 Castella de Aguada or Bandra Fort as it is commonly known is one of the many forts that dot the city of Mumbai. It is located at Land's End in Bandra at an altitude of 24 meters (79 feet). And like the others, this fort too has a history that it is proud of. Even today it is a visitor’s delight offering something to everybody: a muse for the shutterbugs, a sea-view into nothingness for solace seekers, a lesson in history for enthusiasts and an amphitheatre for those seeking entertainment.
But the history first...
The Portuguese defeated Bahadur Shah of Gujarat in 1534 and established a base in the area. They built several sea forts along the western Indian coastline including Castella de Aguada. The fort is strategically located overlooking the Mahim Bay to its south, the Arabian Sea to the west, the islands of Worli to the south and the town of Mahim to the south west.
Castella de Aguada actually means “Fort of the Waterpoint” in Portuguese and gets its name after the fresh water spring that served as a source for potable water for Portuguese ships cruising the coasts. It also served as a watch tower and guarded the northern sea route into Mumbai harbour. The sea route was actually a large estuary and was later reclaimed from the sea in the nineteenth century.
Though the fort was built in 1640, its strategic value was enhanced in 1661 after the Portuguese ceded the seven islands of Bombay that lay to the immediate south of Bandra to the British. During this time it was armed with seven cannons and other smaller guns as defence. 1739 saw the island being invaded by the Marathas. During the first Anglo-Maratha war in 1761 however the British gained possession of the area after it was passed on to them as dowry in the marriage of Catherine of Braganza.
Sadly the fort was substantially damaged by the British as a precautionary measure to obviate the possibility of it being captured by the Marathas and being used by them as a forward military base to attack British Bombay.
In 1830, the British donated large parts of Salsette Island, including Land's End, to a Parsi philanthropist - Byramjee Jeejeebhoy. Byramjee established his residence on the hill where the fort is located and the cape was renamed Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Point.
The present day...
The fort is owned by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and it has since undergone a makeover under architect P. K. Das. The makeover included preservation of the natural rock formations, providing pathways, and the creation of an amphitheatre. The fort now houses a picturesque park as well as an amphitheatre that hosts many a hip musical concerts. Surely a place you would not like to miss!
Ruchika Batra
Address:
Bandstand, Bandra(West), Bandra, Mumbai 400 050, Maharashtra, India
Location:
Bandra West, ahead of the Sea Rock Hotel at Bandra bandstand.
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