Historical Importance of the Shirgaon Fort, Its Structure, Tourist Experience, Places Nearby, How to Reach Shirgaon Fort (2024)
Shirgaon Fort is in the Palghar district of Maharashtra. The fort is a quick visit or anyone who resides in Mumbai, so it makes it to the list of fort tourism in Maharashtra. The Shirgaon Fort makes it into the list of for tourism in Maharashtra because it’s a breezy, quick visit and remarkably close to the urban area of Mumbai. If you intend to visit Shirgaon fort, read this article to know more.
Historical Importance of Shirgaon Fort
The Yadavas built the Shirgaon fort some time in 1200 AD. Since then, the fort has changed several hands, including the Gujarati Muslaman, the Bahamani Dynasty, and the Ahmednagar Sultanate. The Portuguese also ruled over the Shirgaon fort in the 1500s, until the Maratha Army captured it sometime in the 1700s. Finally, Shirgaon fort came under British rule in 1818.
Structures in Shirgaon Fort
Like many other forts in the Maharasthra region, the Shirgaon Fort does not have many structures now. However, the outer walls, the bastions, and the fortifications are in excellent shape, giving the tourists an idea of how the fort was.
You will see several windows and niches on the walls, used as a point to attack the enemies and keep an eye on them in the past. You will also see the narrow stairs that take you to the upper level of the walls, the place where the soldiers would guard the Shirgaon fort.
The authorities seem to begin their contemporary construction to fortify the Shirgaon fort further. You will see several props related to that.
In Shirgaon fort, you see a hidden route that is now blocked by a concrete wall. So, there’s no saying where it went out in the past.
As a tourist looking to explore a fort and find something ancient, the Shirgaon fort will not satisfy you, as there is not much to see from an architecture point of view.
Tourist Experience of the Shirgaon Fort
The Shirgaon fort is a small one, and there is no trek or even climbing involved in visiting the fort. So, everyone can visit this one. Since the fort does not have any of the structures or ruins from the past, it is not a major tourist attraction. So, you will not see many tourists milling around. Shirgaon fort is within a village, so you get the surreal experience of losing yourself in an ancient place in the lap of the modern world.
Because there is no trek involved, it makes sense to visit it during the afternoon, because you can understand the true beauty of this fort only in broad daylight.
The road to the Shirgaon fort, from Palghar, is a scenic route and something that adds to the experience of visiting the Shirgaon fort.
Visiting the fort in daylight means that you expose yourself to Mumbai’s humidity– something that you should be ready for, with sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat.
From the top of Shirgaon fort, you get a beautiful visual of the town below. It is a surreal experience, seeing all the residences, big and small, from an almost aerial view.
Places To Visit Near Shirgaon Fort
Shirgaon Fort is in Palghar, on the outskirts of Mumbai. There are two other fort structures that you can visit while you are in Palghar, the Vasai Fort, and the Arnala Fort. Both these forts are a quick visit and amid contemporary settlements, so you will not take much time exploring them. For the religiously inclined, the area has the Jivdani Temple, which is about two hours away from the fort structure.
When you are here, you can also visit the Sopara Stupa Site, one of the oldest structures in this area. Experts believe that Gautama Buddha once visited this place during his lifetime.
Then, you also have the Bassein Fort, another structure that many people do not visit but can be an excellent venue to spend a cool hour or two, exploring India’s culture and heritage.
If you are not from Mumbai and traveling on this route, you can always do a pit-stop in Palghar and then move ahead to Mumbai. Mumbai is the party and tourist capital of Maharashtra, and you have a plethora of options. Here are a few of them.
The Beaches of Mumbai:
If you are up for it, you can spend more than a day visiting the various beaches of Mumbai, beginning from the one in Bhayander, and then going ahead to Malad to the Dana Pani Beach, the Aksha Beach and the Marve Beach. Between Bhayander and Malad, you can even spend some time at the Gorai Beach. Further up, towards town, you can visit the Versova Beach. Finally, you should visit the Juhu Chowpatty beach, possibly the most popular beach in Mumbai. You will be able to taste authentic, Mumbai street food, a taste that is as unforgettable as its novel.
The beaches of Mumbai are not the only places that invite tourists to the maximum city. Mumbai is also home to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, which experts say is the green lung of the city. The park is home to several trees, flowers, plants, etc., and has some mythological connection as well SGNP, as the locals call it, is home to Kanheri Caves, which date back to nearly 1 BC.
If you are in Mumbai for a weekend, head over to the suburban area of Andheri, and get ready to experience a nightlife that’s unheard and unseen in any other metro in the country. Mumbai is the city that never sleep and if you are in Palghar with a few days left in your tour, you can tour the best of Mumbai.
How to Reach Shirgaon Fort?
Shirgaon is on the outskirt of Palghar, which is on the outskirts of Mumbai to reach Palghar from Mumbai, you can either travel via private car, bus or train. Several buses ply on these routes and there are ample cabs available as well. To get a true taste of Mumbai, embark on a journey using public transport till Palghar and beyond, and you will understand just what makes this city tick. If you are traveling from Pune, you can board a bus to Mumbai and then go to the Palghar area via private taxi, bus or one of the local trains in Mumbai.
