Though the mentioned opening time was 8 we were at Mirjan Fort by 7:15 and the caretaker was considerate enough to allow us the entry. We were returning from Karwar to head home. We started by 6 and were on time. The distance between Karwar and Mirjan is around 60 Kilometers. For the unknown Mirjan is located in the west coast of Uttara Kannada District. Strategically built on the banks of Aghanashini river, a tributary of Sharavati, the fort is at short distance from the Arabian sea.
Route: Karwar-Amdalli-Ankola-Hiregutti-Mirjan
There was a particular reason to visit Mirjan during monsoon. The entire fort looked like it was dipped in green acrylic. As it happens frequently we were the only people beside the fort-sitter. The fort stood majestically, one of its kind in the country. The gate opened quietly, but we imagined the creaking sound as a special effect. Through a plight of broad steps we entered the fort. The double-walled fort has high spires on the citadel. Sprawled over an area of 10 acres, the fort is constructed with laterite stones, which were available abundantly in the vicinity. The fort is surrounded entirely by moats, though it is dried up currently. There are few wells inside that are interlinked with moats through the channels. Most part of the fort is in ruins and is being restored by the Archaeology survey of India. We went underground through secret passages and climbed the bastion to have the panoramic view of this once impregnable fort. While doing so we could see agricultural lands stretching far and wide completely capped in greenery. We wandered around marveling at the perfection of the architecture. Once upon a time it was the protector of the people who lived here.
There are many versions on the ownership and time period of this fort. The most popular one is about a queen popularly known as Pepper queen or Raina da Pimenta. Chennabhairadevi built the Mirjan fort tentatively between 1552 to 1606 and ruled from here for quite sometime. Her reining for 54 years is the longest for any Indian woman ruler. She opposed Portuguese attempts to take control over the trading business and defeated them twice in 1559 and 1507. After the mighty Vijayanagara fall, queen shifted from Mirjan to some safe location.
Bijapur sultans have captured the fort and Sharief-ul-mulk, then governor of Goa, is credited of refurbishing the fort subsequent to the Talikote War. The fort witnessed the shift of power from Keladi Nayaks to Marathas to British.
Archaeological excavation of 2000-2001 unearthed dumb-bells, iron bullets, coins and designed pots belonging to Sarpamallika dynasty; Chinese porcelain, clay tablets with Islamic scripture, gold coins attributed to Portuguese Viceroy and many others.
The time is like quicksand, within no time the present becomes past and important becomes irrelevant. That is what we could think about this old fort that had been a mute spectator to life, death, power, struggle, laughter and pain. If each stone could tell a story of the past? Pondering over this thought we decided to head out before the onslaught of coastal sun.
Tips
Best Season: June-February
Best Time: Early morning or evening
Visitor's Time: 8 am to 6 pm
Entry Fee: Free
Nearby Places: Gokarna, Apsarakonda, Banavasi, Murudeshwar
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