Durgadi Fort — Attraction in Kalyan-Dombivli

OVERVIEW...

The city of Kalyan was surrounded by a fort wall, the construction of which began during Shah Jahan's reign and was completed during Aurangzeb's reign in 1694 A.D. This city wall, which ran in excess of 2000 yards, 2123 to be precise, was guarded by 4 gates and 11 towers. The fort wall enclosed an area of 70 acres and on a high mound near the Kalyan creek, where the current Ganesh ghat stands, was a fine fort since as early as 1570.

The wall of the fort along the top of the inner bank of the ditch, and, near the north end, had a gateway known as the Delhi or Killyacha Darwaja.

Under the Marathas (1760–72), a new gate about 150 feet (46 m) to the south of the Ganesh gate was opened near the mansion of Ramji Mahadeo Biwalkar, the Peshwa's Governor. In the citadel of the fort Marathas built a small wooden temple of Durgadevi behind the mosque, and called the fort Durgadi Killain honorr of the goddess, a name which it still bears. The fort measures 220 feet (67 m) in length and somewhat less in breadth. Under the English rule, the fort wall was dismantled and stones carried to build the Kalyan and Thane piers and a dwelling for the customs inspector in the west of the Kalyan fort. The gate to the north-west is almost the only trace of the fort wall, which is of rough stone masonry. During 1876 the original idol of the goddess Durga was stolen.

TRANSPORTATION....

Kalyan Station, 1945

Auto-rickshaws are an important mode of transport. 200,000 Kalyan citizens travel daily by auto-rickshaw.

Kalyan Junction is on the rail line between Mumbai and Karjat/Kasara. Kalyan Junction serves as an important railway station at the node of Mumbai.

CIVIL AMENITIES....

With a population of more than 700,000, Kalyan is a part of Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation established in 1983, with municipalities of Kalyan, Dombivli, Ambernathand 81 villages. It was then one of the largest urban local bodies in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and in the state, with an area around 209 km2. The government of Maharashtra has decided to delete major area of the corporation limits on different occasions. Presently the total area of the corporation has remained, and measures about 67 km2.

GOVERNMENT...

KDMC is a municipal corporation in Thane district of Maharashtra state, India. A municipal corporation formed in 1983 to administer the twin townships of Kalyan and Dombivli. The municipal corporation has a population 15,18,762 (2011 census). Due to its highly educated population it is often called the second cultural capital of Maharashtra after Pune. Kalyan was famous as a port since ancient times. Records of its existence as a premier port in the region have been found in ancient Greek manuscripts. Dombivli station is about 48 km from CSMTstation along the central railway and is connected to all parts of Maharashtra by rail as well as road. Kalyan is one of the most important junctions in India with most of the outstation trains stopping at it. Nearest airport is Mumbai airport which is 40 km away.

The corporation is governed by Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act 1949. The following authorities are given charge to carry out the provisions of the act:

A corporationA standing committeeWard committeesMunicipal commissioner

Both the cities are divided into 122 wards. Municipal Corporation consists of Councillors elected directly at Ward Elections. The number and boundaries of the Wards into which the City is divided is specified by the State Election Commissioner. There are five Councillors nominated by the Corporation. As per the provisions of the Act, the total number of Councillors is 121. The Corporation elects one of its members as the Mayor and another to be the...

The fort's construction started during Shah Jahan's reign and was completed in Aurangzeb's reign in 1694 AD. Durgadi Fort is built on a hill beside the Kalyan creek. The fort came under Marathas when Shivaji captured Kalyan and Bhiwandi from Adilshah in 1654. Shivaji built the fort close to the creek and used it as a dock to build boats and ships. During British Raj, stones from the fort wall were used to construct the Kalyan and Thane piers.

Under the rule of Marathas, a new gate about 150 feet to the south of the Ganesh Gate was opened near the mansion of Maratha General Ramji Mahadev Biwalkar. In the citadel of the fort, Marathas built a small temple of Hindu goddess Durga and named the fort Durgadi in honor of the goddess, a name it still bears. The original idol of the goddess Durga was stolen in 1876.

Shivaji used the fort as dock and began the work of the first Navy of Hindavi Swarajya and he hired 340 Portuguese artisans to build the naval docks. Later, the fort was repaired by Ramji Mahadev Biwalkar.

In 1682, Moghul Sardar Hasan Ali Khan captured the fort, later recaptured by Sambhaji, the second Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire. However, the Moghuls took it over again in 1689. It later came under Peshwas. In 1728, the Portuguese attacked the fort but were repelled by Shankarji Keshav Phadke, a Peshwa commander.

Durgadi Mata Temple on the fort It is believed that Shivaji himself built Durgadi Temple, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Durga on Durgadi fort. The Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray had started the Navaratri celebrations at the temple, which still continues. On the occasion of the Navratri, the temple is visited by devotees from Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Palghar districts.

In 2018, the temple was visited by about 7 lakh devotees during the Navratri festival.

In 1967, a communal tension arose in Kalyan over the temple on Durgadi Fort, on which both Hindu and Muslim community had their claims. While local Hindus believed the shrine atop the fort was that of Hindu goddess Durga, the Muslims claimed it to be a mosque and began performing namaaz near the temple. When Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray got to know about the matter, he declared that Shiv Sena would unfurl the saffron flag atop the Durgadi Fort on 8 September 1967. Then the Navratri festival came, and Chief Minister Vasantrao Phulsing Naik announced a ban on the puja at the Durgadi temple. Still, despite the ban, Shiv Sena workers and Theckeray defied the ban and performed the Puja and religious ceremony...

The fort has a Hindu temple and a masjid at the top, which has religious significance for both Hindus and Muslims. It has witnessed riots in the past and is considered communally sensitive. A team of State Reserve Police Force personnel is deployed for security. The fort's construction started during Shah Jahan's reign and was completed in Aurangzeb's reign in 1694 AD. Durgadi Fort is built on a hill beside the Kalyan creek. The fort came under Marathas when Shivaji captured Kalyan and Bhiwandi from Adilshah in 1654. Shivaji built the fort close to the creek and used it as a dock to build boats and ships. During British Raj, stones from the fort wall were used to construct the Kalyan and Thane piers.[2]

Under the rule of Marathas, a new gate about 150 feet to the south of the Ganesh Gate was opened near the mansion of Maratha General Ramji Mahadev Biwalkar. In the citadel of the fort, Marathas built a small temple of Hindu goddess Durga and named the fort Durgadi in honor of the goddess, a name it still bears. The original idol of the goddess Durga was stolen in 1876.

Shivaji used the fort as dock and began the work of the first Navy of Hindavi Swarajya and he hired 340 Portuguese artisans to build the naval docks. Later, the fort was repaired by Ramji Mahadev Biwalkar.[3]

In 1682, Moghul Sardar Hasan Ali Khan captured the fort, later recaptured by Sambhaji, the second Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire. However, the Moghuls took it over again in 1689. It later came under Peshwas. In 1728, the Portuguese attacked the fort but were repelled by Shankarji Keshav Phadke, a Peshwa commander.[4]

The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation has built a new gate and made a garden...