Note - This is a popular article written with a view to trace the origin of defensive structures at Sion and Dharavi, Mumbai, their original identity and nomenclature as it existed from their existence and which in due course of time has been forgotten and confused. I am thankful to Archaeological Survey of India, Mumbai Circle, a custodian of Sion fort, a Nationally Protected Monument of Archaeological Survey of India and its staff for their time to time kind assistance and help. Since the subject matter is also a part of my Ph.d research, "Archaeology of European Expansion/Colonial Archaeology in India, with a case study of Thane, Mumbai Sub-Urban and Mumbai Districts (1498 - 1818 AD), I was indeed happy to get positive results on the real identity of defensive structures at Sion and Dharavi, Mumbai. All the images and maps are given at the end of the article. I am thankful to Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie Archive, Macquarie University, Australia for publishing the beautiful paintings of James Wales from his posthumous work “Twelve views of the island of Bombay and its vicinity: Taken in the years of 1791 – 1792” on their website http://www.lib.mq.edu.au and making it available to people. As the condition of most of the British maps on Bombay available in the Department of Archives, Government of Maharashtra is not good either for scan or xerox, I have limited myself for re-producing excellent maps given the "The Gazetteer of the Bombay City and Island - Vol. I, II and III" originally published in 1909 AD. If anyone would like to use the photos, maps or refer this article then necessary citation may given.
‘Archaeological
Survey of India, Mumbai Circle, Sion Fort, Sion (East), Mumbai – 400 022’, that
was the address for which I left Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research
Institute, Pune, a home for me for two and half years. My friends, Shri. Gopal
Joge (Lecturer for Indian Art, Deccan College, Pune) and Shri. Rahul Mhaiskar
(Lecturer, Linguistics Department, Deccan College, Pune) came with me to Pune
Railway station. Due to some problems in Gopal’s bike, I missed my train,
Sinhgad Express, which was to reach Mumbai by 9.53 AM. Hurriedly, remembering
the time given by the Superintending Archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of
India, Mumbai Circle, 10.30 AM, I and Gopal headed fastly to bus stand at
Shivaji Nagar, Pune and after waiting there for 20 minutes and thorough a hefty
crowd, I managed to board inside the asiad bus to Mumbai. Seeing bus leaving
the stand, Gopal waved his hand and I too. Getting some sigh of relief, I was
terrorized by the thought that had it not possible for me to report by 10.30 AM
as the time given by the Superintending Archaeologist, Mumbai Circle to his
office due early morning’s incident then what would have happened? Anyhow, I
came out from the world of probable possibilities to the world of reality and
felt the fresh morning air breezing through the bus window. I was trying my
best to get adapted to the new thought called “Mumbai”. Throughout the journey,
‘Sion Fort’ was the place for which my mind was running more fastly than the
bus!
I
remember very well the first time I scaled the artificial rampart of Sion hill in
Sion (East) with my heavy luggage to reach the Mumbai Circle office of
Archaeological Survey of India. Though I had heard and read about Sion fort but
never had chance to visit it and the moment when I reached the Mumbai Circle
office, the big semi-circular name slab of Archaeological Survey of India,
Mumbai Circle greeted me with two cannons placed on its both sides. I felt like
I reached the fort and my eyes started searching the very common connotation
behind the word ‘fort’ by which any usual person mean something grand and
majestic structure with giant doors, sturdy bastions, impenetrable
fortifications, staring merlons and embrasures, big stables where thundering
whinnies of horses and trumpets of elephants and much more can be imagined or
felt and to my surprise it was nothing of that sort. Instead, in front was a
spacious and quiet Mumbai Circle office of Archaeological Survey of India, Puratattva Bhavan, of which premises’
deep silence surprised me, considering its location on one of the busiest
places and streets in Mumbai! Chores in
the office were going usual and I too, being its my first step in the
professional life after my academic years, was feeling rather a mixed feeling
of subjugation to the muteness of its premises and a happy moment for
experiencing every seconds of the thrill to work in Indian government’s premier
organization responsible for the protection, maintenance of India’s precious
cultural heritage and research in archaeology.
Soon, when I was standing before the cabin of Superintending
Archaeologist of Mumbai Circle waiting to meet him, again the thought about the
fort whispered in my mind but right at the moment, voice of the attendant rang
in my ear, “sahab aapko andar bula rahe
hein (sir is calling you inside) and with somewhat anxiety I entered inside
the deluxe cabin of the Superintending Archaeologist, the head of the Mumbai
Circle, spread over 11 districts of Konkan and western Maharashtra (Thane,
Mumbai Sub-Urban, Mumbai, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, Satara, Sangli,
Solapur and Kolhapur) and responsible for maintaining 117 nationally protected
monuments under it. While I was trying my level best to be careful about each
and every manner while meeting such senior officer, a very gentle and sober
voice welcomed me inside and that was my first in-detail conversation with a
coolheaded energetic man with simplicity, Shri. Madan Singh Chouhan,
Superintending Archaeologist of Archaeological Survey of India, Mumbai Circle. Finally, the very big question before me was
laid to the rest and I was happy and eager to work with Mumbai Circle under the
shadow of Sion fort !
First
day ended and by late evening everyone in office left (excluding some Mumbai
Sub-Circle office personals) except some attendants on the night duty. As my
arrangement for the stay was made in the Mumbai Circle campus, again, the
question about the fort came in my mind. Letting it to rest for some time, I
thought to take some stroll around the busy Sion street. When I came out of the
premises of the Sion fort, again, through my readings, one premise called ‘Riwa
fort’ mentioned nearby Sion in old British documents came in my mind and I
thought to enquire about it. I call back now strange expressions of local people while I was asking “Bhaiyya, yaha Riwa
killa kaha pe hein?” “Bhau, ithe Riwa killa kuthe aahe?” (Brother, where is
the Riwa fort?). To my dismay no one told me anything about it and by surprise,
some elderly men even told me to verify the location, place and even the site
which I was asking about. Facing this reply, I felt that it’s better not to
inquire more about this place and to continue locating these sites after some
time. New as I was to the place, I thought it may be my mistake to ask about
the place to local residents which even does not exist there and may exist
somewhere else! Shockingly same thought came about the Sion fort too that it’s
also may not be in the place which I thought about and might have named after
the extinct fort at the site!
After
dinner, I was about to enter the office premises when the question which I had
suppressed much throughout the day considering my first day in the Circle
office, rowed back in my mouth. I asked the security guard, “bhai, yaha Sion killa kahape hein ? Upar to
kuch dikhta hi nahi ?” (Brother, where is the Sion fort ? atop, nothing can
be seen ?). Guard smiled and replied
back, “sahab, office ke bhi upar hein aur
baju ke garden se jana padta hein. Aur bahut chhota hein sirf ek ghar jaisa
dikhta hein” (Sir, fort is at the top. You have to go from garden beside.
It is very small and looks like a house). After
listening it, I thought, may be because his ignorance or lack of information,
he is telling me this and once again curiosity about the fort rose. I asked him
whether he can take me to the fort right the moment (9.30 PM that was) and he
told me that main gate at the Jawaharlal Nehru Garden is closed and the pathway
which goes behind the Superintending Archaeologist’s office is not safe as it
is through dense bushes, a favorite place for snakes and scorpions in
night. The topic of Sion fort ended
there only.
Saturday came. In the morning, I
went to the fort alone via garden gate. One after another teenage couples and
young boys and girls who were sitting under bushes, hedges and trees stared me
as like I was disturbing their privacy! Clearing the way out, I reached the
staircases which lead me to the ‘fort’. When I saw the fort from the
downstairs, I suddenly remembered the words of security guard, “killa chhote ghar jaise dikhta hein” (Image – 1). Though I read about it, again question popped
up before me, is it a real Sion fort about which I thought? I came closer to
the fort and saw a deep and big square shaped water tank on east of fort (image – 2) without the source of
natural water beneath which clearly indicated that it meant for water storage
through monsoon rains or other means and parapet wall enclosing it with small
embrasures (Image – 3). Beside the
parapet wall, some people were sleeping. I peeped through the merlons and
looked from the parapet below and encountered a heavy rustic cannon lying near
the north-east corner of parapet wall. The fortification seemed to be following
natural outline of the small Sion hillock barely 249 feet in height. Inside the
parapet wall, was a round bastion (Image
– 4) on the north-east outline of the hillock followed by guard house
looking like structure with sloping roof which might have had covered with manglorean
tiles of Portuguese style. From this point, a view of complete fort could be
seen (Image – 5). After climbing
steps, I reached one room, inside which was present three ovens looking like
components abutting its north wall (Image
– 6). I felt like it might have served the purpose of kitchen for the fort
garrison. At the ground level on the north side were five rooms, two on the
right hand side and three on the left side and between both of them, a flight
of stair case which leads above (Image –
7). As I went inside ground rooms, a murky smell of urine ran through my
nose and while I was snubbing it, one boy seating and studying under the shadow
of one big tree sprang near the north-west fortification smiled like he is
acquainted with it and I being the first time visitor feeling disgust about it.
Anyway, I went up the fort and saw big six rooms with window and doors and a
row of three rooms facing it horizontally on the southern side, parapet wall
enclosing it from western side with the overall width of 80 to 100 cm (Image – 8). Seeing the dimensions of
rooms, it was giving impression like residential cum guard room structure
instead of only guard room structure. On the top of hill too, parapet wall on
the western and south-western direction enclosed the whole complex (Image – 9). On south direction, a stair
cases lead me down. This entire south-east and south-west side seemed to have
had fortified in the past but which is collapsed now and no more visible except
of some remains to be traced by trained eyes (Image – 10). Down the hill too, facing the modern concrete falls
built by the BMC, I noticed one structure hidden inside vegetation and above which
steep rising scraps were fortified with stone and lime mortar. I started
clicking photographs. Barely few photographs clicked, two persons wearing khaki
paint and formal short shouted standing near the artificial fall, ‘Kon aahe? Kuthle photo kadhtay?’ (Who
are you and which photos are you clicking?). I was so much engrossed in the
thinking of the fort and surrounding area that little I realized about such
commotion and when those people were vey near to approach me, ASI security
guard settling his skull cap and rubbing his sweat on the face shouted on those
persons waiving his hand from the top fort, “Arre
bhai, ye isi department ke hein aur yaha naye aaye hein” (Brother, he is
from the department. He is new here). After listening it, those two persons
came to me and apologized. Later I came to know that they were BMC security
guards for Jawahrlal Nehre Garden. Forgetting the incident, again my thoughts
occupied with the very concept of Mumbai islands and its present condition. From
the fort, a beautiful view of Trombay facing the Thane creek in the north-east (Image- 11), Mahim creek with Bandra, Mahim
and backwater area of Dharavi on the western side (Image – 12) and twin hills of Kurla till the further land north of
erstwhile Salsette island was visible. Further south was Varli and Colaba (Image – 13). North, south, east and
west, I was groping amidst the concrete jungle from the top of Sion fort to
guess about the existence of Bombay fort, Mazgaon fort, Dongri fort, Varli
fort, Mahim fort, Bandra fort and Riwa fort and was trying restlessly to
imagine about the topography of Bombay and Salsette island as it existed till 15th
century when Mumbai was yet a group of seven islands (Map - 1) of which north side was the Salsette island, again
divided into small islets in itself. When I was placing my vision as much
distant I can, I noticed one big black watch-tower like structure hidden under
thick vegetation (Image – 14) on the
front low lying western hill with one big water pond at the foot hill of it, a
view of which is marred by tall buildings constructed on the western side of
Sion hill. Without wasting time and taking cue from my readings, I realized
that it this same watch tower which was a part of the Sion fort and mention of
which, we get in the British documents. I sat on the most heighted part of the
Sion fort. A scenic view in all directions with a swift breeze was driving me
towards the meditative thinking. “Where is the Riwa fort then?” I asked
question to myself. It was sure that the lonely bastion looking watch tower was
not Riwa fort. I decided to talk and investigate in detail with local people. After
thoroughly foraging through the Sion fort and its surroundings for couple of
hours, I decided to venture into the premises of lonely watch tower. I came
down from the Sion fort and took the street which takes us straight towards
Aparna Bar. Crossing the heavy traffic, behind the bus and auto stop opposite
the Sion bus stop, my eyes stilled on old boundary wall which ran quite long
and circular towards Chunabhatti. Following the cue, I went straight towards
Chunabhatti and saw a big water pond/reservoir near Ramanugraha temple which was unclearly visible from the top of the
fort (Image – 15). Standing near the
shop just opposite the tank, I enquired local residents about the tank’s
historicity and promptly reply came from the many ‘far juna aahe, Shivkalin aahe ha talav (Its very old, it’s from
Shivaji’s time)” besides an inquiry, ‘tumhi kuthche?’ (Where are you from?).
After satisfying there queries and genuineness of my purpose, I went inside the
boundary wall to encounter a gate and a flight of steps which takes us up on
the small hill (Image – 16, 17).
Again I circumambulate around the boundary wall and went up straight on the
hill from the entrance to Aayurveda Mahavidyalaya which opens near Sion
Railway station. On the hill, I found this lonely and mysterious tall round
structure in solid stone masonry for which small approach steps are cut in the
rock (Image – 18). A sense of joy
roamed throughout my body. This structure is completely covered by trees and
bushes and to my surprise, not even a single step is provided to reach its top.
In old days, this lone bastion must have been climbed by soldiers with the help
of a ladder. This place commands the view of Sion fort on the east (Image – 19 and 20 – Google Earth Image),
Riwa, Bandra, Mahim on the west and Varli and Bombay forts and surrounding
regions on the south and Kurla on the north. After recording and documenting
it, I came down to search my third destination, Riwa fort. In an open stall
near the entrance of Aayurveda Mahavidyalaya, I thought to feed myself
with the Mumbai’ ultimate and all time favorite food, Vada Pav! Munching well fried, hot and delicious Vada Pav, I asked the vendor about the
road for Dharavi. “Straight jao. Chauk
cross karne ke bad Dharavi lag jayega. Aage bahot sari leather ki dukan hein” (Go
straight, cross the square and Dharavi will start. May leather shops are there)”.
I took the street and crossed the
heavy traffic. For next half hour, I was enquiring about Riwa fort in the
confusing streets and lanes of Dharavi. No one answered and some were clueless.
Again I felt like I am shooting arrow in dark! Finally I surrendered myself
before one old lady who was selling fishes there. “Mavashi,
ithe kuthe killa aahe he ka? (Aunty is there any fort here?)”. She
looked curiously towards me and pointed her finger towards one narrow lane with
one board “Kala Killa Ravivashi Samiti” and
told me, “Ya gallitun saral ja. Gallichya
shevti tula killa disel (Go straight from that lane. You will see fort at
the end).” I couldn’t control my
delight after getting the fort’s location. I thanked her and before leaving, I
asked, “Mavashi, ithe khup jast lokana
killya baddal mahit nahi, as ka?” (Aunty, very few people know about fort
in this area. Why?). “Arre baba, navya
porana tyachyabaddal kahi vatat nahi and lok tyachya aaju bajula ghar karun
rahilit kittek warsha pasun. Lok visarat challi tyala. Gharanmadhe laplay to.
Ithlya junya lokana tevdha to changla mahit hota. Pehle khadich pani killya paryant
yayach. Kadhi kadhi tujhya sarkhe kahi lok shodhat killyala yetat ikade” (Son,
new generation is not much interested in it.
Many families have settled around the fort over the years. People are
forgetting about it. It is hidden behind houses. Old people knew about it very
well. Earlier, bay’s water used to come near the fort. Sometime people like you
come searching to see this fort). In simple sentences, a pathetic condition of
Mumbai’s precious heritage stood before me. I entered the lane and I saw for
the first time inner Dharavi. In small one or two rooms, people were living.
Children were playing outside on the road. Cars, vehicles were parked on both side
of the road making it narrower. All daily chores like washing clothes, utensils
were done on the road only, outside of each house. Some group of ladies was
chatting outside their houses. An outsider like me was felling surprise about
how they manage to live in such a small place but Mumbai’s socio-economic
equations made me to realize the declining standards of living and their daily
struggle for existence in this crowded city. Finally I reached the end of lane.
At the end, near common toilet, I saw one very small ‘fort’, completely
surrounded by houses (Image – 21, 22 and
23). Really no one would even guess about the existence of ‘fort’ while
standing at the front of lane. Fowls and big size cocks were moving around the
fort and most of the floor area was covered with bird’s waste. On its southern boundary
garbage was dumped. Boys were playing cricket at front of fort. Small kids were
climbing on the fort. Inscribed slab on
the eastern side of fort records that this fort was built in 1737 AD by the
order of the honorable governor of Bombay (Image
– 24). After seeing it, I felt that perhaps it’s the smallest fort in
Mumbai. On plan, this fort looks like one small airplane with two propellers at
its both corners. Anyone can climb this fort. Behind it, BEST has set up its
Dharavi bus depot. Above this fort, difference between the floor area and
height of parapet wall is merely 3 or 4 feet. Guns windows, seating arrangements
for garrison behind the parapet wall and outlet for water are provided. There
is no provision for residential quarters and even water storage facility is not
provided! In the middle of fort, one underground chamber is present which can
be approached by a flight of steps and to which connected a narrow channel
may be meant for providing fresh air. This underground chamber must have been
used for storing ammunition. Therefore, after observing and noting its
architectural features and components, I felt that it somewhat appears like a
British battery cum outpost. Local residents were calling this fort, Kala killa, Black fort and some were calling it
Dharvi fort but no one was seems to be aware about the existence of Riwa fort. Thus,
the whole day went in the careful investigations and recording of the
architecture, location and purpose of these structures to be followed carefully
in next years. Though, in the beginning I was somewhat doubtful about my
observations, thanks to my imagination behind the word ‘fort’, the concept which itself
changed considerably in upcoming years as I dwelt deeper and deeper into the
history of these strange structures which were called forts, regimes
responsible for its construction and most importantly social and economic
conditions when these structures took shape and dimensions. And thereafter, my
continuous meditations on this topic started. The main question before me was
to trace the Riwa fort.
Monsoon started. That was my first
regular monsoon in Mumbai. I experienced the torrential rain of north Konkan
which used to last continuously for two to three days with short breaks in
between. It was this time that my association with Shri. Bhalchandra Kulkarni,
Assistant Director of Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Government of
Maharashtra started. He used to visit Mumbai Circle office to attend Custom
office meetings and for some official matters. A talented and very senior
Deccan College product, he had enviable command on Marathi. He had also
published his research on the defensive structures of Mumbai and surrounding
regions through his acclaimed book in Marathi, “Mumbai Parisaratil Arthat Ekekalchya Firanganatil Kille”. As soon
as I got a copy of his nicely written book from him, I didn’t take too much
time to finish it. In two subsequent sittings, I finished the reading with
required notes. He had identified the lonely watch tower at Sion as Riwa fort
and had treated Kala Killa at Dharavi
as one separate entity by calling it Dharavi fort. After going through Shri.
Kulkarni’s book, being unconvinced about the identification of Riwa fort with
the lonely watch tower of Sion, again, I started to pursue this topic carefully.
As days passed, I found two views on the identification of Riwa fort. First was
to consider the lonely bastion of Sion as the Riwa fort and fort at Dharavi as
the separate fort of Bombay island without providing factual evidences for the
both. Second was to consider Dharavi fort blindly as the Riwa fort because most
of the people holding this view, are not aware about the existence of lonely
watch tower at Sion besides the Sion fort, its actual role in the defense of
Bombay island and who consider the Daharvi fort is the only fort after the Sion
fort in this area. In this case also, no proofs for the same are provided and
unreasoning allegiance to consider the present Dharavi fort as the Riwa fort is
followed. Main questions before me were that which is the real Riwa fort? If
the present watch tower was the Riwa fort then what the origin and purpose
behind the Dharavi fort? Where are its reliable references for its origin and
construction? If the present watch tower at Sion is not the Riwa fort and if
the present Dharavi fort is the Riwa fort then what are the evidences? If the
both, i.e. the lonely watch tower at Sion and Dharavi fort are not Riwa fort
then did one separate fort like Riwa fort exist nearby Sion or Dharavi and
which in the later period was blasted or pulled down by the British themselves
as in the case of Dongri fort, St. George fort and the fortification of Bombay
castle, once they found it is no more useful? Or was it destroyed in invasion
or demolished by the enemies, only to survive later in popular memory without
any clue as in the case of Mazgaon fort? Questions were many and I started to
ponder on every possible option. One fine night and amidst the roaring monsoon
of Mumbai, I was served with delicious crabs and hot fish curry in dinner
cooked in the office kitchen. Indeed, like any mortal creature in the sensible
world, I was delighted with the tasty culinary that was bestowed on me.
Expressing my thankfulness and courtesy, I inquired generally about the person
who cooked it and the source of such exquisite food. “Ithlyach Koliwadyatun aanle aahet sir. Kadhi kadhi changle khekhade
aani machhi milate. Tari aata pahile sarkhe bhetat nahi.” (these are from
local Koliwada sir. Sometime we get
good crabs and fishes but it’s not the same like old days) told Ramesh Koli who
himself is the resident of Elephanta island. He invited me for catching crabs
and fishes on the shores of Elephanta island and to eat delicious home made sea
food. I heard and read about very ancient fishing communities which from the
bulk of original residents of this region. Again, my mind started to wander in
the old days of Bombay and Salsette recreating their view which existed during
ancient time. Sion is very much clueless about its earlier history and in
today’s race for FSI in this area, scarcely no marks has been left to
understand its earliest past except of one historical continuity, Sion’s Koliwada. Sion fort, watch tower and old water tank at
Sion must have been sharing a good comradery with Koliwadas since their existence. Koliwada at Dharavi too is much ancient and we find its repeated
references in late medieval travelogues and memoirs. Busy street from the Sion
Railway station takes us to the underground tunnel on its right side. As soon
we descend in the underground bridge which takes us to Sion (East), any person
will find a direction marking for Sion Koliwada.
A two or three row of fish sellers forms a prominent view of Sion Koliwada on the north-west tip of former Portuguese and British
Sion whereas the present Koliwada
exist in south direction adjacent to present Cinemax theatre (former Rupam
Cinema). An angry cat may snarl at you if you disturb him/her on their daily
duty. Fat and lazy cats and dogs are found in good numbers in the areas nearby
the Koliwadas. A considerable number
of South Indian communities also live in this area whose roots can be stretched
back to the days of British Raj. Despite
Sion’s silence about its early past, cultural signatures about the rich
cultural and architectural activities that happened during the early
historical, historical, early medieval and medieval period in Bombay and
Salsette islands exist in good number in spite of the repeated human vandalism.
But the definite evidence for Sion is yet wanting for its role during the early
historical, historical, early medieval and medieval society of Bombay island,
being its northernmost land bordering erstwhile Salsette island, which has
earned itself the name ‘Shiv’ means ‘boundary’
of this group of islands, (from south to North, Colaba, Old Woman’s Island,
Bombay, Mazgaon, Varli, Mahim and Parel) and made it featuring prominently in
numerous medieval and late medieval travelogues and memoirs.
Muddy sea water, unplanned concrete
jungle, carved or completely blasted hillocks, vanishing plantation and a
strange feeling of suffocation in today’s Mumbai sometime makes me restless,
prompting my mind to whirl around the landscape charmed by bluish sea, lush
greenery, slightly raised land and big or small hillocks as it existed during
the 15th century and its earlier. 23rd December 1534 AD. That was
the date and year when the Gujarat Sultan, Bahadurshah handed over the region of
Dahanu in north till Uran in south to Portuguese as per the treaty signed on
the board galleon St. Mattheus . By that time, western coast was divided among
the numerous regional dynasties; prominent among them were the Sulatans of
Gujarat from Ahemdabad in modern Gujarat, Aadilshah from Bijapur in modern
Karnataka and Nizamshah from Ahemdnagar in modern Maharashtra. Portuguese
became the righteous owner of the islands of Bombay which they called Buon Bahia (Good Bay) after this treaty.
Once came under the Portuguese dominance, between 1545 – 1548 AD, during the
Viceroyship of Dom João de Castro, Manuel Serrão was granted the estate
comprising four villages of Parel, Vadala, Sion and Varali for an annual rent
of 412 pardos (Rs. 154.8.0) by the
crown of Portugal. Bombay islands, from the ancient times, were divided in two kasbas, Bombay and Mahim. Sion used to
come under the kasba of Mahim with
Mahim, Parel and Varella (Vadala). In 1554 AD, Portuguese Revenue Minister or
Comptroller of Revenue, Simão Botelho referred Sion as Syva which was the Portuguese corruption of Marathi word Shiv. With the Portuguese, entered the
various Christian religious orders in the islands of Bombay, influenced heavily
by the policy of their predecessor Vasco da Gama, ‘viemos buscar cristãos e especiaria’ (we come here to seek
Christians and spices). These missionary activities were zealously supported by
the King John III of Portugal who by the 1549 AD, ordered the civil authorities
to render every possible help and assistance to Christian orders for
localities’ conversion to Christianity and as a result, by 1560 AD, numbers of
Christian converts in Provincia do Norte reached
at its peak. Beautiful churches, chapels, villas started to dot the picturesque
landscape of Bombay islands. Salts pans was another element for which Sion was
known for. At the advent of Portuguese
in Bombay islands, Sion must have looked beautiful at its best. In the colorful
landscape of Sion, Jesuits built the chapel of Nossa Senhora de Bom Concelho in
1596 AD which was affiliated to the Church of St. Michael in Mahim. Slowly
powers of the Christian orders in Portuguese Provincia do Norte increased and with the exception of Mazgaon and
Bombay proper, most of the land in the island was fallen in their hands. By the
end of the 16th century, Mahim, Dadar, Matunga, Sewri, Parel and
Sion followed the suit and Jesuits controlled its overall ownership. In the
words of Antonio Bocarro from his ‘Description
of Bombay’ in 1634 AD, “northern islands
given over wholly to the Jesuits who owned houses and demesnes in Parel, Sion
and Mahim”. There is no indication of credible evidence for the existence
of any defensive structure at Sion during the Portuguese rule but we
can’t altogether deny it as even the Portuguese religious structures used to be
fortified and were well equipped with ammunitions for the case of emergency as
like the Churches at Bandra. It is
important to note that in the gazette notification of Sion fort dated 28th
September 1929 reads, “Whole Hill-fort of
Sion together with all ancient Portuguese remains of buildings situated to the
north, east and south-east of hill at its toe”. The government of Bombay
had published a site plan of Sion fort showing its nature and extent in 1881 AD
but unfortunately the site plan is no longer traceable. Today, we do not find
any evidences of Portuguese structures in the directions mentioned above around
the Sion fort owing to the construction of garden by BMC and a thick belt of
constructions around the Sion hill itself. In which architectural category did
those Portuguese buildings were falling? What was their purpose and to which
period of Portuguese occupation did they belong? Whether Sion was made the
target of constant Arab raids as with the case of Bombay island proper?
Questions like these and many more are open for study and research. Sion
appears to be silent with its Koli, Kunbi population and large salt pans
over these years. Years after years passed till the dawn of 23rd
June 1661 arrived.
At the Whitehall in Westminster,
Central London one important treaty was signed which in the near future was to
decide the fate of Bombay islands. The occasion was the marriage of British
prince, Charles II and Portuguese princess Infanta Donna Catharina. As per the
11th article of the treaty signed between British and Portuguese, “the port and island of Bombay with all the
rights, profits, territories and appurtenances whatsoever there unto belonging
were handed over to the King of Britain, his heirs and successors forever”
and thus the Sion, along with the Bombay islands was passed to British. From
1661 AD onwards, Sion served as the boundry between the British territory in
South and the Portuguese territory in north. Despite the treaty, till 1667 AD,
British were unsuccessful to gain the official control of Bombay islands from
the Portuguese who by offering one after another pretexts, kept the issue
dangling which even resulted in nearly all out destruction of British
delegation commanded by Sir A. Shipman consisting four hundred soldiers and hundred
officers and ultimately death of Sir A. Shipman himself at the island of
Angediv. In 1667 AD, Humphrey Cook, the Governor of Bombay forcibly took the control
of Mahim, Sion, Dharavi and Vadala villages despite the protests of Antonio de
Mello de Castro, the Portuguese Viceroy of Goa and Ignacio Sarmento de Sampaio.
Jesuits were reluctant to hand over their colossus estates to British in the
beginning days of British rule in Bombay islands. Describing the islands of
Bombay to the Court of Directors, Surat through a letter dated 15th
December 1673, Governor of the Bombay and the architect of modern Bombay,
Gerald Aungier and his Council wrote, “Bombay
island is made by inroads of the sea into four small islands, passable at low
water, 1. Colleo or Old Woman’s island, 2.the Palmero grove of Bombay, the twon
of Mazgaon, Parel, Matunga, Sion and Dharavee (Dharavi), 3.the Cassabem (Kasba) or
Palmero wood of Mahim, 4. The hilly island of Verloy (Varli). The sea hath
eaten up about one third of the island… the island is divided in two small
shires, Bombay and Mahim, under the shire of Bombay comes the island of Colleo
(Colaba), town of Bombay, Mazgaon and Parell with several parishes of Pallo,
Deirao, Gregon, Vall and Mochein. In the shire of Mahim comes Mahim, Sion,
Dharavee, Verlee with the several parishes of Salvacon, St. Michael etc.”
Informing further, he mentions about the “some
line or parapets and guard houses have been raised at Mahim and Sion” and
thus the first credible mention about the fort or defensive structures at Sion
comes. He continues that, “We intend also
to sinking the fords of Mahim and Sion with quantities of sharp cragged stones,
some pieces of old timber stuck with spikes and nails and to have a good number
of crow’s feet and spike balls in readiness to gall either a horse or foot that
shall endeavor to pass those fords”. From this line, importance of this place
can be fairly understood. According to the records, the credit for the
construction of Sion fort is generally given to Gerald Aungier who said to have
constructed this fort from 1669 – 1677 AD. Existence of any fort named as Riwa
is not mentioned in this letter. During the governorship of Aungier, the system
of Police force for the protection of Bombay islands was born. Aungier
organized the local Bhandari people to form the protection band
under the command of Subhedar with
their headquarters at Mahim, Sewri, Sion and other natural divisions of the island.
Again, by posting archaic Police force especially with its headquarters at
Sion, its strategic importance can be gauged.
Through some letters by the senior officials of the Bombay like the
Commissioner, Deputy Governor and the Council in the year of 1668 and 1669 AD,
we come to know about the forts of Mazgaon, Sion, Mahim and Varli were supplied
with guns by the end of 17th century. Seeing the present cannons at
Sion fort, two below in the office premises and one in the fort, I feel the
robustness this small fort had experienced once with these guns of death and
with more alertness it might have guarded the boundary of the northernmost land
of British controlled Bombay islands. Dr. John Fryer, a well known European
visitor to this region and who called Sion Siam
records in his memoir, ‘A New Account
of East India and Persia’ (1675 AD) about “a church and demesnes belonging to the Jesuits to which appertains
Sion manured by Coonabies”. He also talks about the salt pans of Sion. In the month of March 1681, Captain
Richard Keigwin who rocked the Bombay for the next one year by his mutiny and
directly ruled the island on the name of King, was appointed the Commandant of
all the forces on the island and a third member of council on a salary of 6 shillings a day without any allowances
for diet and lodging. It was during his tenure that we come to know that he
built small fortifications at Mahim and Sion, a second definite reference for
the existence of defensive structure at Sion. Therefore, one question rises
before me, which fortification Keigwin built at Sion when the Sion fort said to
have built by Gerald Aungier already existed? Does it point to the lonely
bastion/watch tower at the low lying hill near Sion fort or does it point to
addition or modification in the already existing Sion fort? These
questions are yet to be answered satisfactorily. One important thing to note is
that till now Riwa fort or the existence of Riwa fort very near to Sion fort or
the lone watch tower near the Sion fort as the Riwa fort is not mentioned at
all in any of the British documents, travelogues or memoirs. Then where was the
Riwa fort? Meanwhile, by the year of 1692 AD, company was successful to get
possession of all lands once controlled by Jesuits in Bombay islands.
As the 18th century
began, in 1708 AD, Sion was connected to Mahim by a causeway. In the 1724 AD
map (Map – 2) of the port and island
of Bombay with the adjacent islands, Sion is shown as Siam with almost all major fortifications but it nowhere shows the
Riwa fort. The most important reference for the fort and watch tower at Sion
comes from the report on the description of Bombay islands dated 18th
January 1727 AD along with the estimate sent by Portuguese Viceroy João de
Saldanha da Gama to the King of Portugal, John V, for exploring the possibility
to purchase Bombay islands back from the British. In this report while
providing information about Bombay islands, he informs that “…Bombay had two towns or Kasbas, Bombay and
Mahim, it had eight villages, Mazgaon, Varli, Parel, Vadala (between Parel and
Matunga), Naigaon (south of Vadala and north of Parel), Matunga, Dharavi and
the island of Kolis or Kolaba, it had seven hamlets, two Aivaris and Gauvari under Vadala, two, Bamanvali and
Coltem under Dharavi and three, Bhoiwada, Pomala and Salgado under Parel and it
had five Koli under Bombay, Mazgaon, Varli, Parel and Sion. There were three
saltpans at Kasli north of Matunga, Siwari and Vadali…” For estimated
produce and revenue on the different parts of the island, he cites Sion with 54
mudas and a few palms Xms. 1400 and
Dharavi with two hamlets, 23 mudas
and a few brab-palms Xms. 625. Among the defensive structures existing on the
islands, he correctly mentions small
tower and breastwork at Sion with a Captain and 62 men and 9 or 10 guns. His
remarks makes another striking point as he notes only the existence of a small
watch tower (present watch tower near the Sion fort) and breastwork at Sion
(the actual Sion fort) and he does not refer at all to any structure as Riwa
fort either near by Sion fort or even does not call a small watch tower near
Sion fort as Riwa fort. It completely proves that Riwa fort did not exist till
1727 AD and a small watch tower near Sion fort was not even known by the name
of Riwa fort. In 1737 AD, when the future of Salsette was uncertain due to ongoing
Portuguese-Maratha wars, British enlisted Siddi troops for the defense of Sion
fort. It is in 1737 AD only, that the small fort cum battery at the present Dharavi
was built by the order of the governor of Bombay, John Horne, as recorded on
its inscribed slab. And this was the fort which was called as Riwa or Reva fort
by the British and not the small watch tower near the Sion fort. The story of
Riwa fort starts only from 1737 AD and not before it. After the Maratha victory
against the Portuguese in 1739 AD, entire Salsette island and rest of region
under the Portuguese controlled Provincia
do Norte came under the Maratha control and therefore, once again, Sion
marked the boundary between the British controlled Bombay islands in south and
the Maratha ruled region in north. Responsibility on the shoulder of Sion fort
and watch tower/bastion nearby and Riwa fort must had rose considerably
following the unwanted neighbors next to the door. Seeing the hostile Salsette
island on the north, British must have felt to strengthen their boundaries and
outposts and as one of the outcomes of it, probably by 1740 AD, quarters were
provided for the outposts at Sion, Sewri, Mahim and Warli. By 1742 AD, Sion is
mentioned as one of the Koli hamlets of the Bombay islands. One entry of 1742
AD about the protection measures of the island states that, “…to protect the island, its population of
70,000, its gardens, groves, rice-lands, fisheries, grave-yards and salt pans,
there were the Bombay fort and twon wall, the Mazgaon and Dongri forts, the
Sewri fort with a garrison of fifty sepoys, one Subhedar and eight or ten guns,
a small tower and one breastwork with nine to ten guns, sixty soldiers and one
Captain at Sion, the triple bastioned fort of Mahim with one hundred soldiers
and thirty guns and lastly the Varli fort, armed with seven or eight guns and
manned by an ensign and twenty five soldiers…”. Once more, all old and prominent defensive
structures of the Bombay group of islands feature in this list but not the Riwa
fort, being the new entry (1737 AD) to the list. In 1764 AD, according to
records, Bombay was made impregnable by small forts Mazgaon, Sewri and Warli
and by the larger fortification at Mahim and Sion. It seems that by 1764 AD,
small battery cum fort of built at Dharavi and called as Reva started to make
its appearance on the regional maps though not in everyone. For instance, in the
map renowned French Cartographer and Geographer, Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, ‘Plan de Bombay, Et ses Environs’ of
1764 AD (Map – 3), he has shown Sion
as San but it has not shown locality
or fort called Riwa. But one of the most important cartographic references
about Riwa fort cum battery features in 1764 AD only, in the map drawn by
famous German cartographer and explorer, Carsten Niebhur who on visit to Bombay
had produced one of the most `accurate maps of Bombay islands during those days
(Map – 4). In his map, Sion fort is
shown on the north-east boundary of the island whereas Riwa fort is shown on
the north-west side and is mentioned as Riva
or Rivalo Battery. And more
significantly, it is shown near Dharavi which is referred there as Darway (Map – 4 Closer). This is the
first definite contemporary evidence to prove that the location Riwa fort was
not all near Sion fort or in Sion nor it was equated with the lonely watch
tower of Sion but it was located on the north-west tip of Dharavi. When British
conquered Salsette and Karanja islands from Marathas in 1774 AD, more attention
was paid for the protection of island. By 1780 AD, on the advice of Lord Clive
and General Lawrence and many important officers, special care was taken to
strengthen the defensive structures of the island and it is during this period
that forts of Sion and Reva were made stronger. This is the first direct
reference of Riwa fort that we get in the old British documents and therefore,
it becomes clear that Riwa or Reva fort became prominent only probably after
1745 AD. BY 1799 AD Parel and Sion were being quarried for lime stones. Major
Lachlan Macquarie of the 77th Regiment of Bombay Army visited Sion
fort on 5th October 1789 in the company of Colonel and Mrs.
Sterling, Mr. and Mrs. Herring. In his own words according to the entry abut
Sion fort he writes, “We went upon a very pleasant Party today, along with Col. and Mrs.
Stirling, and Mr. and Mrs.
Herring, and a number of Gentlemen, to Meham (Mahim) and Sion Fort, where we dined and spent a
very agreeable day; From the Fort on Sion Hill, which commands a most extensive
view, we had a most charming Prospect of every part of the Island of Bombay,
the neighboring Islands, and Continent, which along with the variety of breaks
of water intervening, forms a most beautiful and very Picturesque Scene; Sion
Fort is Nine Measured Miles from Bombay Fort and is one of the Extremities of
the Island, – being divided only by a very narrow channel from the large Island
of Salcet, belonging also to the Presidency of Bombay. I travelled to Sion in a
Palanquin, having Eight Bearers – a very easy and comfortable mode of
Travelling in this Country. We all returned in the Evening to Bombay."
Most important and existing pictorial representation about the Sion fort and
its surroundings comes from the paintings of famous Scottish portrait painter
and draughtsman, James Wales (1747 – 1795 AD), whose paintings of Sion fort
drawn in 1791-1792 AD gives vivid details about the fort and its surroundings. He
drew two views of Bombay and its environs from within the walls of Sion fort (Image – 25, 26, Courtesy – Lachlan and
Elizabeth Macquarie Archive, Macquarie University, Australia) which were originally
published posthumously entitled, “Twelve
views of the island of Bombay and its vicinity: Taken in the years of 1791 –
1792”.
By the
commencement of 19th century, British grip on the surrounding
regions of Bombay started to grow firm. In another major move to join Bombay
and Salsette islands, Bombay islands was connected to Salsette by a causeway
from Sion in 1803 AD. In the available map of the Island of Bombay (1812-16) by Captain Thomas Dickinson from
Company’s Engineers, once again the accurate location of Sion fort and Riwa
fort is given (Map – 5). In this map,
we can see the Sion or Senw Fort on the north-east corner of
the island and Riwa fort, mentioned there as Riva fort on the northern corner of island, near Dharavee (Dharavi) (Map – 5 Closer). Both of these forts are located opposite to each
other. It is to note that Sion fort is located on the right side of Duncan’s
Causeway, (which connected Bombay islands to Salsette islands) and Riwa fort on
the left side. After annexing Maratha
territories in 1818 AD, virtually no significant enemy was left against British
in the western India and therefore, need for keeping defense structures like
forts was slowly started to diminish. British awarded the portion of Inami land at Sion on the north-east of Sion fort to Lowji
Wadia and family through land grant of 1821 AD considering the excellent
services they rendered as shipbuilders to company. The population of Sion
continued to the same in number as it used to exist before the century. In 1834
AD, the inami land given at Sion to Lowji (Wadia
family) as given in 1821 AD, was later exchanged with certain lands in the
Thane district. In one map of Bombay and Colaba island dating to year of 1843
AD, the respective positions of Dharavee and Riwa are given, whereas in Sion,
both two hillocks are shown where the defensive structures of Sion exists, one
being the heighted hillock on east which houses the Sion fort and other one on
the west of it which has watch tower (Map
– 6 and Map – 6 Closer). Therefore, again it proves that Sion and Riwa were
two different localities and latter was in or nearby Dharavi but away from
Sion, the condition which exists today as after reclamation, Riwa has become
the part of Dharavi and therefore, the present Dharavi fort is none other then
than the Riwa fort itself. Consolidating British suzerainty over the entire
Bombay islands and for the better administration, in 1872 AD considering the
increase in population, Sion was included in the F Ward and by 1882 AD, Sion
section had in its north creek and causeway, on south Sewri, on east harbor and
on the west G.I.P Railway. Sion fort and watch tower nearby had become only as
the object of interests and the place from where a beautiful view of Salsette
and Bombay islands can be seen. They had done their duty obediently for at
least 150 years and were mute witness of early British days in the Bombay
islands till their virtual hegemony on the geo-politics of western India.
On the advent of 20th
century, the situation about the accurate position of Sion fort and Riwa fort
became much clear. In the map of 1909 AD of the island of Bombay, the
localities of the Sion fort and Riwa fort or Riwah fort as written in the map are properly given. Both these
forts are shown quite opposite to each other, in respect of the Duncan’s
causeway which is passing in between.
Therefore, finally it becomes clear that both Sion fort and watch tower
near by it was the part of one group of defensive structure at Sion and the
Riwa fort formed the another nucleus of defensive structure on the northern
periphery of the Bombay island located in Dharavi area. The small watch tower
of Sion was never equated with the Riwa fort and even was not identified with
it. Sion fort and small watch tower nearby are much older than the Riwa fort.
Riwa fort is much later entry to the defensive structure of Bombay island and
was constructed in 1737 AD and at present is called Kala Killa or Dharavi fort. On
28th September 1929, vide notification number 6225, Sion fort,
considering its historical and cultural importance was declared as a Nationally
Protected Monument. After the independence, it came in the jurisdiction of the
South-Western Circle of Archaeological Survey of India and later in the
Aurangabad Circle of Archaeological Survey of India. With the available
photographs of Sion fort in the year of 1966 (Image – 27) and 1976 (Image
– 28, 29) from the collection of Archaeological Survey of India, we can see
its relatively good condition with its most of the structure, roof and
manglorean tiles intact. Though 230/240 years old it was, its beauty and
robustness captures any ones attention, being one of the representative
examples of European defensive architecture in India. After the formation of
Mumbai Circle in 2002, the Sion fort came under its jurisdiction. The lonely
bastion at Sion is unprotected till now and one can see from the present
Sion Railway station, large cavities that are formed in the hillock due to
carving its west side for fulfilling the need of construction activities.
Further taking away the soil or carving the hillock may destabilize the base of
watch tower and for one more time we will loose one of the prime witnesses and active element for the
birth of megacity called Mumbai. Riwa fort/Dharavi fort is protected by the
State government but due to local problems like rapid construction activities,
abundance of residential structures and its pending solution from the MMRDA, BMC and
the District Collector office, it is yet chalk out any real protection or
conservation measures for it and till then, this smallest fort in Mumbai will
welcome its visitors amidst its crowded surrounding and from the outside of which,
even no one we will be able to sense about its existence.
Now while seeing back to the vivid
history and contours of ages, Sion and importantly Sion fort, near by watch
tower and Riwa fort at Dharavi have gone through till date, does it not become our
responsibility to care for its protection and preservation for its secure
passage to our future generations? They are eager to tell their story and
experiences of ages to persons who are willing to listen it, instead of
vandalizing such beautiful monuments which will silent them for forever.
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Very interesting article and too informative..thanks for sharing.
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