UpdateBot at 13:31, 29 March 2022

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{{Short description|Fort in Goa, India}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Chapora
| image = Fort Chapora 26012016.jpg
| caption = Ruins of Fort Chapora in Goa
| location_country = India
| coordinates = {{coord|15.60|73.76|region:IN|display=inline}}
| completion_date = {{start date and age|1617}}
| architect =
| cost =
| map_type = India Goa
| structural_system =
| client =
| engineer =
| construction_start_date =
| date_demolished =
| style =
| size =
}}{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

'''Chapora Fort''' ({{IPA-kok|ʃɑːpoːɾɑː}}, [[Devanagari]]: शापोरा), located in [[Bardez]], [[Goa]], rises high above the [[Chapora River]]. The site was the location of a fort built by Muslim ruler Adil Shah called Shahpura, whose name the Portuguese altered to Chapora. It is now become a popular tourist spot and offers a view north across the Chapora river to Pernem, south over [[Vagator]] and also far out to the [[Arabian Sea]] in the West.

== History ==
The fort changed hands several times after Portuguese acquired Bradez. Trying to end the Portuguese rule in Goa, Prince [[Akbar]] joined his father's enemies, the [[Maratha]]s in 1683 and made this place his base camp.{{Citation needed|reason=Akbar died before 1683|date=October 2019}} It became the northern [[Outpost (military)|outpost]] of the [[Old Conquest]]s. After the Portuguese recovered from an encounter with the [[Maratha (caste)|Marathas]], they strengthened their northern defenses and provided shelter to the people there.

Across the Chapora river, the [[Hindu]] ruler of [[Pernem]], the Maharaja of [[Sawantwadi]] who was an old enemy of the Portuguese held the fort for two years. The Portuguese came in 1717, and carried out extensive repairs of the fort, adding features like bastions and a tunnel that extended to the seashore and banks of the [[Chapora River]] for emergencies. The fort fell to [[Bhonsle]] in 1739.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thegoavilla.com/goa/distanation/chapora-fort.html|title=Chapora Fort in Goa|website=Goa Villa|access-date=2019-12-01}}</ref> In 1741, the Portuguese regained the fort when the northern [[Pernem taluka|taluka of Pernem]] was handed over to them. In 1892, they completely abandoned the fort.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.goatourism.gov.in/destinations/forts/152-chapora-fort|title=Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, India - Chapora Fort|website=www.goatourism.gov.in|access-date=2019-12-01|archive-date=10 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140210024446/http://goatourism.gov.in/destinations/forts/152-chapora-fort|url-status=dead}}</ref> When Goa's border moved northwards with the acquisition of Pernem as part of the [[New Conquest]]s, the fort lost its military significance towards the end of the century.

== Architecture ==
The Chapora fort <ref>{{Cite web|title=Chapora Fort An Untold Story {{!}} Fort Trek|url=https://www.forttrek.com/chapora-fort-an-untold-story/|access-date=2021-01-23|language=en-US}}</ref> sits on a prominent position which commands views in all directions. It also has steep slopes on all sides. The fort follows the outline of the higher slopes. This forms an irregular outer wall that uses the natural form to add defensive height to the fortifications. This offers an advantage over [[Ditch (fortification)|dry ditches]] being dug. At the top of the steep approach track, the main gate is small and unpretentious, but narrow and deep. Depending on defense requirements, the positions of [[bastions]] are irregularly spaced with enormous [[embrasures]] for [[cannon]]. Each bastion has a cylindrical [[Turret (architecture)|turret]] offering a special character to the fort.

Inside the fort, the church, once dedicated to [[Anthony of Padua|St. Anthony]], has disappeared and inside only a few signs exist of the [[barracks]] and housing that once filled this vast area. The wide expanse of open space is only a tumble of stones, where a few herds of goats graze and cashew bushes grow. A natural valley to the beach protected by rocky [[Promontory|promontories]] provides an excellent natural access to the sea.

== In popular culture ==
The Fort of Chapora got popularized by the movie ''[[Dil Chahta Hai]]'' (Starring Amir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Akshaye Khanna) and is now a prime attraction of [[Goa]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/travel/dil-chahta-hai-fort-or-the-chapora-fort-in-goa|title=The Chapora Fort in Goa|website=Maps of India|language=en|access-date=2019-12-01}}</ref>
[[File:Chapora fort 25012016.jpg|thumb|600px|center|{{center|A view of Chapora Fort from Vagator Beach.}}]]

==See also==
*[[Chapora (disambiguation)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Chapora Fort}}
* [https://lifeonweekends.com/2016/11/02/aguada-and-chapora-fort/Living your 'Dil Chahta Hai' moment in Chapora fort, Goa]{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [https://lifeonweekends.com/2016/11/02/aguada-and-chapora-fort/No to shacks, yes to getting high - an unusual day at Chapora fort]
* [http://allaboutgoa.com/sights-and-activities-h/inland-h/forts-h/2006-chapora-fort Chapora fort ratings, reviews and photos on allaboutgoa.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811101947/http://allaboutgoa.com/sights-and-activities-h/inland-h/forts-h/2006-chapora-fort |date=11 August 2011 }}
* [http://indiatourism.ws/goa/chapora_fort/ Chapora Fort's] spherical panoramas 360°.
* [http://sunshanti.ru/asia/goa/chapora-fort/ Walk through Chapora Fort (прогулка по форт Чапора)] 22.12.2014

{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|15|36|22|N|73|44|11|E|display=title|type:landmark_region:IN-GA}}
{{Forts and fortresses of the Portuguese empire|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Forts in Goa]]
[[Category:Portuguese forts in India]]
[[Category:1717 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1717]]
[[Category:Military installations established in 1717]]

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Chapora Fort - Revision history

UpdateBot at 13:31, 29 March 2022