Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Fort — Attraction in Bandora

🛑 Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj the great and the Portuguese of Goa 🏵 After a grand  coronation at Raigad and becoming a Chatrapati of maratha swarajya in 1674 CE, Shivaji Maharaj went all out for expansion of the empire.The Ponda fort had been under the Marathas since Ch.Shivaji maharaj  had won it by hard naval and land battle in 1675 CE from Muhammad khan of   Adil shahi . Later during the Deccan campaign [ Dakshina digvijaya] of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj , in November 1676 CE, his 19 year old son Sambhaji maharaj tried to annex 60 villages from the Portuguese in Goa. These villages were under territory of PONDA fort which was already under the Marathas. However sambhaji’s assault on Portuguese was beaten off. After the death of Chatrapati  Shivaji maharaj In 1680 CE, in 1683 CE the Portuguese bribed the Maratha killedar Naik of PONDA fort and took control of it. In 1683 CE Sambhaji Maharaj along with the help of   Prince Akbar [son of Aurangzeb] who was sheltered from hostile Mughals in Dicholim by sambhaji Maharaj, waged a massive battle against the Portuguese for PONDA fort. Ch. Sambhaji maharaj had used his father Shivaji’s famous guerilla tactic, at Durbhat, of framing that he was running away from the field, and then leading the Portuguese forces into a trap. The Portuguese governor Conde de Alvor, who was leading the attack, had to escape with almost fatal injuries, by hurriedly crossing over the Durbhat ferry point. Portuguese governor Cone da Alvor fled from the battle fearful of death at hands of sambhaji Maharaj. However the poor Portuguese were luckily saved from sambhaji when sambhaji Maharaj had to leave Goa to concentrate on kokan which was under attack by Mughal under shah Alam. Ch.Shivaji maharaj was daring but not a daredevil like Ch.Sambhaji maharaj. Meticulous preparation, caution and fine sense of the possible were the hallmarks of Shivaji maharaj. Sambhaji maharaj in contrast was daredevil, eager to prove himself, hot blooded and mercurial and therefore vulnerable. Mughal court writer Khafi khan in his book has described Ch. sambhaji maharaj as  -- "Sambha.....in his vile and evil course of life was 10 times worse than his father Shivaji". However Ch.Sambhaji maharaj was able to create a glory and terror around him so much so that the Portuguese viceroy in Goa D’franscisco da Tavora [count of alvira] knelt at the tomb of saint Francis Xavier in old Goa to seek help from the imminent threat of Sambhajis invasion of Goa.....................such was the bravery of our beloved Shivputra dharmveer Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Jai bhavani.....

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The Ponda Fort is located near Ponda, in the state of Goa on the west coast of India. The present structure is a modern reconstruction on this location and converted into a park,

In the early 16th century, the region around Ponda was ruled by the Adil Shahi Kingdom. They wanted a defense against the ever-expanding Portuguese Empire to the west, and had built a fortification on a hillside at Farmagudi. A Maratha leader Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj led a failed raid on the fort in 1665. Due to their recent skirmishes with the Portuguese, the Sultan's forces were weakened and the fort was badly damaged due to the artillery bombardment. Shivaji Maharaj tried again, this time successfully, to capture the fort later in 1675.

After Shivaji's death, his son Sambhaji succeeded to the Maratha Empire. In 1683, he launched a surprise attack on the Konkan territories of Portugal. To avoid unnecessary bloodshed, the Portuguese offered to pay off the local Maratha governor named Naik to take control over Ponda Fort. This peace offer was refused, since Naik was expecting the arrival of Sambhaji reinforcements from Rajapur. He had along with him an army of 11,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry. The Portuguese Viceroy, Francisco de Tavora, led an artillery attack on the fort to weaken it. In this battle, the Ponda Fort was badly damaged and there were high casualties among the Marathas but the fort remained under Maratha control. The war ended with a general retreat of the Maratha forces from Portuguese territories. Following Sambhaji's execution by the Mughals at Tulapur in 1689, the Peshwas gained control over the Maratha Empire which also included Ponda Fort.

In 1783, the fort, along with the rest of the Novas Conquistas regions was ceded to the Portuguese by the Maratha Kingdom of Savantvadi under Ramachandra Savant I Bhonsle, as they needed assistance against their rival Sambhaji II of the Kingdom of Kolhapur. It stayed under Portuguese control for more than 175 years until the Invasion of Goa by India. During this time, it fell into disuse and crumbled off due to neglect, as there was no hostile forces left, to defend against. The Indian government took control of the fort after 1961, and renovated it into a park in 1977. During this time, a statue of Shivaji was erected by Shashikala Kakodkar of the pro-Marathi Maharashtrawadi...

Hello all Goa Lovers,

Want to see something different then the beaches, meuseums, temples or churches im Goa, here is the BEST choice for you to get your good time at a monument somewhere in the middle area of GOA.

Farmagudi fort is small fort created with a statue of Raje Shivaji on top.

There is this beautiful fort located in heart of Goa at Ponda. The place is such in the middle that you can visit it on the way while you are visiting other tourist sites of Goa. Hereby you will save extra travel time.

There is a beautiful Ganesh Temple Opposite side of the Fort. Also, lot of tea and snacks sellers options are there nearby.

The fort is such beautifully colored that you feel like grabbing capture monument onto your camera as an unforgettable memory.

There are beautiful trees fulled with flowers around. I have tried to capure pictures of the fort and putting them along with this review so that one can have an idea about the place.

Then there are these zig zack beautiful stairs which you enjoy while your visit to fort. The jouney rounds and ups and downs of the stairs is wonderful.

You reach to top and you see wonderful huge Chatrapati Raje Shivaji Maharaj Statue put up woth pride. The statue is so mesmorising I felt energetic wibes being there.

On the occasion of Shivaji Jayanti the fort was decorated with colors and lights which was a eye candy for all.

Do visit the Farmagudi Fort at Ponda and Click your way Goa within your cameras.

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