Photo Travelogue :
Read first part -
Here
Some historical place you visit and go WOW! And, some historical place you visit and go EEEEEW! Its just a difference of how that place or thing is maintained or preserved. Well looked after things impresses you even after centuries. And non-maintained or neglected things makes you wonder why, WHY! Why things are the way they are. Visiting this particular fort brought out exactly those second-type cringe emotions in me ~
atleast till I reached there. But...oh...well!!
After getting down at Sion East, I went to the Sion fort. It was only 1pm noon, and I had time till 3pm when it'd open for the evening slot. Since I had two hourts to kill, I decided to hunt the Riwa fort which was supposed to be near Sion fort itself. But hunting for it was quite a task. Everyone knew Sion fort, but no one had even heard of Riwa Fort. Until I used its other name 'Kala killa' or black fort, then someone finally gave me the directions with a warning that there's nothing there except slums. I didn't give up. If it was a fort, there had to be some remains atleast. I had lunch of Dosa at a hotel near the station, when I decided to attempt again for directions. I asked the hotel owner, and he vaguely told me to go along the road ( sion-bandra link road ) towards west, and that it was somewhere there ( not too far, and at walkable distance ). However, as soon as I started walking in that direction, I immediately started regretting it. It was not just a heavily conjested area but a dirty slum too. Nonetheless, I kept asking here and there about 'kala killa' and finally someone told me go ahead...
its little further after Ashok Mill Compound! I reached a sign boad - 'Kalla Killa Road' - but where on earth was the fort?
the kala killa or black fort road...
where the hell am I going? who are these people?
I seemed to have entered another world altogether. It was a narrow path with people living literally everywhere. Its called the Dharavi slums. I couldnot believe my eyes. I asked someone where the fort was. They said, there's no fort anymore as it was encroached by slums. There was something at the end of the road though, but it was nothing like a fort. I was quite disheartened. But since I came so far, I had to have a look at that 'something'. I didn't like the experience at all. I did reach the end point and saw a huge wall. It was the fort. But attached to it - literally stuck to it were all these dwellings. I really felt like crying. I asked a woman washing clothes, how to go inside that wall thing. She said there was nothing inside, but told me to go ahead, that there was a way. I went through even a narrower portion, right through someone's house or shanty or whatever it was. Its amazing how people lived. I came across a ladder. That was the only entrance to the fort. A ladder!
some information at the base...so, the ASI guys were here...can't they clean these place off the slums?
a plaque said – “Built by Order of the Honorable Horn Esq. President and Governor of Bombay in 1737” - so, it was the official Riwa fort! I had mixed feelings discovering it finally...
should I climb or not? I felt dizzy seeing the ladder...the only entrance...
As I started climbing I heard voices from above that said - come come. I saw two guys who spotted me approaching. One was taking pictures of the fort and asked me to come along. He welcomed me. After I reached the top, he informed me that he was a local who also had interest in the fort and was trying for its upkeep. He showed me few tall slum development buildings nearby, where he hoped the slum dwellers could be shifted and the fort surroundings, beautified. But he showed disappointment that since last 6 years there has been no progress in this regard due to various politics. He went on to show the three bastions of the fort; it's well or baaori and a hidden entrance or opening of a tunnel, which, he said went to the Sion fort ( a secret passage ). It was incredible. The well and the tunnel entrance which used to be open earlier has been now locked with grill for safety purpose and to avoid vandalism. He said it was a very old fort built in the 1700s and was of great historic importance of the city of Bombay. It was a relief that the top of the fort has not been encroached upon yet. Although, he informed me that the slum people did use it sometimes for community functions like puja, weddings etc. How practical right? No need to book a hall, the fort served the purpose, for free! Hah! The guy also said, there were rooms and chambers underneath where we stood. Armed with so much information, I clicked few pictures myself and finally bade them bye. Going down that ladder was more scary than going up. He asked me if I'd come again. I replied, only after the slums are gone and the fort is beautified. Well I hope so, because, the fort though still sturdy, was crying for help. It needs to be protected and not let be encroached upon this way.
the baori or well inside the fort...
the entrance to the tunnel...I tried peeking in...it was too dark...
the fort courtyard...with steps to sit and watch points...
someone feeding the birds?
I exited the place with a heavy heart. Although, I was happy that I did discover the fort after all. Well..well!
The Riwa Fort, locally known as Kala Qilla or Black Fort, is a fort in central Mumbai (Bombay), India on the banks of the Mithi River. John Horne, the then Governor of Bombay, had commissioned the construction of this fort to protect Bombay from the aggressive sea-faring Marathas. The fort is currently in a dilapidated condition amidst the Dharavi slums ( wiki ).
Address : 1, Budhiram Seth Chawl, Sion Railway Colony, Kala Qila, Dharavi, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400017
Read next part - Here! Stay tuned for all my road, rail, flight, cruise & walk trips.
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