Tucked away from the madness of the Bombay City, Mahim, today is a neighbourhood famous for its roadside food stalls whose magic and charm is mostly felt as the people of Bombay gather for a siesta at sunset. But Mahim has a secret that not many may be aware…. The Mahim Fort. Let’s explore its secrets.
Mahim, whose name is derived from the Sanskrit word “Mahimvati”, meaning “Miracalous” is one of the seven original islands that were joined to make up the Bombay City we see today. In fact one of the earliest records can be traced back to Raja Bhimji who reigned over the region in the 13th Century with Mahim as its capital. He built a palace and a court of justice in Prabhadevi, as well as the first Babulnath temple.
In 1343, this island was possessed by the Muslims of Gujarat. It was in their reign that the old Mahim mosque was built. A dargah of Makhtum Fakir Ali Paru was built here in 1431.
In 1516, Portuguese commander Dom Joao de Monoy entered the Mahim Creek and defeated the commander of Mahim fort. The fort was the site of frequent skirmishes between the Portuguese and the Ali Shah, a Gujarati ruler, before the island of Mahim was claimed from Bahadur Shah of Gujarat by the Portuguese in 1534.
In 1661, the Portuguese ceded the island of Mahim as dowry to Charles II of England.
After the English gained control of the fort, The fort was strengthened by the then Governor of Bombay, Gerald Aungier, in the year 1669, in order to strengthen British defences. He also made Bombay more populous by attracting Gujarati traders, Parsi shipbuilders, and Muslim and Hindu manufacturers from the mainland. It was further strengthened by Sir Thomas Grantham in 1684, and became a strategic watchtower against possible Portuguese attacks, and later from the Marathas.
The Mahim Fort was strategically located on the then island of Mahim which lied in close proximity to the Portuguese island of Salcette or Bandra and was in the middle of the Mahim Bay that had the Portuguese Bandra Fort or Castella de Aguada on one side and the British Worli Fort perched on the other.
In 1772, 111 years after Bombay was taken from them, the Portuguese attempted to attack this fort, but they were repelled by the British with cannonballs. The Mount Mary's Basilica was damaged during this encounter. According to historical accounts, the fort had 100 soldiers and 30 cannons at that time.
Today, The fort lies off the Mahim Causeway which links the suburbs to the city. The fort is heavily encroached by slums, and parts of the fort have caved in due to tidal erosion and neglect. Though the site is classified as a Grade I heritage structure, nothing much has been done to maintain it. Large boulders are strewn on the sand and crevices as high as three metres (fifteen feet) are visible.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, in its budget proposal for 2005-2006 intended to pay special attention to Mahim Fort. It is still encroached.
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