PLACES

JANJIRA

Janjira (Murud peta; 17°45' N, 73°05' E; p. 600; RS. Khopoli, 47 m. NE). The fortified island of Janjira lies just within the entrance of the Rajapuri creek the mainland being half a mile distant to the east and a mile to the west.[ Dom Joao de Castro, in 1538, described it as a gunshot long and a little less broad with a round head in the centre where the people lived. Primeire Rotaire da-Costa da India, 166.] In shape it is irregularly oval or nearly round and it is girt by walls which at high tide rise abruptly from the water to a height of from forty-five to fifty feet. At low tide the water recedes leaving the rock foundations on which the walls are built dry. On the east side, opposite Rajapuri, is a large and handsome entrance gateway with steps leading to the water, and, on the west, facing the open sea, a small postern gate used in former years in times of siege, leads into a wide masonry platform about twenty feet high above water mark. The platform is built in the form of a semicircle stretching along the sea face and takes in and is covered by bastions. The walls are battlemented, strongly loopholed, and have their faces covered with nineteen bastions, eighty feet across and thirty feet deep, at intervals of about ninety feet.

Just above the great entrance, near the heavy iron studded gates, is a large white stone, let into the walls, on which is carved the word yohor meaning 1111 H. (A. D. 1694). This marks the begin-ning of the building of the walls, which were finished in A. D. 1707 by Sidi Surul Khan (1707-1733). On passing through the gateway are the ruins of a large mansion [This building, like the fort walls, is of well cut blocks of trap strongly cemented-The windows are surrounded by ornamental stone carving in the Saracenic style-Further to the right, built round a large cistern, are the Nawab's palace and women's quarters comparatively in a better state.] said to have been built in the time of Sidi Surul Khan. Debris of stones indicate the existence of some buildings in the remote past. The palace is a small upper-storeyed stucco building in the ordinary Hindu-European style. It has no special interest; several rooms have their walls and ceilings lined with mirrors. A terrace overhangs the water. This part of the citadel commands a wide view. To the south-west and west stretches the ocean; the Rajapuri creek winds to south-east till it is a narrow-palm-covered neck of land making the creek look like a lake. To the west, on a slight eminence, partly hid among trees, stand the broken walls of the old Rajapuri palace, which was abandoned by the late Navab. The flat fortified rock of Kansa or Padamadurg rises out of the sea about two miles to the north-west.

In 1860, more than half the interior of the Janjira fortress was burnt, and a mass of State papers and documents was destroyed. The fire did no injury to the walls, and many of the houses that were burnt have been rebuilt or partially restored. There are still broken walls and charred ruins. On all sides are dirt and desolation. The place looks as ruined and desolate as if it had lately undergone a siege. [ Reported by Mr. F. B. O'Shea, Superintendent of Post Offices, Konkan Division for the first edition.] In the fortress a yearly Muhammedan fair or urus is held in honour of the Pancayatana shrine. According to the common story five bodies were washed ashore and lay un-buried till some Musalmans, warned in a dream, went to the island, and finding the bodies, buried them and raised a tomb over them. Another story is that the shrine was raised when Shah Tahir was appointed commandant of Janjira; and according to a third account the stones are old Koli deities whom the Musalmans turned into saints and continued to worship. The Dattajayanti [It is attended by from 2,500 to 3,000 people mostly Musalmans and religious beggars. Sweetmeats, toys, fruits, flowers, and tea and coffee worth in all about Rs. 1,000 are sold on the occasion. The village of Nigri, is held in grant by the shrine. Out of the proceeds of the village the Nawab feeds the people, each fakir receiving a small sum of money on leaving. Besides this, the Nawab spends on his own account about Rs. 1,000 in charity. On the third day an embroidered covering Gilaph is carried through the fort in procession, headed by the Nawab, who at sunset lays it on the tomb. (As described in the first edition.)] fair is held on the full-moon of Kartik (November).

TOP