“Built by Order of the Honorable Horn Esq. President and Governor of Bombay in 1737,” it says. That is just a plaque on the Dharavi Fort wall. Welcome.
Today, we explore Dharavi Fort also called Riwa Fort or Kala Killa. It is a fort in central Mumbai on the banks of the Mithi River. The Dharavi Fort stands in a dilapidated condition amidst the Dharavi slums.
Once, Dharavi was a large piece of marshy land. It divided British and Portuguese lands. In 1737, Salsette was captured by the Maratha Empire. Most Portuguese provinces in Bombay were ceded to the Marathas. John Horne, the Governor of Bombay, ordered the construction of the Dharavi Fort. It would protect Bombay from the Maratha leader Kanhoji Angre.
Later, the Marathas captured the Dharavi Fort. The fort comes under the Maharashtra Directorate of Archaeology and Museums.
Dharavi is known as one of the largest slums. It was founded in the 1880s. Factories and residents were expelled from the city center by the colonial government. The rural poor migrated into urban Mumbai. Dharavi separated British-controlled Bombay from Salsette island controlled by the Portuguese.
The coast of the Mithi River extended from Dharavi Fort to Sion Fort. These two forts guarded the only entry point to Bombay island. Mahim Fort was to the west on Bombay Island. The Portuguese-built Bandra Fort was on Salsette.
There is no proper entrance to Dharavi Fort. You have to climb over the ramparts.
The internal area is filled with vegetation and garbage. The fort has three bastions. There is a central area with signs of chambers underneath. A square hole looks like a tunnel entrance.
On 12th April 1737, the Marathas attacked Dharavi Island. They started building the Dharavi Fort. The Portuguese sent 800 soldiers. They captured Dharavi Island and the partially built Dharavi Fort. They completed the fort’s construction.
On 30th November 1737, the Marathas conquered Dharavi Fort with 4000 soldiers. The Portuguese recaptured Dharavi Fort on 28 February 1738. Chimaji Appa failed to capture the fort on March 9, 1738. On March 6, 1739, the Marathas recaptured the fort of Dharavi.
In 1818, the Dharavi Fort passed to the British.
Imagine the fort in its prime. It was a strategic point. It was built to defend against a powerful sea-faring leader. It changed hands between empires. Today, Dharavi Fort stands as a reminder of Mumbai’s complex past. It is a testament to the struggles and conflicts that shaped this city. It has survived amidst urban development. Its stones whisper stories of battles and resilience.