Murud, Janjira and Kashid

Had a truly memorable Saturday.

India just simply never fails to turn out one surprise after another.

Sitting in Pune I simply could not fathom that just 150 kms away , sitting snug in the Arabian sea, overlooking idyllic villages and a pristine coastline, was a gargantuan fort built 1000 yrs back , spread over 22 acres, supporting more than 2500 people with its own mosques, temples, homes, bird shop, fresh water ponds and more, all sitting in the middle of the Arabian sea !

I am speaking of the Janjira fort built by the Siddhis a 1000 yrs back in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. Most of us hear of the famed Marathas but very few have even heard of the Siddhis. In short a Iranian king came from South Africa(where he was domiciled) to India, captured some territory in Konkan, subsequently bought salves from East Africa and built this massive fort in the sea known as Janjira over 22 yrs ! The Marathas tried to defeat the Siddhis in multiple occasions ,five hundred years into the fort's existence but failed , and to make the story even more interesting after that, Sambhaji (Shivaji's son) built another fort in the sea overlooking Janira, albeit smaller over another 16 years in readiness to face off again! People were living in Janjira all the way till 1972.

Our journey from Pune begun at 4 am in the morning , yes you read right ! The sunrise and the drive through the Konkan region was spell binding. The roads were very good for the most part and the neat and clean villages with their distinct architecture and sprawling abodes and greenery all around must leave Pune city dwellers in today's day and age of 'luxirious living' green with envy. We stopped off in some very interesting points to take pics and go to the loo :-) I enjoyed walking right into a lady farmer's small plot while she was farming with her daughter and getting her to show us around her crops ! She was one of those typical vendors you see sitting on the city pavements. She grew everything under the sun and had the largest cauliflower plant I have ever seen. If she had a bumper crop she would sell in Alibaug market otherwise right there in her village. Right across the road from the farm we bought a packet full of 'kala jaam' and relished it thoroughly with a sprinkling of salt. Stopping along the way in the middle of remote villages to have chai and lapping up the village life was nice. In one village we saw a very peculiar species of a 'dog' which was not really like a dog. It was a mix of a pig and a dog and looked very funny. We saw several of these in that village, I think it was Nizampur.

Finally we got to Rajpuri which houses the tombs of the Siddhi nawabs. Architecture was imposing. You felt the Muslim presence in the area. We walked past schools and homes in the fishing village until we got to the shore from where lo and behold we could see Janjira out of nowhere really . We stood on the beach just to take in the incredible sight. Boats haul visitors of Rajpuri to the fort. These boats too seem to date from the Siddhis time architecturilly atleast with these white sails fluttering the air. Reminded me of the 'Pirates in the Caribbean'.

Once on the boat, we had this sweet bunch of muslim school children with their teachers who started singing some beautiful urdu songs. Still humming the tune at home today. The fort is so cleverly built that one cannot see any entrance from a distance unless they know where it is. The fort is truly imposing. We had a great guide who spoke in a very peculiar urdu accent which sounded very cool to me. The fort has India's third largest cannon and is built with a material in such a fashion that it never heats up. Our heads were hot from the searing heat but the cannon was as cool as a dog's nose. The exterior door's in the fort are designed such that they look like tiny windows from outside confusing the enemy. The main door still stands and cannot be burnt or made to rot ! There is a emblem in the fort which is either tatooed on each dweller's body or each person has a ring with the emblem. The emblem depicts a lion crushing seven elephants ! How crazy a emblem is that ! If someone comes knocking disguised as a friend and cannot provide this emblem on them, then they are finished off right away by pouring hot oil on them and body dumped in the sea ! Too many exclamatory points to write about in this visit ! What is also incredible is that in case enemy did surround the fort dwellers , then there was a secret passage way seven feet under the sea that lead to a palace on the village overlooking the fort. We even saw this palace from shore.

Had a superb fish thali in Murud a short distance away under a multi layered canapy of palm trees , with the the sound of breaking waves emanating from a distance. We then ran straight for the Muruf beach and had the typical beach fun and frolic which included a ride in a horse carriage. Proceeded from there towards Pune. Stopped off in Kashid beach on the way, where we had tea swinging on a hammock, while seeing the glowing sun slowly setting.

Murud Janjira and Kashid . They are worthy enough of being called jewels in the Increible India crown metaphorically speaking. However true to India's character, its a land so ancient and wise, that there I am sure there are countless Murud's and Janjira scattered across the length and breath of this great nation and perhaps its only fair that the curios,persevering traveller who dares to look beyond the beaten track is rewarded with such amazing slices of history and experiences the magnificence of mother nature in the least heard of places.I have been amazed at the hospitality, innocence and honesty of our people.

I shall surely return to Janjira one day. Pics to follow soon.