Tales from the Chapora Fort

Situated around 10 kilometers from Mapusa and set near the Anjuna Beach in the region of Goa lies a lovely and intriguing fort which gives the travels here the upper twist and provides the tourist with the best tour delights in this part of the world.

With a spectacular view that would be the envy of any fort lover this is one land that has to be seen to be believed and one would surely love to bask in the delights of this beautiful land of pleasurable moments.

The Chapora Fort here is a lovely sight for the eyes and surely features in the travels to this part of the world.

Chapora fort is a place that is accessed easily by a local transport that can be hired from Panaji or Mapusa in the region of Goa. Panaji is around 18 kilometers from this fort. So when we were in Goa last year it is but obvious we made plans to visit this erstwhile fort.

Anjuna Beach is one of those Goan beaches which is normally frequented by those travellers who have come here not through some tours but as a family. The serene ambience here and the lovely visual delights are certainly a cherishable memory. The Chapora Fort is on this beach and is one of the famous Indian attractions. This is a majestic fort that is constructed out of laterite stones and was mainly built by the Bijapur ruler, Adil Shah. Thus this place is also called Shahpura and this means the “town of Shah”. The fort is situated at a distance of around 10 km and is near the town of Mapusa.

The fort owes its existence to the need to keep a watch on the innumerable raiders here who used to loot this region. The fort was destroyed when the Adil Shah rule got over and then the Portuguese reconstructed it in the year 1617. The region of Goa had come under the Portuguese and they made this colony of their won. The Portuguese then abandoned the fort sometime in the year 1892. While the Portuguese patronized the fort, it was a wonderful sight and had a certain grandeur which was irresistible. There were underground tunnels and also escape routes which were built in case there was an emergency. Then the fort got deserted once the Portuguese left the place.

Today the ruins of the Chapora fort is a tourist delight and is a spectacular attraction for all those who visit this part of the world. From the fort I remember how I could get a great view of the Vagator beach and also the mesmerizing Anjuna Beach. There are many who come here to the beaches to have a lovely tour of this dilapidated fort and they love to feel the mystique in the surroundings as they view the historical structure and enjoy the pleasures of being in the fort ramparts. The strong walls bear a testimony of the historical past and as the waves lash against the fort one can only marvel at the ancientness of the structure and the beauty of the ambience.

A very popular destination for all, this is one place where Goan revellers are sure to visit and where you would never go back without getting overawed by the sheer surrounding that greets you here.

It was Adil shah of Bijapur who constructed this for and this has been the mainstay of Goan tours since ages and as the red laterite structure stands out as the mainstay of the Anjuna beach, one just gets enthralled by the royal touch that it exudes.

In spite of the fact that Goa was dominated by the Portuguese yet the threat from the Maratha and the Muslim rulers was not far off and so the Portuguese rebuilt this fort so that they could be safe from their enemies. But eventually the Portuguese had to bow down before Sambhaji the Maratha ruler sometime in the year 1684. Then the Marathas and the locals had a disagreement and the fort was handed over to the Portuguese. As years passed by, the Portuguese took care of the fort and also equipped it with tunnels and other getaway techniques. Then in the year 1739, the Marathas captured the Chapora fort and then in 1741 the Portuguese took over the fort yet once again and finally the Pernem taluka was given to them.

The fort is majestic though in ruins today and provides magnificent views from its top. There are weed infested ramparts that are seen and they still provide wondrous views. The heads of the two tunnels are still visible today and the architectural elegance of the past can only be admired with a lot of respect and reverence. These tunnels used to be the supply reoutes for those defenders who were besieged here. The tomb stones are said to be the remains of the colonial rule here. The ramparts are the main attraction here and they overlook the Mandarem and the Morjim beach. The Anjuna beach is found in the southern part.

With a lot of glamour and glitz attached to it, Goa surely is a must see in Indian tours. There is something magical about this place and the air of intrigue and mystique that clouds over the region is what makes a trip here very memorable. Coupled with this when it is a question of an ancient historical fort that is to be visited, obviously the pleasures are doubled. The Chapora fort thus is a cherry on the pie of Goa travels.