Fort icons of Mumbai

Sion Fort

While Mumbai's forts might have slipped into oblivion, those that have survived offer insights into their origins. Some, like the Sion fort and the erstwhile Bombay Castle, were built when the British ruled over the city as a part of its defence; they have several histories attached to them.

Bombay Castle, print by William Westall, 1809. Pic courtesy/British Library

On July 22, an interactive session by the Museum Society of Mumbai (MSM) in collaboration with the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) titled Lost Sentinels: The Forgotten Forts of Bombay will explore seven edifices. Helmed by Dr Rashna Poncha, assistant professor of the history department at Sophia College, it will focus on their significance and forgotten histories. "India has a long history of defence architecture , spanning from ancient times. In her virtual talk, Dr Poncha will delve into the stories of these forts that now are either in ruins or remain largely forgotten. While there is intermittent conservation work done by Archaeological Society of India (ASI) and other relevant authorities, a growing interest has emerged about these forts or ‘lost sentinels' as Dr Poncha calls them," shares Jason Johns, joint honorary secretary of MSM.

"When we refer to Worli or Bandra, we think of the Sea Link. With Sewri, it's the Christian cemetery and when it comes to Fort, the region around Flora Fountain comes to mind. Interestingly, all the above areas had forts meant to guard the island city against threats from the sea," he adds. The interactive session will be followed by a question and answer round with the experts.

On: July 22, 5.30 pm
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