Team Herald
PONDA: The once majestic Shivaji Fort at Farmagudi has now been stripped of its glory, and resembles an abandoned building hidden from view by a mass of overgrown bushes and trees inside the Fort premises.
Located on the National Highway in front of a Ganapati Temple and a statue of former CM Bahusaheb Bandodkar, the fort was once a tourist attraction for visitors driving into Goa. The park at the fort was also a popular picnic location for tourists visiting the fort to admire the statue of Shivaji Maharaj on a horse, brandishing a sword. The Fort has now become very easy to miss as the garden surrounding it has not been pruned. Vinod Pokle, a resident of Bandora said the Fort should be maintained by the government so that people visit to learn about its history. “Every year, the State government celebrates the birth anniversary of Maratha King Shivaji.
Ministers visit the fort during every Shiv Jayanti celebration, and the government promises to renovate the historic monument. So far, nobody has come forward to complete this promised to revamp,” he said.
According to historic records, the fort was constructed by Muslim ruler Adil Shah in 1626 and was captured by the Maratha emperor. It was later destroyed by the Portuguese and then rebuilt during the tenure of former Chief Minister Shashikala Kakodkar a few decades ago. A few years ago, a large section of the wall of the fort had collapsed during the monsoon and had to be repaired.
Several ministers had announced ambitious renovation projects costing crores of rupees to give the fort a facelift and had spoken about introducing laser shows, a 4-D theatre, an amphitheatre and a museum dedicated to the achievements of Shivaji among others, but the project has not seen the light of day as yet.
