensitivity.

Marmagao Fort
Virutally nothing remains of Marmagao fort on the southern headland of Mormugao Bay. Non-combatants were moved here from Old Goa when it was under threat in 1683 and at one time there was scheme to shift the capital here. Along with Aguada, Mormugao was the ‘throat’ throught which Goa breathed and is one of the finest natural harbours along the western seaboard of India. Vasco da Gama has been developed into a modern port.

Cabo de Rama

The southernmost fort is Cabo de Rama, named after the hero of the Ramayana Hindu epic who is said to have lived there with his wife Sita during their period of exile. The site was chosen well as the narrow headland only needed fortification on the landward side. Its origins pre-date the arrival of the Portuguese who acquired it in 1763 and was used as a prison. There are two springs, one of which gives out water through two spouts at different temperatures. Not easily accessible by road, it is best seen by boat.

Rachol Fort

The Rachol Fort, mostly in ruins, was one of the most ancient fort in Goa. Originally Muslim it was captured by the forces of Vijayanagar in 1520 and then ceded to the Portuguese. During the Maratha Wars of 1737-9 it was heavily armed by the Portuguese with approximately 100 cannons. During the siege that followed it was greatly damaged. The result of the War was that the northern provinces were lost and in order to keep the southern ones, the Portuguese paid a huge war indemnity. The fort was repaired by the Marguis of Alorna in 1745 but with the threat of aggression removed most of the buildings gradually disintegrated over the ensuing years.


 
 
 
 
 

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