Walk through Ghodbunder Fort to promote heritage conservation
Aunique heritage walk through the Ghodbunder Fort was organised by architects Sapna Lakhe and Shwetambari Shinde, under the aegis of
the Sankraman Design Studio, which is carrying out restoration work at the fort.
Apart from showcasing the history of the fort, the purpose of the heritage walk was to highlight the process involving heritage conservation. The walk saw active participation of heritage enthusiasts and fort lovers.
Five years after biting dust at various government offices, the proposal to beautify the vast 9-acre surroundings of the historic Ghodbunder Fort finally received an official nod from the Archaeological Survey of India (Ratnagiri) and the Directorate of Archaeology & Museums Mumbai in 2019. Both agencies issued their no objection certificates (NOCs) to the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) for the beautification work under the ambitious “Shiv-Srushti” project, following which the architects were roped in for the heritage conservation work.
“We had a live demonstration of the preparation of lime mortar – an important material used for strengthening and finishing the walls. The walk concluded with an interactive session regarding steps and methods of a heritage conservation project,” said Lakhe. The restoration, conservation and beautification work of the fort and its precincts are in the advanced stages and is likely to be completed in 2023.
The Ghodbunder Fort has been adopted by the MBMC under the government’s ‘Maharashtra Vaibhav Protected Monuments Adoption Scheme’, introduced to help protect and preserve historical monuments.
Notably, the state department of cultural affairs has granted heritage structure status to eight monuments in the state, including the Ghodbunder Fort, paving the way for their adoption by the respective civic bodies in 2019.
Originally named Cacabe de Tanna, the Ghodbunder Fort was built in 1730 by the Portuguese who had settled in the region in 1530. The territory and fort remained under the rule of the Portuguese until 1737.
Despite several attempts, the Maratha warriors failed to capture the fortress, but eventually besieged and successfully occupied it by defeating the Portuguese army in 1737. There is also an ancient church in the vicinity of the fort which was founded by the Portuguese.